# Presentation: 683935

## MUTCD Part 8: Traffic Control for Highway-Rail Grade Crossings

**MUTCD Part 8: Traffic Control for Highway-Rail ****Grade Crossings**

**Notes:**
Part 8 addresses traffic control devices for highway-rail grade crossings.  The Millennium Edition now applies part 8 to ALL highway-rail grade crossings that are open to public travel, not just new or modernized crossings.  We’ve added sixteen new definitions to help clarify the terminology used throughout part 8.

## Significant Change

- Part 8 applies to all public highway-rail grade crossings** ****(8A.02)**
- not just new or modernized crossings

**Notes:**
The traffic control devices, systems, and practices shall be consistent with the design and application of the Standards. FHWA wants Part 8 to apply to all crossings, not just new or modernized crossings. 

## Changes in General

- Terminology changes
- sixteen new definitions added
- Revised titles and order of sections
- Section 8B-5 was moved to a new section 8C.01 in chapter 8C: ILLUMINATION
- Section 8D: systems and devices has been incorporated into 8A and 8D

**Notes:**
To summarize overall changes to the MUTCD, there are changes in the terminology, and titles and sections have been modified or added. The remaining slides describe these changes in detail. 

## Terminology Changes

- Street   Highway
- Grade-Crossing  Highway-Rail Grade Crossing

**Notes:**
The term “street” has been replaced with the term “highway”.  This change has been made throughout the Millennium edition of the MUTCD.

The term “grade-crossing”  has been replaced with the term  “Highway-Rail Grade Crossing”.  This change has been made throughout the Millennium edition of the MUTCD. 

## New Standards

- Temporary traffic control zone operations **(8A.05/10A.05)**
- discusses vehicles stopping on railroad tracks
- standard:  shall not allow, unless a law enforcement officer or flagger is provided
- need to minimize possibility of stopping
- this section expanded in Millennium Edition

**Notes:**
The FHWA wants to prevent the dangerous practice of vehicles stopping on railroad tracks.  The 1988 MUTCD had a small section entitled “Traffic Controls During Construction and Maintenance.”  There was no mention of performance of work zone operations.

The Final Rule states when a highway-rail grade crossing exists either within or in the vicinity of a temporary traffic control zone, lane restrictions, flagging, or other operations shall not be performed in a manner that would cause vehicles to stop on the railroad tracks, unless a law enforcement officer or flagger is provided at the highway-rail grade crossing to minimize the possibility of vehicles stopping on the tracks, even if automatic warning devices are in place. 

## New Standards (cont’d)

- Highway-rail grade crossing (cross-buck) sign R15-1, R15-2** **(8B.02)** **
- use of retroreflective material on back of crossbuck and on supports
- equal to or greater than 50 mm (2inches) in width
- exception:
- cross-buck signs have been installed back-to-back
- compliance period – January 17, 2011
- 10-years for existing installations
- immediately for all new installations

**Notes:**
A new standard has been added that requires a strip of retroreflective white material not less than 50 mm (2 in) in width to be used on the back of each blade of each Crossbuck sign for the length of each blade, at all highway-rail grade crossings, except those where Crossbuck signs have been installed back-to-back.

A strip of retroreflective white material, not less than 50 mm (2 in) in width, shall be used on each support at highway-rail grade crossings for the full length of the front and back of the support from the Crossbuck sign or Number of Tracks sign to near ground level.”

The FHWA is providing a phase-in compliance period of 10 years for existing installations to minimize any potential impact to State and local highway agencies.  This change takes effect immediately for all new installations. 

## New Standards (cont’d)

- NO TRAIN HORN** **(W10-9) (8B.11)
- to be used at each crossing where FRA authorizes trains to not sound a horn
- to be mounted as a supplemental plaque below the advance warning (W10-1) sign

**Notes:**
This helps warn road users to not expect to hear a train horn at crossings where this sign is posted.

## New Standards (cont’d)

- Flashing-light signals, post-mounted (8D.02)
- shall include a standard Cross-Buck sign
- shall include a supplemental number of tracks sign where there is more than one track
- shall display two red lights mounted in a horizontal line flashing alternately
- shall be placed to the right of approaching traffic on all highway approaches
- in conformance with Figure 8D-2

**Notes:**
Post-mounted flashing-light signals at railroad crossings shall include a standard Crossbuck sign, a supplemental Number of Tracks sign where there is more than one track, two read lights mounted in a horizontal line flashing alternately, and should always be placed on the right side of the road because that is where people expect to receive information about the transportation system.  This is a new Standard. 

## New Standards (cont’d)

- Automatic gates (8D.04)
- used as an adjunct to flashing-light signals
- STANDARD describes their design, installation, and operation
- specifically, the approach lane gate arms shall be designed to fail safe in the down position

**Notes:**
This was added to cover the design for approach gate arms.  The exit lane gate arms fail safe position is already covered in section 8D.5.

## Four-Quadrant Gate Systems

**Notes:**
A new section on Four Quadrant Gate Systems has been added to the Millennium Edition.   This section was added as a means of eliminating gate running, which is a significant safety concern.

## Figure 8D-2

**Notes:**
Figure 8D-2 shows a typical location plan for flashing light signals and four quadrant gates.  

## Changes to Existing Standards

- Traffic control signals at or near highway-rail grade crossings  (8D.07)
- may be used in lieu of flashing-light signals at industrial highway-rail grade crossings and other places where train movements are very slow, such as switching operations
- STANDARD:  shall not be used in lieu of flashing-light signals at mainline highway-rail grade crossing

**Notes:**
This was a major proposed change that did not take effect because of docket comments stating the language proposed in the 1999 NPA was not clear about the types of crossings where traffic signals are appropriate.  The NPA proposed to allow signals in lieu of gates or flashing-light signals only where train speeds were equal to or less than 32 km/h (20mph).  The new manual leaves in the 1988 Option and Standard language. 

## New Guidance

- Highway-rail advance warning signs (W10-1, 2, 3, 4)  (8B.03)
- advance warning sign (W10-1) is not required:
- on highways with less than 30 m (100 ft) between the crossing and a highway intersection
- where physical conditions prevent effective display

**Notes:**
This guidance was added to reduce the sign clutter on highways where there is less than 30m (100 ft) between the highway-rail grade crossing and a highway intersection.  If used, the advance warning signs’ placement shall be in accordance with Table 2C-4 in Chapter 2C.

## New Guidance (cont’d)

- Emergency notification signs (I-13 or I-13a)  (8B.09)
- new guidance on posting emergency notification signs at all highway-rail grade crossings
- location and placement to be decided cooperatively by railroad company and highway agencies; however, typically located on the railroad right-of-way
- white message on blue background

**Notes:**
This is new Guidance on the posting of emergency notification signs allows for a cooperative agreement on the posting location between the Railroad Company and the Highway Agency. It is typically located on the railroad ROW, and should be a white message on a blue background. 

## New Signs

**New Signs**

**W10-11**

**W10-11b**

**Notes:**
New signs have been added for use by State and local transportation agencies.  These signs should provide information to commercial vehicle drivers and other road users to prevent vehicles stopping on or too close to the tracks.

## Questions?