Oregon Railroad State Laws and Regulations

Crossing Treatment Procedures

State Laws and Regulations

824.202. Authority to regulate crossings

It is the policy of this state to achieve uniform and coordinated regulation of railroad-highway crossings and to eliminate crossings at grade wherever possible. To these ends, authority to control and regulate the construction, alteration, and protection of railroad-highway crossings is vested exclusively in the state, and in the Department of Transportation as provided in ORS 824.200 to 824.256.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 824.202

824.206. Elimination or alteration of crossing; installation of protective devices

(1) The Department of Transportation may, upon its own motion or upon application by a railroad or the public authority in interest, subsequent to a hearing, unless a hearing is not required under ORS 824.214, and upon finding that such action is required by the public safety, necessity, convenience and general welfare:

(a) Eliminate a grade crossing by relocation of the highway;

(b) Alter or abolish any grade crossing or change the location thereof, or require a separation of grades at any such crossing;

(d) Require installation or alteration of protective devices.

(2) The department shall prescribe the time and manner of such alteration, change, installation or alteration, and the terms and conditions thereof.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 824.206

824.204. Application to construct grade crossings

(1) Except for the repair of lawfully existing roads and highways or the replacement of tracks, no highway shall be constructed across the track of any railroad company at grade, nor shall the track of any railroad company be constructed across a highway at grade, without having first secured the permission of the Department of Transportation.

(2) Whenever any railroad company desires to cross any established and existing highway at grade or any public authority desires to lay out and extend any highway over and across any established and existing railroad at grade, it shall file with the department its application setting forth the objections and difficulties of making such crossing either above or below the grade of the existing highway or railroad.

(3) Upon receipt of the above application the department, after hearing, unless a hearing is not required under ORS 824.214, shall:

(a) Determine whether the public safety, public convenience and general welfare require a grade separation; and

(b) In the event a grade separation is not required, determine whether the application should be refused or granted, and upon what terms and conditions.

(4) If the grade crossing is approved, the department shall determine and prescribe the manner of its construction, maintenance and use, the kind and location of protective devices to be installed, the allocation of costs and the place of the crossing.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 824.204

824.210. Authority to construct crossings above or below grade

No highway shall be constructed across the track of any railroad company above or below grade, nor shall the track of any railroad company be constructed across a highway above or below grade, without having first secured the permission of the Department of Transportation. If permission is granted, the department shall, after a hearing, unless hearing is not required under ORS 824.214, prescribe the terms and conditions upon which such crossing shall be made and shall allocate the cost of construction and maintenance.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 824.210

824.242. Installation costs for protective devices to be apportioned

In any grade crossing proceeding arising under ORS 824.204, 824.206 or 824.226, unless the parties agree otherwise, installation costs of protective devices shall be apportioned as follows:

(1) At an existing crossing, a crossing relocated pursuant to ORS 824.206 or 824.226, or a crossing previously closed by order of the Department of Transportation and reopened in a proceeding under ORS 824.204:

(a) For devices to be installed at or in advance of the crossing and which are activated immediately in advance of, and during, each train movement over the crossing:

(A) Seventy-five percent to the Grade Crossing Protection Account;

(B) Five percent to the public authority in interest; and

(b) For devices which are primarily designed for the purpose of illuminating the crossing or its approaches during hours of darkness:

(A) Not less than 90 percent to the Grade Crossing Protection Account;

(B) Not more than five percent to the public authority in interest; and

(A) Seventy-five percent to the Grade Crossing Protection Account; and

(B) Twenty-five percent to the public authority in interest for such devices to be installed by it at or in advance of the crossing; or

(2) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, at a new crossing requested by a public authority, 100 percent of the installation costs shall be paid by the public authority in interest.

(3) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, at a new crossing requested by a railroad company, 100 percent of the installation costs shall be paid by the railroad company.

(4) If the Department of Transportation converts an unauthorized railroad-highway crossing to a crossing authorized under ORS 824.204, the department shall apportion installation costs of protective devices as provided in subsection (1) of this section, or, if federal funds are available, installation costs may be apportioned as provided in ORS 824.250.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 824.242

824.244. Maintenance costs for protective devices to be apportioned

Unless the parties agree otherwise, maintenance cost of protective devices at grade crossings installed pursuant to ORS 824.204, 824.206 or 824.226 shall be apportioned as follows:

(1) One hundred percent to the railroad company for devices at the crossing actually installed and maintained by the railroad.

