MILLENNIUM EDITION

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MUTCD Part 10 Highway-Light Rail Transit Grade
Crossings
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New Part
Thanks to AAAs photo library
http//davesrailpix.railfan.net/sf/htm/sf207.htm
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General Background

• Reason to provide standards and guidelines for
  the design, installation, and operation of TCDs
  at grade crossings of highway traffic and light
  rail transit vehicles
• Light rail transit vehicles
• metropolitan
• light rail vehicles, streetcars, trolleys
• operations in mixed traffic, semi-exclusive
  rights of way, or exclusive rights of way

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Requirements for Crossing Design

• Flashing light signals
• Gates
• Traffic control signals
• Signs

Courtesy of www.lightrail.com
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Changes in General

• Only transportation officials in jurisdictions
  with light rail transit will be affected
• Affected officials will need to pay particular
  attention to section 10C.11, highway-rail advance
  warning Signs, which requires advance warning
  signs in advance of most light rail grade
  crossings
• Any W10-6 signs will have to be removed and
  replaced with W10-1, W10-2, W10-3 , or W10-4

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Highway Rail Advance Warning Signs
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New Standards

• STANDARD light rail transit versus railroads -
  use part 8 (10A.01)
• same tracks
• adjacent tracks
• automatic gates, flashing-light signals, and
  blank-out sign use has five-year compliance
  period
• Temporary traffic control zone operations
  (10A.05/8A.05)
• discusses vehicles stopping on railroad tracks
• STANDARD shall not allow, unless a law
  enforcement officer or flagger is provided
• Need to minimize possibility of stopping

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New Standards (contd)

• STANDARD crossings shall be equipped with
  (10B.01)
• a combination of traffic gates and flashing light
  signals,
• or flashing-light signals only,
• or traffic control signals,
• unless an engineering study indicates that the
  use of STOP, YIELD, or advance warning signs
  alone would be adequate

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New Standards (contd)

• STANDARD sign design and size shall conform to
  chapter 2A. (10C.01)
• STANDARD STOP and YIELD sign placement shall
  conform to Section 2B.06 and 2B.10. STOP AHEAD
  or YIELD AHEAD shall be installed with section
  2C.26 (10C.03)
• GUIDANCE use of signs limited to where
  engineering study determines it is needed and
  feasible

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New Standards (contd)

• STANDARD use of highway-rail advance warning
  signs (10C.11)
• universal acceptance
• removal of existing W10-6 series
• STANDARD text on signal phases for exclusive
  turn lanes parallel to tracks (10D.06)
• from option to standard
• separately-controlled, protected only mode turn
  movements toward the crossing
• display of a red indication during the approach

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New Standards (contd)

• Flashing light signals (10D.04)
• STANDARD use of flashing-light signals
• in semi-exclusive alignments
• where speeds exceed 60 km/h
• must be clearly visible to drivers, pedestrians,
  and bicyclists

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New Standards (contd)

• STANDARD use of a separate set of standard
  traffic control signal indications (10D.07)
• for controlling light rail transit movements
• need to separate from other traffic signal heads
  by at least 1m (3ft)
• avoid motorist confusion

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New Guidance

• Light rail transit-activated blank-out turn
  prohibition signs (10C.06)
• should be used at
• STOP sign controlled intersections adjacent to a
  highway-light rail transit crossing or
• signalized intersections with permissive turn
  movements

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New Guidance (contd)

• Pedestrian and bicyclist crossings and sight
  distance (10D.08)
• use of flashing-light signals with a cross-buck
  sign
• engineering study determines sight distance is
  not sufficient to complete crossing or
• light rail transit speeds exceed 60 km/h (35 mph)

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Figure 10D-2
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New Options

• Look sign R15-8 (10C.02)
• for use at highway-light rail grade crossings
• currently allowed as an option under part 8
• added in part 10 for consistency
• may be used as a supplemental panel to the
  cross-buck R15-1
• may be used separately in immediate vicinity of
  crossing

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New Options (contd)

• Four-quadrant gate systems (10D.02)
• use is optional
• if used, requirements in 10D.02 shall be followed
  
• similar to part 8, sections 8D.01 through 8D.03,
  see figure 8D-2 also

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New Options (contd)

• Use of audible devices in conjunction with
  flashing lights or traffic control signals
  (10D.01)
• used to provide adequate warning for visually
  impaired/ADA
• need to conduct appropriate engineering studies
  to guide for device installation

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New Options (contd)

• Delineation of the dynamic envelope (10C.15)
• new markings to indicate required clearance
• optional use based on local conditions
• if used, shall be a 100 mm (4 inch) normal solid
  white line in accordance with part 3
• please keep FHWA informed on performance

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Questions?