Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-07-30
Preventive Measures
Only Cure for Grade
Crossing Accidents

The Bureau OF Public Roads of
the United States Department. of
Agriculture calls attention to the
fact that highway Embarrassing
accidents continue to increase. The
Interstate Commerce Commission
reports that in the final quarter of
1922. 517 persons were killed and
ITO injured at grade crossings, an
increase of 16 fatalities and 100 in
jurieS in comparison with the same
period of the previus year. Similar
increases are reported in other quar-
ters. 1t has been suggested that an
increase is to be expected since the
number of motor vehicles and high
way traffic is increasing, but this
should be the reason for additional
preventive measures rather than sat-
isfaction with the situation.
There is only one safest way to
prevent accidents where highways
and railways intersect. That is by
a complete separation of the grades
by means of subways or viaducts.
There has been agitation for legis-
lation in number of states to re-
quire all users of the highways to
SIop pCLolC VI OSSlIlS ct ldlIl Odu lIdCh.
A few states have enacted such
laws. The general application of
such a law covering all of the rail-
road crossings in any State leads
to absurdtes and unnecessary in
convenience. For example, one of
the principal state highways leading
west out of Raleigh, \. c., where
such a law is in force, crosses a
branch line of railroad running
into the State Fair Grounds. This
switch track is used only for q few
days each year at the time of the
state fair, but under the law all the
traffic over one of the principal
highways in the state must stop at
this crossing 30 days per year.
Such laws should be regarded as
temporary eXpedientS only. Hun
dreds of branch line railroads carry
only a small percentage of the pas
senger traffic now carried by the
main line highway which they cross.
If either traffic is to be halted at
the crossing it should be the rail
traffic. Right of way is given the
most important traffic on the rail-
roads. This is a fundamental prin-
ciple of operation. and this same
principle should be recognized by
! the state in making any laws with
reference to stopping traffic at rail-
way and highway intersections. Tn
| doubtedly trunk line railways should
be given right of way, and the high
way traffic stopped, but branch line
| railway traffic lies in different
! category entirely. The highway trait
| fic over important state trunk lines
| should not be stopped at branch line
railway crossings. Rather, the in
| frequent trains should be stopped
before crossing such highways.
The agitation for stopping high
way traffic at railway crossings,
however, is having its effect in rap
| idly crystalliZing public sentiment
against all grade crossings. and this
will lead to the only right solution
of the matter, that is, the separation
of the grades.
In the construction Of Federal
aid roads the Bureau of Public
| Roads has adopted the policy of
eliminating grade-crossings wher-
ever practicable. if possible by re-
| location, otherwise by means of an
Nnderpass or overhead crossing and
! to this end an engineering investi-
cation is made of every crossing and
| a great many have already been
eliminated. Costly structures are
required but there is no doubt that
the policy has resulted in saving of
many lives.