24-09-10. Changing or closing railroad crossing - Power of public service commission - Hearing

24-09-10. Changing or closing railroad crossing - Power of public service commission - Hearing. It is in the interest of public safety to eliminate unnecessary railroad grade crossings whenever reasonable access can be safely provided at another crossing. Whenever it is desired, either by the public officials having the necessary authority or by the railway company operating the railroad, to establish, vacate, or relocate any crossing of a public highway and a railroad, or to separate grades, and an agreement cannot be reached between the public official and the railway company, either as to the necessity for establishing, vacating, or relocating a crossing or for separating grades, as to place, manner of construction, or a reasonable division of the expense, either party may file a petition with the commission, setting forth the facts and submitting the matter to it for determination. The commission, after giving notice as it shall deem reasonable, shall conduct a hearing and shall issue its order determining whether there should be an establishment, vacation, or relocation of the crossing in question, or a separation of grades, and dividing the expense of the establishment, relocation, or separation of grades. Irrespective of the establishment, relocation, or the consideration of further reasonable protection of a crossing, if the commission finds any railroad crossing to be unnecessary or unsafe, it shall order the crossing closed after reasonable notice and hearing. Whenever a final order is entered vacating or closing a crossing, it must be vacated or closed at the railroad company's expense.