state crossing safety programs & federal crossing safety funding crossings for the 21 st century...
TRANSCRIPT
STATE CROSSING SAFETY
PROGRAMS & FEDERAL
CROSSING SAFETY FUNDING
CROSSINGS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY SESSIONAASHTO – SCORT MEETING
March 14, 2011 – Washington, DC
Paul C. Worley, CPMDirector – Engineering & Safety
NCDOT Rail Division
Section 130 ProgramSuccess Since 1974•Over 250K public and private crossings in US•About $3B Obligated Historically•Prevented 10,500+ Fatalities &
51,000+ Nonfatal Injuries•Administered by FHWA Through States•Supported by AASHTO-AAR
Section 130 ProgramAASHTO – Authorization Policy # VI. 7•Continue and expand funding for the Section 130 Grade Crossing Program and institute measures to expedite the process.
Section 130 ProgramConcerns•Reauthorization – Eliminates Categories•Competition with Highway Safety Needs – Based on Fatalities Alone•Interest by Railroads to Use for Maintenance•Timely Obligation of Funds
Section 130 Program
Timely Obligation of Funds•How Does S-130 Compare with Other Federal-Aid Safety Programs?•State & Railroad Agreement; Design & Construction (12-18 Months) Process Spans Fiscal Year.•Priority Lists or Corridor Plans Must Be Developed Based on Available Funding.
Section 130 Program
Timely Obligation of Funds Depends•State & Railroad Ability to Complete PE and Construction•Acceptance by Local Road Authorities•NEPA Clearances – Historic Issues•Sometimes Railroad Final Billing is Slow to Close Due to Audit, etc.
State Crossing Safety Programs
•Not Always Found in DOT Rail Offices or Divisions
•Rather Found In:
Public Utility CommissionsHighway Divisions – Traffic Engineering/Safety
Opportunities for Coordination
•DOT Rail Improvement Programs
Freight & Passenger
•Crossing Safety Efforts Signals Inventory Closures
Opportunities for Coordination
Finding DOT Rail/Highway Win-Win’s•Highway Preconstruction Scoping•Transportation Planning•Long-Range Rail Planning•Rail Revitalization•HSR & Passenger Improvements
Crossing Safety Projects – A Portal Into the Rail Project
Process
•Master Preliminary Engineering Agreements•Master Construction Agreements
Can be built upon and/or used to implement rail improvement projects
Importance of Federal Crossing Safety Funds to OLI
• OLI Set Aside from S-130 Grants to State Programs National Programs/Strategies
• Saving Lives & Preventing Injuries
• 3 E’s Education, Enforcement, Engineering
States Participating In:• Regional Crossing Workshops• NCUTCD Technical Committee• AREMA Committee 36 – Signals
Crossing PolicyDevelopment Opportunities
•TRB Launches NCHRP 08-85•Different Approach to Program Benefits•Provides $350,000 in Funding•18-Month Study
Comprehensive Costs of Highway/Rail At-Grade Crossing
Crashes
•NCHRP 08-85 Study Objectives/Tasks Review literature & survey practices. Identify categories of collision costs. Develop cost-forecasting model. After webinar workshop, refine models. Prepare final report & disseminate.
Comprehensive Costs of Highway/Rail At-Grade Crossing
Crashes
•Documents Moving Through TRB Office of Contracts & Grants•Kick-Off Teleconference with Panel in Early April•Complete October 2012
Status of NCHRP 08-85
•Know your crossing safety counterparts and collaborate.•Look for synergies between rail planning, passenger, and rail
safety programs.•Funding and projects are
often the foundation
of railroad relationships.
To Conclude