Safety Enhancements at Short-Storage-Space Railroad Crossings

Das, Subasish; Warner, Jeffery; Lavrenz, Steven; Khanal, Bedan · 2023 · ROSA P / Texas A&M Transportation Institute

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Summary

This study addresses the safety challenges at short-storage-space railroad crossings, defined as locations where the distance between the crossing and the downstream highway intersection stop line is insufficient to safely store a design vehicle. The research was motivated by the lack of empirical evaluation for countermeasures at these specific sites, particularly outside of traffic signal preemption strategies, and the need to refine Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) guidelines. The project aimed to identify suitable passive treatments, analyze driver behavior, and improve communication between MDOT’s Traffic & Safety and Office of Rail divisions. The researchers conducted a comprehensive literature review, analyzed five years of crash data (2015–2019), and developed safety indices using the New Hampshire Index and NCHRP Report 50 formulas. To evaluate driver behavior, the team utilized data from the SHRP 2 Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) and simulation studies. They assessed five passive control devices: crossbuck only, crossbuck with yield, crossbuck with stop, dynamic envelope markings (DEM), and near-side stop lines. Behavioral scores were calculated based on acceleration, speed before and after the crossing, head rotation, and compliance with signs and markings. Analysis of crash data revealed that the highest frequency of crashes occurred in southeast Michigan, while short-storage locations were predominantly situated on local undivided roadways. Failure to yield was identified as a major violation. Both NDS and simulation results indicated that drivers struggle to follow signs and markings at these crossings. Effectiveness measures demonstrated that dynamic envelope markings and crossbucks with stop signs were significantly more effective than other passive countermeasures, such as crossbuck-only or crossbuck-with-yield configurations. The study also highlighted that short-storage locations are associated with a higher proportion of crashes compared to non-short-storage locations. The findings led to specific recommendations for modifying language in six MDOT publications, including the Michigan MUTCD and Road Design Manual. The study concludes that current practices lack consistency in treatment selection and that passive treatments place a significant cognitive burden on drivers. By providing data-driven guidance on effective passive countermeasures, the research supports the development of systemic treatments tailored to local traffic conditions and geometry, ultimately aiming to reduce crashes and improve safety at these hazardous locations.

Key finding

Dynamic envelope markings and crossbucks with stop signs are more effective passive countermeasures than crossbuck-only, crossbuck-and-yield, or near-side stop line treatments at short-storage railroad crossings.

Methodology

mixed_methods

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed. Discovered via bulk_ingest_rosap on 2026-05-23 (6 acquisition events logged).

Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• rail grade crossings
• signage environment
• perceptual countermeasures

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes