[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 247 (Tuesday, December 24, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78563-78565]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-32406]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Guidance on Traffic Control Devices at Highway-Rail Grade 
Crossings

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice; issuance of guidance.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that the FHWA has issued guidance to 
assist engineers in selection of traffic control devices or other 
measures at highway-rail crossings. The report, ``Guidance on Traffic 
Control Devices at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings'' is available at the 
following URL: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/media/twgreport.htm. This 
guidance is designed to assist in decisions to install traffic control 
devices or otherwise improve highway-rail grade crossings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Winans, Office of Safety 
Design, HSA-10, 202-366-4656 or Mr. Raymond Cuprill, Office of the 
Chief

[[Page 78564]]

Counsel (HCC-30), 202-366-0791, Federal Highway Administration, 400 
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Office hours are from 
7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

    An electronic copy of this notice may be downloaded using a 
computer, modem and suitable communications software from the 
Government Printing Office's Electronic Bulletin Board Service at (202) 
512-1661. Internet users may reach the Office of the Federal Register's 
home page at: http://www.archives.gov and the Government Printing 
Office's web site at http://www.access.gpo.gov. An electronic version 
of the guidance document may be downloaded by accessing the FHWA web 
site at: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/media/twgreport.htm.

Background

    According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB),\1\ 
more than 4000 accidents have occurred at the Nation's active and 
passive grade crossings \2\ each year from 1991 through 1996. The large 
number of passive grade crossings, the high percentage of fatalities 
that occur as passive grade crossings, and the cost to eliminate or 
upgrade passive grade crossings prompted the NTSB to conduct a study to 
identify some of the common causes for accidents at passive grade 
crossings, and to make recommendations to improve safety at passive 
grade crossings.\3\ As a part of this study, the NTSB convened a two-
day public forum in Jacksonville, Florida, to gather information about 
issues affecting safety at passive grade crossings.
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    \1\ The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent 
Federal agency dedicated to promoting aviation, railroad, highway, 
marine, pipeline, and hazardous materials safety. Established in 
1967, the agency is mandated by Congress through the Independent 
Safety Board Act of 1974 to investigate transportation accidents, 
determine the probable causes of the accidents, issue safety 
recommendations, study transportation safety issues, and evaluate 
the safety effectiveness of government agencies involved in 
transportation. The NTSB makes public its actions and decisions 
through accident reports, safety studies, special investigation 
reports, safety recommendations, and statistical reviews.
    \2\ An active grade crossing is a highway-rail grade crossing 
when active warning devices such as flashing lights, bells, or gates 
are triggered by the approach of a train along the tracks, providing 
advance warning to the oncoming motorist that a train is approaching 
the crossing. A passive grade crossing is a highway-rail grade 
crossing that has only traffic control devices such as crossbuck, 
stop signs, or pavement markings that do not change to give the 
highway vehicle driver active visual or auditory warning of an 
approaching train.
    \3\ The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Safety 
Study, adopted on July 21, 1998, is available at the following URL: 
http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/1998/SS9802.pdf.
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    The data from the NTSB's study, the testimony at the public forum, 
and additional research conducted by the NTSB led the NTSB to conclude 
that the current set of traffic signs used at passive grade crossings 
is not adequate. Therefore, the NTSB made several safety 
recommendations to the U.S. DOT, the States, and several other 
transportation related professional organizations.\4\
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    \4\ The NTSB made safety recommendations to the U.S. DOT, the 
FHWA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA); the States; Operation 
Lifesaver, Inc.; the American Association of Motor Vehicle 
Administrators; the American Automobile Association; the American 
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials; the 
Professional Truck Drivers Institute of American; the Advertising 
Council, Inc.; the Association of American Railroads; the American 
Short Line and Regional Railroad Association; and the American 
Public Transit Association.
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    As a result of the safety recommendations to the U.S. DOT, then 
Secretary of Transportation, Rodney Slater, in December 1998, convened 
a U.S. DOT working group to respond to all the issues encompassed by 
the recommendations. The working group was comprised of representatives 
from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the FHWA, the National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the Federal Transit 
Administration (FTA).
    Because the NTSB study also concluded that the safety of passive 
grade crossings is enhanced when their design adheres to the applicable 
standards and guidelines such as the FHWA's ``Railroad-Highway Grade 
Crossing Handbook'' and the American Association of State Highway and 
Transportation Officials' (AASHTO) ``A Policy on Geometric Design of 
Highways and Streets'' (the Green Book), this working group formulated 
a project plan for developing guidance for State and local traffic 
engineers regarding highway-rail grade crossing traffic control devices 
and grade separation. The plan required that the U.S. DOT establish and 
assemble a Technical Working Group (TWG) to develop this guidance for 
the State and local jurisdictions. Representative from the same 
agencies that made up the U.S. DOT working group also served on the TWG 
along with individuals from the Intelligent Transportation Systems 
(ITS) Joint Program Office, the Research and Special Projects 
Administration (RSPA), the NTSB, transportation/safety associations and 
professional organizations, State and local transportation agencies, 
railroads, public safety organizations, universities, private sector 
consultants and product vendors.
    A contractor provided research, report preparation and 
administrative support to the TWG. The first phase of the effort was a 
literature review of existing guidance. In the second phase, the TWG 
developed the guidance document. The TWG met as a group three times and 
provided comments on draft guidance at other times.
    The result of the TWG's efforts is the report, ``Guidance on 
Traffic Control Devices at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings'' available at 
the following URL: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/media/twgreport.htm. This 
guidance is designed to assist in decisions to install traffic control 
devices or otherwise improve highway-rail grade crossings.
    In addition to providing quantitative guidance for State and local 
engineers to select traffic control devices or other measures for use 
at highway-rail crossings, the FHWA expects the document to lead to 
improved communications between highway agencies, railroad companies, 
and government authorities involved in developing and implementing 
policies, rules and regulations.

