Interconnecting Active Traffic Control Devices at Railroad-Highway Grade Crossings with Highway Signals at intersections

This paper describes how, when a railroad-highway grade crossing is located near a highway intersection, there can be a reduction in the level of safety provided to motor vehicle operators depending on the operating characteristics of the railroad-highway grade crossing and the highway intersection. There are several characteristics that can have a negative impact on the level of safety provided to the traveling public, and this paper addresses those characteristics and the influence that they can have on the operation of the two types of intersections. There are basically two situations in which a motor vehicle operator finds himself/herself that reduce the level of safety when the railroad-highway grade crossing and the intersection are close together. One situation is when a motor vehicle operator becomes trapped on a track due to the length of the queue of motor vehicles that has formed for a stop at the highway intersection. The other situation is when a motor vehicle operator has the right-of-way through a highway intersection and upon exiting the stop before reaching the crossing. The amount of time and distance needed is a function of the speed of the roadway, and when the railroad-highway grade crossing and highway intersection are too close for a given speed to permit adequate stopping distance, the result can be a collision between a train and motor vehicle. This paper addresses the latter safety issue.