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Rail-highway Crossing program (Section 130)

The goal of the federal rail-highway crossing safety fund commonly referred to as ‘Section 130” is to improve the safety of the most hazardous rail-highway crossings in the State. The INDOT Office of Roadway Safety and Mobility administers this program. A typical Section 130 project would install train-activated warning devices such as warning bells, flashing lights, overhead flashing lights, and gates at a crossing where there currently are none, upgrade existing train activated devices, or update the crossing circuitry. The improvements are funded 100% with no matching funds required by the local government authority. If active protection is already in place, Section 130 funds may be used to upgrade the existing equipment, add four quadrant gates, install an overhead cantilever with flashing lights, or effect other enhancements to improve safety at the rail-highway crossing. The current level of federal funds made available under Section 130 can improve roughly 30-35 rail/ highway crossings in the state each year.

Project Selection

Unlike most other federal highway funds, local agencies cannot request Section 130 funds. Instead, a hazard index for each public rail/ highway crossing in the state is calculated annually using Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) formulas and guidelines. The hazard index is a measure of the potential for crashes at the rail-highway crossing and is based on many factors including the daily number and speed of trains, the number of tracks, and volume of traffic on the roadway. Five years of crash data are used in the hazard index calculation. The hazard index, once calculated, is used to compare the crash potential of each crossing in the State on an equal basis using data driven analysis.

Crossings with the highest FRA hazard index are studied in detail. Each crossing on the short list has a benefit-cost-ratio calculated to ensure that the proposed improvement is economically feasible. Lastly, in order to gauge effectiveness of likely countermeasures, crossings on the short list are analyzed based upon seven decision criteria to generate the final score (with 100 points the highest possible ranking). The seven decision criteria are the hazard index, type of improvement selected, the type of protection on the rail corridor, the type of development near the rail/ highway crossing, motorist expectancy with regards to train movements, the type of highway, and finally the public or local authority interest or comments on safety of the rail/ highway crossing.

The highest ranked locations are funded to the extent of the money available for the fiscal year. If funded, the selected locations are programmed for project development and most can be constructed within 18 months after they are programmed.

Local Government Responsibility for Rail Highway Crossing Safety

Under Indiana law the railroad or the county, city, or town with jurisdiction over the crossing are able to fund crossing safety improvements on their own without INDOT’s involvement. The owner of the road at the crossing -- be it the state, the county, or a local municipality -- has the responsibility for deciding what warning devices crossings should have and for the cost to install them. There is a common misconception that because the INDOT Office of Roadway Safety and Mobility administers the Section 130 federal funds, it is therefore responsible for all railroad-crossing safety improvements.