Most railroad companies strongly oppose public projects that introduce new at-grade crossings. New at-grade crossings add maintenance and liability costs to a railroad company. However, in some cases, new at-grade crossings are unavoidable and railroad companies are willing to allow them if two to three other existing public at-grade crossings are closed and anticipated traffic counts at the new crossing do not exceed the combined traffic counts of the closed crossings. The TxDOT

RRD Rail Letting Section

serves as the office of primary negotiation with the railroad companies in these scenarios.