(2) One hundred percent to the public authority in interest for devices at or in advance of the crossing actually installed and maintained by the authority, except as provided under subsection (3) of this section.

(3) Fifty percent to the railroad company, and 50 percent to the public authority in interest, for devices at the crossing installed and maintained by the public authority which are primarily designed for the purpose of illuminating the crossing during hours of darkness and which are not activated immediately in advance of, or during, each train movement.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 824.244

824.250. Apportionment of federal funds; remaining costs

In the event any protective device is to be installed or altered at an existing or relocated crossing or any reconstruction or alteration is made at an existing separation structure, with the aid of any federal funds administered by the Federal Highway Administration of the United States Department of Transportation, the Oregon Department of Transportation shall, unless the parties agree otherwise:

(1) Apportion the amount of such federal funds to payment of installation, reconstruction, or alteration costs; and

(2) Apportion the remaining costs of installation, reconstruction, alteration, and maintenance as provided by ORS 824.238 and 824.242 to 824.248; however, in a case where the federal fund assistance equals or exceeds 75 percent of the cost of installing, altering and reconstructing protective devices at an existing or relocated crossing, the remaining costs, except for maintenance costs, may be allocated entirely to the Grade Crossing Protection Account.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 824.250

Blocked Crossings

State Laws, Regulations, and Penalties

824.222. Time limitation for crossing to be blocked by equipment; petition; penalties

(1) The power to fix and regulate the length of time a public railroad-highway grade crossing may be blocked by railroad equipment is vested exclusively in the state.

(2)(a) Upon petition of the public authority in interest, or of any railroad or upon the Department of Transportation’s own motion, the department shall, after due investigation and hearing, unless hearing is not required under ORS 824.214, enter an order fixing and regulating the length of time a public railroad-highway grade crossing may be blocked by railroad equipment.

(b) Upon petition of a person, the department shall investigate and may hold a hearing and, following a hearing, may enter an order fixing and regulating the length of time a public railroad-highway grade crossing may be blocked by railroad equipment.

(3) The time limits fixed by the department shall be maximum time limits and shall be commensurate with reasonable requirements of train and vehicular traffic operations.

(4) Violation of a time limit fixed by the department under this section is punishable by a civil penalty of not less than $100 nor more than $3,000 for each offense.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 824.222

Warning Devices-Passive

State Laws and Regulations

824.224. Stop signs installed at private crossings; notice to landowner; eminent domain

(1) At every farm or private grade crossing of a railroad where no automatic grade crossing protective device is installed, the railroad shall cause to be installed and maintained, as a means of protecting the crossing, one or more stop signs.

(2) The Department of Transportation shall, after hearing, unless hearing is not required under ORS 824.214, prescribe the number, type and location of the stop signs and may exempt a farm or private grade crossing if the department finds that the installation of such sign or signs at the crossing would create a hazard or dangerous condition that would not otherwise exist.

(3) After notice to any affected landowner and opportunity for a hearing, unless a hearing is not required under ORS 824.214, the Department of Transportation may alter, relocate or close any farm or private grade crossing on any line designated as a high speed rail system.

(4) If the department decides to alter, relocate or close a farm or private grade crossing in such a manner as to constitute a taking of private property, the department shall exercise its power of eminent domain to acquire such property as is necessary to carry out the decision. A department order under this subsection shall constitute a resolution of necessity for exercise of the department’s power of eminent domain.

(5) If the department exercises its power of eminent domain under subsection (4) of this section, the department shall use any combination of state or federal funds allocated for high speed rail systems to pay any settlement with or judgment in favor of an owner of a farm or private grade crossing. The department shall have discretion to determine whether to reach a settlement with an owner of a farm or private grade crossing.

