Presents a review of the current practices associated with the operation of traffic signals at intersections located near highway-rail grade crossings.

This report provides documentation and presents the results of a study to improve the safety of light rail transit (LRT) in semiexclusive rights-of-way where light rail vehicles operate at speeds greater than 35 mph through crossings with streets and pedestrians pathways. This report also presents the results of field tests conducted to improve the safety of higher speed LRT systems through grade crossing design.

This Technology Sharing Report sets forth pertinent information on currently available types of grade crossing surfaces as an aid in choosing physically and economically suitable surfaces for individual crossing or groups of crossing to be installed or improved. Trade names and manufacturers' identification are solely for convenience of the user and not endorsements by DOT. Crossing surface products from 22 suppliers and soil stabilization fabrics from 12 manufacturers are discussed.

As a result of its investigation, the Safety Board makes recommendations to the Federal Highway Administration; the California Department of Transportation; the city of Burbank, California; the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials; the Institute of Transportation Engineers; the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices; the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Laws and Ordinances; and the Transportation Research Board.

The Manual of Uniform Traffice Control Devices (MUTCD) is aproved by the Federal Highway Administrator as the National Standard in accordance with Title 23 U.S. Code, Sections 109(d), 114(a), 217, 315, and 402(a), 23 CFR 655, and 49 CFR 1.48(b)(33), and 1.48(c)(2).

"TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 755: Comprehensive Costs of Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Crashes describes a process for estimating the costs of highway-rail grade crossing crashes. A spreadsheet-based tool to facilitate use of the cost estimation process is available online." --Publisher description.

TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis 507: Traffic Signal Preemption at Intersections Near Highway--Rail Grade Crossings documents the current practices of traffic signal preemption deployed at intersections adjacent to railway grade crossing in both the United States and Canada. The study provides information on practices dealing with traffic signal preemption, maintenance, funding, and operations.