(1) Railroad Track and Crossing Pad
Standards.
(a) The crossing pad shall be
constructed of any paved or panelized crossing surface material compatible with
the current practices of the involved railroad, or of such material as the
Department may require.
(b)
Specifications and plans concerning the crossing surface material and use shall
comply with the manufacturer's recommendations and the involved railroad's
current standards and specifications.
(c) The width of the crossing pad at the
grade crossing shall correspond to the width of the approach roadway cross
section, including but not limited to the traffic lanes and any shoulders,
pedestrian walkways and bicycle paths; provided, however, that the crossing pad
shall have a minimum width of 32 feet.
(d) The crossing pad shall have the same
number and width of traffic lanes and shoulders as the approach
roadway.
(e) Roadway markings shall
be provided on the crossing pad in accordance with the MUTCD.
(f) Flangeways of not less than 21/2 inches
nor more than 3 inches in width shall be provided between the rail and the
crossing pad, except where track geometry or other track appliances may require
otherwise. Flangeways shall be at least 2 inches in depth, except as the
involved railroad may otherwise approve.
(g) Materials and specifications shall
comply, at a minimum, with the following:
1.
Materials.
All track materials used - including but not limited to ties,
crossing pads, fasteners, geotextile fabric, drainage tile and other track
material - shall be new, except that rail may be No. 1 relay or new.
2. Drainage.
Adequate engineered drainage shall be provided. The drainage
design for cross-drainage and trackside shall be based on a 50-year design
frequency, checked for 100-year, or on the current design frequency standards
of the involved railroad.
3. Ballast.
The ballast and sub-ballast shall be dug out and replaced to
a minimum of 10 inches below the bottoms of the ties, a minimum of 2 feet
beyond the ends of the ties, and a minimum of 20 feet beyond the end of the
crossing pad.
4. Ties.
(i) Where a crossing system requires the use
of track ties, the ties shall be made of preservative-treated No. 5 air-dried
hardwood of not less than 9 inches wide and not less than 7 inches deep, or the
ties shall be made of concrete, steel, plastic or other materials of suitable
strength and dimensions, consistent with the standards of the involved
railroad. The ties shall be installed through the limits of the crossing and
beyond the crossing pad a minimum of 20 feet. The length and spacing of the
ties shall conform to the type of grade crossing surface materials being
used.
(ii) Where the crossing
system design does not require track ties, the crossing system shall be
adequate to maintain track gage, surface and alignment as defined by applicable
FRA regulations.
5.
Rail.
(i) Rail size of 112 pounds per yard, or
the current size of rail used on the line, whichever is larger, shall be used
through the limits of the crossing and beyond the crossing pad a minimum of 20
feet.
(ii) The rails throughout the
crossing shall be installed to eliminate joints within the crossing. The
nearest joint shall be not less than 20 feet from the end of the crossing pad.
Where necessary, long rails shall be used or the rail ends shall be welded to
form continuous rail through the crossing; provided, however, that no welded
rail of greater than 400 feet in length shall be used without the approval of
the involved railroad.
(iii) Any
compromise joints (joints involving two different rail sizes) created by this
crossing installation shall be welded or use transition rails or compromise
rail joint bars of the proper size.
(iv) Torch cutting of rail ends or boltholes
is prohibited.
6. Rail
fasteners, plates and anchors.
Each tie system shall use the appropriate fastener and anchor
systems to maintain gage and limit longitudinal rail movement. Where ties with
spikes are used, they shall be fully tie-plated with a minimum of four spikes
per tie plate, and they shall be fully box anchored, as allowed by the crossing
surface material, through the crossing area and at least 20 feet beyond each
end of the crossing pad. Where other systems are used, each tie must be fully
attached to both rails in accordance with the system being used.
(h) Railroad alignment
design.
Where grade crossings have two or more tracks, the tops of
the rails for all tracks shall be brought to the same plane, where practical.
All surface geometry design shall be in full compliance with applicable FRA
regulations and railroad standards.
(i) Lining and surfacing track.
