19.6.8 Pedestrian Treatments at Railroad Crossings
Texas has a network of railroad systems, which are operated and controlled by federal, local, and State laws and regulations. Where the rail networks cross pedestrian facilities, it is important to follow specified guidance that makes the crossing safe and predictable for the pedestrian and rail operator. All pedestrian facilities should be designed to minimize pedestrian crossing time, and devices should be designed to avoid trapping pedestrians between sets of tracks.
- Traffic Control. The has guidance on signage, gates, flashing beacons, and other rail crossing warning devices to communicate with pedestrians at railroad crossings. Traffic studies may be needed to determine the level and type of traffic control that should be used. Refer to the for more guidance.
- Passive and Active Devices. May be used to supplement highway-related active control devices to improve non-motorist safety at highway-rail crossings. These devices should be considered at crossings with high pedestrian traffic volumes, high train speeds or frequency, extremely wide crossings, complex highway-rail crossing geometry with complex ROW assignment, school zones, inadequate sight distance: and/or multiple tracks. Passive or Active Devices should always be used if no highway-related active control devices are present.
- Passive devices include fencing, swing gates, pedestrian barriers, detectable warning surfaces, pavement markings, texturing, refuge areas, and fixed message signs.
- Active devices include flashers, audible active control devices, automated pedestrian gates, pedestrian signals, variable message signs, and blank-out signs. Railroad operating practices may not support installation of pedestrian only devices.
- Refer to and report for further detail on these treatments.
- Visibility- Clear sightlines should be established so that pedestrians can clearly see oncoming trains and assess whether there is adequate time to cross.
- Approach Angle- Perpendicular crossings are preferred in order to provide adequate sight lines and decrease the risk of mobility device wheels getting stuck in flangeway gaps. Where the roadway crossing is skewed, consider widening or providing a bend out in the sidewalk at the rail crossing that allows for a crossing angle closer to perpendicular, preferably between 60 and 90 degrees.
- Flangeway Gaps- requires flangeway gaps have a maximum width of 3-in for tracks that are subject to safety regulations at 49 CFR part 213, issued by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and 2.5-in for tracks not subject to FRA Safety Regulations.
- Detectable Warning Surfaces-Detectable warning surfaces (DWS) must be placed on either side of an at-grade crossing only when the crossing is not located in the street. The DWS must be placed a minimum of 6-ft and a maximum of 15-ft from the centerline of the nearest rail.
- The detectable warning must be, at minimum, 2-ft wide in the direction of pedestrian travel and shall extend the full width of the crossing.
- Where pedestrian gates are provided, detectable warning surfaces shall be located on the side of the gate opposite the rail. Pedestrian gates shall not overlap detectable warning surfaces.
- Quiet Zones- Note that specific standards apply to pedestrian crossing treatments and signage for designated quiet zones. Refer to the Federal Railroad Administration materials related to quiet zones for more information.
More details on design options and treatments can be found in the
Chapter 2 and report “
.”