STATE CROSSING SAFETY

PROGRAMS & FEDERAL

CROSSING SAFETY FUNDING

CROSSINGS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY SESSIONAASHTO – SCORT MEETING

March 14, 2011 – Washington, DC

Paul C. Worley, CPMDirector – Engineering & Safety

NCDOT Rail Division

Section 130 ProgramSuccess Since 1974•Over 250K public and private crossings in US•About $3B Obligated Historically•Prevented 10,500+ Fatalities &

51,000+ Nonfatal Injuries•Administered by FHWA Through States•Supported by AASHTO-AAR

Section 130 ProgramAASHTO – Authorization Policy # VI. 7•Continue and expand funding for the Section 130 Grade Crossing Program and institute measures to expedite the process.

Section 130 ProgramConcerns•Reauthorization – Eliminates Categories•Competition with Highway Safety Needs – Based on Fatalities Alone•Interest by Railroads to Use for Maintenance•Timely Obligation of Funds

Section 130 Program

Timely Obligation of Funds•How Does S-130 Compare with Other Federal-Aid Safety Programs?•State & Railroad Agreement; Design & Construction (12-18 Months) Process Spans Fiscal Year.•Priority Lists or Corridor Plans Must Be Developed Based on Available Funding.

Section 130 Program

Timely Obligation of Funds Depends•State & Railroad Ability to Complete PE and Construction•Acceptance by Local Road Authorities•NEPA Clearances – Historic Issues•Sometimes Railroad Final Billing is Slow to Close Due to Audit, etc.

State Crossing Safety Programs

•Not Always Found in DOT Rail Offices or Divisions

•Rather Found In:

Public Utility CommissionsHighway Divisions – Traffic Engineering/Safety

Opportunities for Coordination

•DOT Rail Improvement Programs

Freight & Passenger

•Crossing Safety Efforts Signals Inventory Closures

Opportunities for Coordination

Finding DOT Rail/Highway Win-Win’s•Highway Preconstruction Scoping•Transportation Planning•Long-Range Rail Planning•Rail Revitalization•HSR & Passenger Improvements

Crossing Safety Projects – A Portal Into the Rail Project

Process

•Master Preliminary Engineering Agreements•Master Construction Agreements

Can be built upon and/or used to implement rail improvement projects

Importance of Federal Crossing Safety Funds to OLI

• OLI Set Aside from S-130 Grants to State Programs National Programs/Strategies

• Saving Lives & Preventing Injuries

• 3 E’s Education, Enforcement, Engineering

States Participating In:• Regional Crossing Workshops• NCUTCD Technical Committee• AREMA Committee 36 – Signals

Crossing PolicyDevelopment Opportunities

•TRB Launches NCHRP 08-85•Different Approach to Program Benefits•Provides $350,000 in Funding•18-Month Study

Comprehensive Costs of Highway/Rail At-Grade Crossing

Crashes

•NCHRP 08-85 Study Objectives/Tasks Review literature & survey practices. Identify categories of collision costs. Develop cost-forecasting model. After webinar workshop, refine models. Prepare final report & disseminate.

Comprehensive Costs of Highway/Rail At-Grade Crossing

Crashes

•Documents Moving Through TRB Office of Contracts & Grants•Kick-Off Teleconference with Panel in Early April•Complete October 2012

Status of NCHRP 08-85

•Know your crossing safety counterparts and collaborate.•Look for synergies between rail planning, passenger, and rail

safety programs.•Funding and projects are

often the foundation

of railroad relationships.

To Conclude