Rail-Highway Grade Crossing Construction and Maintenance

PURPOSE: This rule implements the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission’s statutory authority to make reasonable rules pertaining to the construction and maintenance of public rail-highway grade crossings and rail fixed guideway systems. PUBLISHER’S NOTE: The secretary of state has determined that publication of the entire text of the material that is incorporated by reference as a portion of this rule would be unduly cumbersome or expensive. This material as incorporated by reference in this rule shall be maintained by the agency at its headquarters and shall be made available to the public for inspection and copying at no more than the actual cost of reproduction. This note applies only to the reference material. The entire text of the rule is printed here. (1) Every public rail-highway grade crossing on a rail fixed guideway system (RFGS), whether involving railroad, light rail, or street railroad tracks shall be constructed of materials that will provide a ride quality compatible with that of adjacent roadway surfaces (except that crossings of asphalt material shall have installed headers of equal height to the top of rails installed on both sides of both rails). Rail-highway grade crossings constructed on RFGSs shall have, at a minimum, a TRANSPORTATION crossing material comparable to or exceeding the material used in the approaching roadway. Grade crossings constructed of unconsolidated material are prohibited. (A) The crossing shall be the same width as the approaching roadway including drivable shoulders, plus two feet (2') on each side. (B) If practicable, the roadway alignment should intersect the RFGS track at or nearly at right angles. The roadway surface shall be in the same plane as the top of rails for a distance of two feet (2') outside of rails, for either multiple or single track crossings. The top of the rail plane shall be connected with the grade line of the roadway each way by vertical curves of the length required to provide riding conditions and sight distances normally applied to the roadway. It is desirable that the roadway surface be not more than three inches (3") higher nor six inches (6") lower than the top of the nearest rail at a point thirty feet (30') from the rail, measured at a right angle, unless track superelevation dictates otherwise. Where crossings involve two (2) or more tracks, the top of rails for all tracks shall be brought to the same plane where practicable. (C) Width of roadway at a rail-highway grade crossing upon an RFGS should correspond to that of the adjoining highway and have the same number and width of traffic lanes as the adjoining highway, without extra lanes, and with center turn lanes at the crossing delineated. At all paved approaches to the rail-highway grade crossing, the highway traffic lanes in the vicinity of the crossing should be distinctly marked in accordance with the recommendations of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (2009 Edition including Revisions 1 and 2), which is incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule as published by the Federal Highway Administration, United States Department of Transportation, 400 7th Street SW, Room 3408, Washington, DC 20590, website: https:// mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/pdfs/2009r1r2/mutcd2009r1r2edition.pdf. This rule does not incorporate any subsequent amendments or additions of this manual. These markings are the responsibility of the public highway authorities. (D) Part I (subsections 1.4–1.11) of the American Railway Engineering Association’s Guidelines for the Construction or Reconstruction of Highway-Railway At-Grade Crossings (2013 Edition), which is incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule as published by the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association, 4501 Forbes Blvd, Suite 130, Lanham-Seabrook, MD 20706. This rule does not incorporate any subsequent amendments or additions of these guidelines. These guidelines are made applicable to RFGSs as recommended practices for the construction and reconstruction of rail-highway crossings, if practicable. (2) Unless otherwise ordered by the division or by agreement, the RFGS shall maintain the road surface over the length of ties and between tracks where adjacent track centers are less than fifteen feet (15'). (A) Unless otherwise ordered by the division, when an RFGS makes a track raise within a rail-highway grade crossing, the runoff along the roadway shall be maintained at not more than two inches (2") in the first ten feet (10') outside the end of ties, not more than six inches (6") in the next ten feet (10'), and the remaining run-off shall be brought to the same elevation as the existing grade within an additional ten feet (10') along the roadway. (B) When a highway authority raises the road surface along an approach to a crossing, the run-off along the roadway shall be not more than two inches (2") in the first ten feet (10') outside the end of ties, with the remainder in the next ten feet (10'). (C) Unless otherwise ordered by the division or by agreement, the RFGS shall maintain a pedestrian grade crossing of equal width as the approaching sidewalk over the length of ties, and between tracks where adjacent track centers are less than fifteen feet (15') apart. The RFGS shall use a durable, contrasting material between the ends of ties when the approaching sidewalk is constructed of a hard surface material. Any durable material compatible with the material used on the sidewalk may be used on the pedestrian grade crossing between the adjacent tracks. AUTHORITY: sections 389.1005 and 622.027, RSMo 2016.* This rule originally filed as 4 CSR 265-9.100. Original rule filed Nov. 4, 1992, effective June 7, 1993. Amended: Filed June 22, 1998, effective Feb. 28, 1999. Moved and amended: Filed Nov. 20, 2006, effective June 30, 2007. Amended: Filed Oct. 6, 2017, effective May 30, 2018. Amended: Filed Dec. 9, 2022, effective July 30, 2023. *Original authority: 389.1005, RSMo 1996, and 622.027, RSMo 1985, amended 1993, 1995.