New York Codes, Rules and Regulations › Title 17 - DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION › Chapter V - New York State Supplement To The National Manual On Uniform Traffic Control Devices For Streets And Highways-2009 Edition › Part 8 - Traffic Control For Railroad And Light Rail Transit Grade Crossings › Chapter 8C - Flashing-light Signals, Gates, And Traffic Control Signals › Section 8C.09 - Traffic Control Signals at or Near Highway-Rail Grade Crossings

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 28, July 10, 2024
DELETE Paragraph 01.
INSERT the following paragraphs:
Standard:
02A The location of traffic signal heads at highway-rail
					 grade crossings shall conform to all applicable design requirements for traffic
					 control signals, except as modified in below.
Standard:
02B Any hardware within 8 feet-6 inches of the track
					 centerline shall be at least 22 feet above the top of the highest rail.
Guidance:
02C All signal heads should be located at least 12 feet
					 from any track center line, measured along the highway.
Option:
03A When approved by the New York State Department of
					 Transportation, traffic control signals may be used as the sole control device
					 at non-mainline highway-rail grade crossings where rail traffic is not required
					 to stop before entering the crossing.
Guidance:
03B The following general descriptions are for steady mode
					 (stop-and-go) traffic signal operations at highway-rail grade crossings.
					 Operations at particular locations should generally conform to the principles
					 stated in this Section, but may be adapted to fit conditions at these
					 locations, as approved by the New York State Department of
					 Transportation.
Standard:
03C At highway-rail grade crossings where railroad
					 flashing-light signals are not installed and traffic control signals are used
					 to control highway traffic at the highway-rail grade crossing, at least one
					 train approach face shall be installed on each approach, each signal face
					 consisting of a 12-inch minimum diameter circular red indication and a 12-inch
					 minimum diameter circular yellow indication The traffic control signals and the
					 railroad circuitry controlling the train movements at the crossing shall be
					 interconnected.
03D Where installed, train approach faces shall rest in red
					 until the train is detected by the railroad circuitry. When activated by
					 approaching rail traffic, the traffic signal faces shall display appropriate
					 indications to prohibit vehicular movements over the crossing and the train
					 approach faces shall display steady yellow indications. The signal shall remain
					 in this phase until the train has cleared the grade crossing and, at
					 termination of the railroad phase, revert to normal operation.
Guidance:
03E Where practicable, the train approach face should be
					 located on the right side of the train approach.
Support:
03F Where a track crosses closely spaced roadways (for
					 example, the two roadways of a divided highway), it is normally necessary to
					 provide train approach faces only in advance of the first roadway in each
					 direction.
Guidance:
03G Where the operation is such that trains do not cross
					 all the roadways in one signal phase, installation of separate train faces at
					 each roadway should be considered.
Guidance:
03H Where train traffic is required to stop before
					 proceeding over the crossing, a STOP (R1-1) sign should be placed adjacent to
					 the tracks facing each train approach at the limit of the railroad circuitry
					 controlling train movements at the crossing, if installed. If the crossing has
					 no railroad circuitry controlling train movements at the crossing, the STOP
					 sign should be located between 50 and 100 feet from the crossing.
Standard:
03I A traffic control signal at a coincident crossing shall
					 normally operate in a steady (stop-and-go) mode, allocating right-of-way among
					 highway traffic approaches. The traffic control signal shall be interconnected
					 with railroad circuitry and with railroad flashing-light signals and gates,
					 where these devices are installed.
03J When a traffic control signal is used at a coincident
					 crossing, and railroad flashing-light signals are not installed, at least one
					 of the primary vehicular signal faces for each approach shall be located so
					 that it is visible to approaching highway traffic while a train occupies the
					 crossing.
03K When a traffic control signal used at a coincident
					 crossing is placed in flashing operation and railroad flashing-light signals
					 are installed, the traffic control signal shall display a steady red indication
					 when the train is detected by the railroad circuitry so as not to be in
					 conflict with the indications displayed by railroad flashing-light signals. The
					 train approach faces, if installed, shall display steady red indications during
					 flashing operation of the traffic control signal.
03L When a traffic control signal is used at a coincident
					 crossing, it shall provide appropriate change interval displays for the
					 transition from normal operation to the railroad phase.
03M When a traffic control signal is used at a proximate
					 crossing, and railroad flashing-light signals are not installed, at least two
					 vehicular signal faces, in addition to any used at the highway intersection,
					 shall be located in advance of the highway-rail grade crossing, facing traffic
					 approaching the intersection. The faces shall be located at or beyond the stop
					 line and shall be located laterally in accordance with Chapter 4D.
Guidance:
03N Where a traffic control signal is located at an
					 intersection, the choice of control at a proximate crossing should consider
					 such factors as the geometric relationship between the crossing and the
					 intersection, the nature of the crossing (mainline or siding), rail and
					 vehicular traffic volumes and speeds, queue lengths, vehicle mix, accident
					 history, and other pertinent factors.
03O Where the adjacent intersection is not signalized, a
					 proximate crossing should be treated as an independent crossing.
Option:
03P Traffic control signal faces may also be located at the
					 crossing to control traffic leaving the intersection.
Guidance:
03Q Displays in the traffic control signal faces in advance
					 of and beyond the crossing should be timed to allow highway traffic to clear
					 the crossing prior to arrival of any rail traffic.
Standard:
03R Where a proximate crossing is controlled by both
					 traffic control signals and railroad flashing-light signals, train approach
					 signals shall not be required. The traffic control signals shall normally
					 operate in a steady (stop-and-go) mode, allocating right-of-way among the
					 highway traffic approaches, and the railroad flashing-light signals are
					 activated only when a train is detected by the railroad circuitry. The traffic
					 control signals shall be interconnected with the railroad circuitry, and upon
					 detection, transition to steady red indications. Train approach signals, if
					 installed, shall, upon detection, transition to steady yellow indications. At
					 the termination of the railroad phase, the signals shall revert to normal
					 operation.
03S When a traffic control signal is used at an independent
					 crossing, and railroad flashing-light signals are not installed, at least two
					 vehicular signal faces shall be located on each approach to the grade crossing.
					 The faces shall be located at, or beyond the stop line and shall be located
					 laterally in accordance with Chapter 4D.
03T A traffic control signal at an independent crossing
					 shall normally display either circular green or circular flashing yellow
					 indications in the highway faces and circular red indications in the train
					 approach faces. Upon train actuation, the highway faces shall transition to red
					 indications and the train approach faces shall transition to circular yellow
					 indications. If the highway faces normally display flashing yellow indications,
					 a green interval of at least 4 seconds shall precede the clearance to the
					 railroad phase. At the termination of the railroad phase, the traffic control
					 signal shall revert to normal operation.