Rails shall be spiked or fastened to line and the track
machined or mechanically tamped and surfaced to the grade and alignment of the
existing track and roadway. In order to achieve the optimum ballast compaction
through the crossing area, lining and surfacing shall involve two passes at a
minimum, allowing as many train movements as time will permit, across the grade
crossing before final surface and alignment.
(2) Roadway Standards.
(a) Roadway alignment design.
1. Vertical alignment.
(i) The surface of the roadway shall be in
the same plane as the tops of the rails for a distance of at least 2 feet
beyond the rails for either single or multiple-track crossings.
(ii) The top of the rail plane shall be
connected with the grade line of the roadway each way by vertical curves of
such length as is required to provide riding conditions and sight distances
normally applied to the roadway involved.
(iii) Unless track superelevation dictates
otherwise, the vertical alignment of the roadway shall comply with the current
recommended practices stated in the AASHTO Design Manual.
2. Roadway surface cross slope.
(i) Roadway surface cross slope should be
eliminated within 10 feet of the rail at the grade crossing to ensure a proper
meet between the roadway and crossing pad surfaces.
(ii) Pavement transition lengths should be in
accordance with TDOT Standard Roadway Drawings and the AASHTO Design
Manual.
(iii) The engineer shall
ensure that elimination of the roadway surface cross slope does not cause
ponding.
(iv) Any proposed
exceptions based on roadway curvature, superelevation, or other design
considerations must be approved by the Department.
3. Horizontal alignment.
The roadway shall be designed to provide no less than a
75-degree approach at the grade crossing, and, if practical, the roadway should
be designed to intersect with the railroad track or tracks at a right angle or
as near to a right angle as possible. Any proposed exception must be based on
an engineering study and approved by the Department. Railroad curves should be
avoided when practical.
(b) Roadway surface.
1. Materials and placement.
The roadway shall be paved, at a minimum, within 150 feet of
the nearest rail at the grade crossing. The depth and type of the pavement
material used, and the placement of the base and pavement, shall comply with
all requirements for base and pavement stated in the TDOT Standard
Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction.
2. Roadway and lane width.
The width of the roadway at the grade crossing shall
correspond to the width of the approach roadway, including traffic lanes and
shoulders. The roadway at the grade crossing shall have the same number and
width of traffic lanes and shoulders as the approach roadway. In the event that
the approach roadway is less than 32 feet wide, a minimum paved approach of 32
feet shall be provided within 25 feet of the nearest rail at the grade
crossing, with lane widths remaining the same as on the approach
roadway.
3. Roadway
markings.
At all paved approaches to the grade crossing, the roadway
shall be marked in accordance with the MUTCD.
(c) Drainage.
1. Adequate engineered drainage shall be
provided.
2. The following design
frequencies based on roadway classification shall be used for drainage design:
| (i) |
Culvert design
frequency: |
|
|
Multi-lane divided
roadway: |
50-yr.; check 100-yr. |
|
Arterial and
collector: |
50-yr.; check 100-yr. |
|
Local
road: |
50-yr.; check 100-yr. |
| (ii) |
Ditch design
frequency: |
|
|
Multi-lane divided
roadway: |
50-yr. |
|
Arterial and
collector: |
10-yr.; 50 yr. in sags |
|
Local
roads: |
10-yr. |
| (iii) |
Roadway
freeboard: |
|
|
All
roadways: |
50-yr. |
| (iv) |
Inlet and
sewer design frequency: |
|
|
Multi-lane divided
roadway: |
50-yr. |
|
Arterial and
collector: |
10-yr.; 50-yr. in sags |
|
Local
roads: |
10-yr. |
3.
The design frequency selected for cross drainage structures:
(i) Shall not significantly increase the
flood hazard for adjacent property; and
(ii) Shall permit maintenance of vehicular
traffic on roads and streets under design flood conditions.
4. The design frequency for
roadway storm drainage structure design:
(i)
Shall not significantly increase the flood hazard for adjacent property;
and
(ii) Shall limit the
encroachment onto the traveled lanes that could cause a hazard to vehicular
traffic.
5. In
situations where the grade of the approach roadway descends toward the grade
crossing, provisions shall be made to intercept surface and subsurface drainage
and discharge it laterally so that it will not be discharged onto the track
area.
(3)
Signage Standards.
(a) Railroad signs.
