Revisions to Part 8 – Traffic Control for Railroad and LRT Grade Crossings

Parts 8 and 10 are combined Reduces redundancy and cross-references 8A-01 -“Grade crossing” is a new generic term for both “highway-rail” and “highway- LRT” grade crossings.

8A.07 – Quiet Zone Treatments 49 CFR Part 222 – Use of Locomotive Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings; Final Rule prescribes Quiet Zone requirements and Treatments. ( Std-Any Traffic Control device and its application where used as part of a Quiet Zone shall comply with all applicable provisions of the MUTCD.

8B.03 – Crossbuck Sign Std -R15-1 sign on each approach of a highway-rail grade crossing. Option: A Crossbuck sign may be Used on an approach to a highway-LRT crossing on semi-exclusive or mixed use alignment alone or in combination with other traffic control devices.

8B.04 -YIELD or STOP signs required at passive highway-rail grade crossings 4’ or 7’

8B.04- Additional Crossbuck Assembly STD 04 –Where restricted sight distance or unfavorable highway geometry exists on an approach to a grade crossing that has a Crossbuck Assembly, or where there is a one- way multi-lane approach, an additional Crossbuck Assembly shall be installed on the left hand side of the highway.

Section 8B.06-YIELD AHEAD or STOP AHEAD Warning Signs Placement of the YIELD AHEAD or STOP AHEAD warning signs if necessary.

8B.08Turn Restrictions During Preemption R3-1 No Right Turn R3-2 No Left Turn R3-27 No Straight Through May be used as blank out signs.

8B.18 -Substantial revisions to the Emergency Notification sign provisions I-13

For Quiet Zones – 8B.21 - sign to warn of quiet zone locations W10-9 W10-9p

8B.22 – No Gates or Lights Plaque Option: The NO GATES OR LIGHTS SIGN may be mounted below the Advance Warning Sign at grade crossings that are not equipped with automated signals.

8B.22 – No Signal W10-10 sign is deleted A NO SIGNAL (W10-10) sign or a NO GATES OR LIGHTS (W10-13) sign may be installed at highway-rail grade crossings that are not equipped with automated signals.

8B.25 Skewed Crossing Sign The Skewed Crossing Sign W10-12, Option is now a Guidance and should be used at a skewed grade crossing that is 30 degrees or less from roadway centerline. Or mirror image

8B.28 – Stop and Yield Lines Reference is made to see the examples in Figure 8B-6(CA) and 8B-7(CA) Stop lines shall be 24 inches wide. 3B-16 for Yield Markings

8B.27 – Pavement Markings The Section is revised with examples of crossing markings used in CA shown in Figure 8B-6(CA) for placement of YIELD and STOP advance signs: 4-Lane Roadway, 2 Lane Roadway, Parallel Roadway <100 ft. and near “T” intersections.

Figure 8B-6 (CA)

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8B.29 –Dynamic Envelop Markings Dynamic envelope pavement markings should not be placed perpendicular to the roadway at skewed grade crossings.

8C.03- Flashing-Light Signals at Highway-LRT Grade Crossings Standard: 03 If flashing-light signals are in operation at a highway-LRT crossing that is used by pedestrians, bicyclists, and/or other non- motorized road users, an audible device such as a bell shall also be provided and shall be operated in conjunction with the flashing- light signals.

8C.10 -Audible devices are required at active LRT grade crossings used by pedestrians, bicyclists, and other non- motorized road users

8C.04 -Stripes on gate arms shall be vertical

8C.07- Wayside Horn Systems Standard: 02 Wayside horn systems used at grade crossings where the locomotive horn is not sounded shall be equipped and shall operate in compliance with the requirements of Appendix E – Requirements for Wayside Horns, to 49 CFR Part 222.

8C.09 – Traffic Control Signals at or Near Highway-Rail Grade Crossings Support: Refer to Section 4D.27 for Railroad Preemption Information Standard: 08 Information regarding the type of preemption and any related timing parameters shall be provided to the railroad company so that they can design the appropriate train detection circuitry. 09 If preemption is provided, the normal sequence of traffic control signal indications shall be preempted upon the approach of trains to avoid entrapment of highway vehicles on the highway-rail grade crossing. 10 This preemption feature shall have an electrical circuit of the closed-circuit principle, or a supervised communication circuit between the control circuits of the highway-rail grade crossing warning system and the traffic control signal controller. The traffic control signal controller preemptor shall be activated via the supervised communication circuit or the electrical circuit that is normally energized by the control circuits of the highway-rail grade crossing warning system.

8C.12 Grade crossings within or in close proximity to circular intersections Engineering study required to evaluate potential queuing If queues impact crossing, provisions shall be made to clear highway traffic from the crossing before train arrivals

Crossings near Circular intersections

New Chapter 8D on pathway grade crossings Pathway grade crossing means The general area where a pathway and railroad, or light rail transit tracks cross at the same level, within which are included the tracks, pathway, and traffic control devices for pathway traffic traversing that area.

8A.08 Temporary Traffic Control Zones Standard: 02 Traffic controls for temporary traffic control zones that include grade crossings shall be as outlined in Part When a grade crossing exists either within or in the vicinity of a temporary traffic control zone, lane restrictions, flagging (see Chapter 6E), or other operations shall not be performed in a manner that would cause highway vehicles to stop on the railroad or LRT tracks, unless a flagger or uniformed law enforcement officer is provided at the grade crossing to minimize the possibility of highway vehicles stopping on the tracks, even if automatic warning devices are in place.

8A.08 Temporary Traffic Control Zones Part 6 E - Flagging Part 6G.18 -Guidance: 04 Early coordination with the railroad company or light rail transit agency should occur before work starts. Figure 6H.46 – Notes for Figure 6H-46—Typical Application 46 Work in the Vicinity of a Grade Crossing. If the queuing of vehicles across active rail tracks cannot be avoided, a uniformed law enforcement officer or flagger shall be provided at the grade crossing to prevent through or turning vehicles from stopping within the grade crossing even if automatic warning devices are in place.