Guidance

    The FHWA guidance report, dated November 2002, is not to be 
interpreted as policy or standards. Any requirements that may be noted 
in this guidance are taken from the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control 
Devices for Streets and Highways (MUTCD)\5\ or other documents 
identified by footnotes in the report. The goal is to provide a 
document for users to understand general engineering and operational 
concepts of highway-rail grade crossings and provide guidance in the 
selection of traffic control devices or other measures at highway-rail 
grade crossings. It discusses a number of existing laws, regulations 
and policies of the FHWA and the FRA concerning highway-rail grade 
crossings and railroad operations, driver needs concerning various 
sight distances, and highway and rail system operational requirements 
and functional classification. It includes a description of passive and 
active traffic control devices, including supplemental devices used in 
conjunction with active controls. An appendix provides limited 
discussion on the topic of interconnection and preemption of traffic 
signals near highway-rail grade crossings.
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    \5\ The MUTCD is incorporated by reference in 23 CFR 655.601.

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[[Page 78565]]

    There is also discussion concerning crossing closure, grade 
separation, and consideration for installing new grade crossings. 
Finally, a glossary defines the technical terms.

Conclusion

    The FHWA provides this guidance as another tool to highway 
engineers and transportation officials as a reference aid in decisions 
to install traffic control devices or otherwise improve highway-rail 
grade crossings, as well as provide information on additional 
references. The guidance is available electronically at the following 
URL: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/media/twgreport.htm and is available 
for copying and inspection at U.S. Department of Transportation 
Library, Room 2200, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590.

    Authority: 23 U.S.C. 109(e), 120(c), 130, 133(d)(1), and 315; 49 
CFR 1.48(b).

    Issued on: December 18, 2002.
Mary E. Peters,
Federal Highway Administrator.
[FR Doc. 02-32406 Filed 12-23-02; 8:45 am]
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