1. The railroad shall erect and maintain a
whistling post or whistle board in each direction from the grade crossing along
its track(s). The sign will serve to alert operating train crews to the
upcoming crossing so that a whistle warning may be sounded. The location of the
post or board shall comply with any applicable FRA regulations and railroad
company standards or policies.
2.
The railroad shall install and maintain an emergency notification sign at each
grade crossing in accordance with the MUTCD. At a minimum, this sign shall show
the USDOT-AAR crossing inventory number, the milepost (if available), the
roadway name, and the telephone number to call to report an
emergency.
(b) Roadway
signing and marking.
1. Passive warning
devices shall be installed and maintained on the roadway at grade crossings in
accordance with the MUTCD.
2. When
a grade crossing is located at or near a roadway-roadway intersection, signage
shall be installed at the intersection in compliance with the MUTCD.
(4) Standards for
Active Warning Devices.
(a) The Department may
require the installation of active warning devices at a grade crossing in
accordance with the following minimum criteria, or as the Department may
determine after conducting a diagnostic team field review:
| Type of Active Warning Device |
Minimum Criteria |
| 1. Flashing-Light Signals (Post-Mounted)
with Automatic Gates: |
3,000 or more exposures,
or Inadequate sight distances, as determined in
accordance with the AASHTO Design Manual, Or The
roadway at the grade crossing is a designated school bus route, commercial
passenger vehicle route, or hazardous material route,
Or Two or more railroad tracks at the grade crossing
that may allow concurrent rail operations, Or The
presence of a signalized highway intersection within 200 feet of the grade
crossing. |
| 2. Flashing-Light Signals (Overhead)
with Automatic Gates: |
Three or more lanes (including
turning lanes) on the roadway at the grade crossing,
Or 3,000 or more
exposuresandinadequate sight distances, as determined
in accordance with the AASHTO Design Manual. |
| 3. Flashing-Light Signals (Post-Mounted
or Overhead as indicated above) with Automatic Four-Quadrant Gates and/or other
safety devices as required by the Department: |
20,000 or
more exposuresandthe presence of any passenger train
traffic on the railroad. |
(b)
All active warning devices required under this Rule shall be installed and
maintained in accordance with the MUTCD.
(c) Whenever a signalized grade crossing is
to be located near a signalized highway intersection, preemption shall be
provided for in compliance with the MUTCD.
(d) Railroad Circuitry.
In connection with the installation of active warning devices
at a grade crossing, the following types of circuitry shall be installed and
maintained on the railroad tracks in accordance with the criteria specified
below:
| Type of Circuitry |
Criteria |
| 1. Style C or AC/DC: |
Infrequently used tracks. |
| 2. Motion Sensors: |
On regularly or frequently used tracks, where there is
considerable switching, trains stopped or parked near the grade crossing, or
consistent train speed. |
| 3. Constant Warning Time: |
On regularly or frequently used tracks with variable train
speeds. |
(5) Grade Separation.
(a) Grade separation shall be required, and
no grade crossing will be approved, on any roadway/railroad crossing where
there is full control of access on the roadway.
(b) The department may also decline to
approve the proposed construction or conversion of a grade crossing where:
1. A grade separation is feasible (based on
topographic conditions, cost, and other relevant factors), and
2. Special hazardous conditions exist,
including but not limited to the presence of highspeed (75 mph or more)
passenger train traffic on the railroad or where trains block the crossing for
long periods of time.
(6) Pedestrian Walkways and Bicycle Paths.
(a) Where federal funds are to be used in
paying for all or any part of the costs of installing the grade crossing,
provisions for pedestrian walkways and bicycle paths should be
considered.
(b) Any pedestrian
walkway or bicycle path included in the grade crossing shall comply with FRA
track safety standards, 49 C.F.R., Part
213, or as amended, and the Americans'
With Disabilities Act accessibility guidelines contained in 28 C.F.R., Part
36, Appendix A, or as amended.
Notes
Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1680-09-01-.04
Original rule filed
April 5, 2002; effective June 19, 2002. Rule has been assigned a new control
number from 1680-12-1-.04 filed and effective February 1,
2003.
Authority: T.C.A. ยง
65-11-101.
