The Federal Railroad Administration has encouraged the states to reduce the number
of accidents at highway-rail crossings by the consolidation of redundant and unnecessary
at-grade crossings. In order to reduce the number of redundant at-grade crossings,
the Rail Safety Section of the Public Utility Commission is requesting assistance
in identifying those crossings.
Identifying Crossings
If you know of potentially redundant at-grade public highway-rail crossings, please
provide us with the names and locations of those crossings by completing the
Highway-Rail Public Grade Crossing form.
We are particularly interested in locations where there is an opportunity to eliminate
crossings that are not required for the safety and convenience of the public. Similarly,
if there are any rail corridors where there are excessive number of at-grade crossings,
please provide us with the name and location of the corridor and a list of those
redundant crossings located along that corridor.
FHWA Guidelines
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Handbook
(Revised Second Edition August 2007) has provided suggested criteria to be
considered in identifying potential crossing closures.
Main Line - more than 5 crossings within a 1 mile segment.
Branch Line - less than 2,000 ADT, more than 2 trains per day and an alternate crossing
within 0.25 miles.
Spur Tracks - less than 2,000 ADT, more than 15 trains and an alternate crossing
within 0.25 miles.
Contact
If you have any questions or further comments, please contact Rodney D. Bender, P.E. at (717) 787-9732. For written
responses, contact:
Rodney D. Bender, PE, Manager
Rail Safety Division
Pa. Public Utility Commission
P.O. Box 3265
Harrisburg, PA 17105-3265
Disclaimer: All information that appears on this
website is merely an electronic representation and is not the officially filed
information. The official documents reside in the File Room of the Public Utility
Commission in 2-North, on the second floor of the Commonwealth Keystone Building
in Harrisburg and are available for public inspection during normal business hours
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