(6) The costs of implementing a department order issued under subsection (3) of this section shall be apportioned to any combination of state or federal funds specifically allocated for high speed rail systems as the department determines appropriate in order to eliminate farm or private grade crossings or to enhance safety at such crossings.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 824.224

824.220. Rulemaking for protective devices

The Department of Transportation shall adopt rules prescribing specifications for the design and location of protective devices.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 824.220

Warning Devices- Train Borne

State Laws, Regulations, and Penalties

No applicable statutes relating to this topic.

Warning Devices- Active

State Laws and Regulations

824.202. Authority to regulate crossings

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 824.202

824.206. Elimination or alteration of crossing; installation of protective devices

(a) Eliminate a grade crossing by relocation of the highway;

(b) Alter or abolish any grade crossing or change the location thereof, or require a separation of grades at any such crossing;

(d) Require installation or alteration of protective devices.

(2) The department shall prescribe the time and manner of such alteration, change, installation or alteration, and the terms and conditions thereof.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 824.206

824.204. Application to construct grade crossings

(3) Upon receipt of the above application the department, after hearing, unless a hearing is not required under ORS 824.214, shall:

(a) Determine whether the public safety, public convenience and general welfare require a grade separation; and

(b) In the event a grade separation is not required, determine whether the application should be refused or granted, and upon what terms and conditions.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 824.204

824.210. Authority to construct crossings above or below grade

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 824.210

824.242. Installation costs for protective devices to be apportioned

In any grade crossing proceeding arising under ORS 824.204, 824.206 or 824.226, unless the parties agree otherwise, installation costs of protective devices shall be apportioned as follows:

(a) For devices to be installed at or in advance of the crossing and which are activated immediately in advance of, and during, each train movement over the crossing:

(A) Seventy-five percent to the Grade Crossing Protection Account;

(B) Five percent to the public authority in interest; and

(b) For devices which are primarily designed for the purpose of illuminating the crossing or its approaches during hours of darkness:

(A) Not less than 90 percent to the Grade Crossing Protection Account;

(B) Not more than five percent to the public authority in interest; and

(A) Seventy-five percent to the Grade Crossing Protection Account; and

(B) Twenty-five percent to the public authority in interest for such devices to be installed by it at or in advance of the crossing; or

(2) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, at a new crossing requested by a public authority, 100 percent of the installation costs shall be paid by the public authority in interest.

(3) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, at a new crossing requested by a railroad company, 100 percent of the installation costs shall be paid by the railroad company.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 824.242 (West)

824.244. Maintenance costs for protective devices to be apportioned

Unless the parties agree otherwise, maintenance cost of protective devices at grade crossings installed pursuant to ORS 824.204, 824.206 or 824.226 shall be apportioned as follows:

(1) One hundred percent to the railroad company for devices at the crossing actually installed and maintained by the railroad.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 824.244

824.250. Apportionment of federal funds; remaining costs

(1) Apportion the amount of such federal funds to payment of installation, reconstruction, or alteration costs; and

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 824.250

Private Crossings

State Laws and Regulations

824.236. Unauthorized railroad-highway crossings, installation of protective devices; cost apportionment; closure; rulemaking

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the Department of Transportation may, under ORS 823.033, order a railroad to install and maintain protective devices at an unauthorized railroad-highway crossing and order the public authority in interest to install and maintain stop signs at and other protective devices in advance of an unauthorized railroad-highway crossing.

(2) The department may not order the railroad to install at an unauthorized railroad-highway crossing devices which are activated immediately in advance of, and during, each train movement over the crossing unless the department determines that the railroad intentionally created the unauthorized crossing after June 2, 1995.

(3) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, in any proceeding under subsections (1) and (2) of this section, or unless the parties agree otherwise, installation and maintenance costs of protective devices shall be apportioned to the railroad.

(4) The railroad may seek reimbursement or indemnity from third parties.

(5) Under ORS 823.033, the department may open an investigation to consider closure of an unauthorized railroad-highway crossing. If the department decides to open an investigation, it shall post notice of the investigation at the crossing at least 30 days prior to opening the investigation. If the department is unable to complete an investigation within two years from the date it was opened, the department shall order the crossing closed within one year from the expiration of the two-year period allowed for investigation unless closure of the unauthorized railroad-highway crossing would remove the only access to any land.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 824.236

Vegetation Clearance

State Laws, Regulations, and Penalties

No applicable statute related to this topic.