US Laws, Codes, Statutes & Cases

      Sec. 13b-344. (Formerly Sec. 16-160). Signs at grade crossings. Notification of locations of railroad crossings. Local police or firemen to direct traffic at crossings with malfunctioning gates or signals. (a) Each town, city or borough shall place, inspect and maintain warning signs and pavement markings consisting of stop lines and advance warning markings on each highway approaching a crossing at grade of such highway and the tracks of any railroad within the respective limits of such town, city or borough. Such signs shall be furnished by the railroad company crossing such highway. Such signs and pavement markings shall conform with the Federal Highway Administration's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and shall be placed in a manner that conforms with said manual. If in the case of any such crossing it appears that the placing of the signs prescribed by this section is impracticable or unnecessary, the Commissioner of Transportation may release such municipality from the obligation of placing and maintaining such signs on the highway near such crossing. The railroad company operating over such crossing, or the private party or corporation owning a railroad right-of-way, shall annually notify in writing the appropriate town, city, borough or, in the case of a state highway, the Commissioner of Transportation of the location of all railroad crossings within the respective limits of such town, city or borough and the obligations of such town, city or borough under the provisions of this subsection. The commissioner shall provide each such railroad company, private party or corporation with a list of the towns, cities and boroughs to be notified in accordance with this subsection. Such list shall include the name and address of the official to whom such notification shall be delivered.

      (b) Each town, city or borough, upon receipt of a report of a malfunctioning grade crossing gate or signal shall dispatch local police or firemen to the crossing who shall, upon consultation with the railroad company crossing such highway, either direct traffic across the crossing or to an alternate route until such time as the railroad company crossing such highway repairs the gate or signal or assumes responsibility for directing traffic.

      (1949 Rev., S. 5542; P.A. 75-486, S. 1, 69; P.A. 77-614, S. 571, 610; P.A. 90-329, S. 1; P.A. 00-148, S. 12, 41.)

      History: P.A. 75-486 substituted public utilities control "authority" for public utilities "commission", effective December 1, 1975; P.A. 77-614 substituted "commissioner of transportation" for "authority", effective January 1, 1979; in 1981 Sec. 16-160 transferred to Sec. 13b-344; P.A. 90-329 added a new Subsec. (b) requiring local police or firemen to direct traffic at crossings at grade with malfunctioning gates or signals; P.A. 00-148 amended Subsec. (a) by requiring the inspection of warning signs and the placement, inspection and maintenance of certain pavement markings, by replacing requirements that signs and pavement markings conform with standards set by the American Association of State Highway Officials and be placed in conspicuous locations with requirement that signs and pavement markings conform with the Federal Highway Administration's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, by deleting provision re petition of municipality and by adding procedure for notification to the appropriate municipality of all railroad crossings within the limits of the municipality, and amended Subsec. (b) by requiring municipal police or firemen to consult with the railroad company crossing the highway re a report of a malfunctioning grade crossing gate or signal, effective May 26, 2000.

      Annotation to former section 16-160:

      Cited. 136 C. 683.

      Annotation to present section:

      Cited. 33 CA 775, 777.