A Guide to Crossing Consolidation and Closure

This paper describes how the consolidation of redundant and unnecessary highway-rail grade crossings is a key element in the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Action Plan to improve grade crossing safety. The paper addresses the main obstacle to the rationalization of redundant crossings, mainly local opposition. Almost any proposal that involves the closure of a grade crossing is met with local concern about emergency vehicle response time, traffic delays, neighborhood impacts and public inconvenience. The paper provides a model for effectively working with local communities to successfully implement a grade crossing consolidation project.