In Texas, the road authority and railroad company assume both separate and joint maintenance responsibilities at rail-highway grade crossings. The crossing surface panels over the railroad where the roadway crosses the rail line, railroad warning devices within railroad and vegetation on railroad are maintained by the railroad company. Since the crossing surface panels extend down the roadway to the edges of the railroad ties, the railroad company maintains the roadway surface from edge of railroad tie to edge of railroad tie.

The road authority is responsible for maintaining the roadway approaches up to the edge of the crossing surface, advanced

warning signs

and pavement markings.

Joint maintenance responsibilities are typically found with common ditches between a highway and rail line, as well as other drainage and traffic signal preemption features.

While local, state, and federal governmental entities may provide funds for the replacement or upgrade of crossing surface panels and railroad warning devices, the railroad company is generally responsible for performing this work

and future maintenance

.

See Chapter 14 for various state laws related to maintenance at railroad crossings.