§ 33.1-145.1. Grade crossing closing and safety
It is the public policy of the Commonwealth of Virginia to enhance public safety by establishing safe highway/rail grade crossings; to consolidate and close unsafe, unnecessary, or redundant crossings; and to limit the establishment of new crossings. The Commonwealth Transportation Board has the authority to close public highway/rail grade crossings on the system of highways for which it has responsibility.
The Commissioner on his own motion or by request of any interested landowner, railroad corporation, county board of supervisors, or other governing body may petition the Commonwealth Transportation Board to close the highway/rail grade crossing as a public road.
The Commissioner shall, prior to petitioning the Commonwealth Transportation Board, conduct a traffic engineering study to determine the validity of closing the crossing. The traffic engineering study shall consider all factors including but not be limited to: (i) the number of freight and passenger trains passing the crossing and their timetable speeds, (ii) the distance to an alternate crossing, (iii) the availability of alternate access, (iv) the crossing's accident history during the five-year period immediately prior to the study, (v) the number of vehicles per day using the crossing, (vi) the posted speed limit at the crossing, (vii) the type of warning devices present at the crossing, (viii) the alignment of the roadway and railroad and their angle of intersection, (ix) the number of trucks per day carrying hazardous materials through the crossing, (x) the number of vehicles per day carrying passengers for hire through the crossing, (xi) the number of school buses per day using the crossing, and (xii) the use of the crossing by emergency vehicles.
The results of the traffic engineering study shall be made public in accordance with the procedures set forth in § 33.1-145. The Commissioner shall present his findings and recommendations to the Commonwealth Transportation Board and the Board shall decide what actions to be taken regarding the crossing(s) at issue.
(1996, cc. 114, 157.)
Sections: Previous 33.1-139 33.1-140 33.1-141 33.1-142 33.1-143 33.1-144 33.1-145 33.1-145.1 33.1-146 33.1-147 33.1-148 33.1-149 33.1-150 33.1-151 33.1-152 NextLast modified: April 16, 2009