
One of the most difficult trail facilities to accomplish is a crossing of an active rail line.
by Stuart Macdonald, Trail Consultant, American Trails
There are many examples of trails crossing railroads at grade in both urban and rural situations. The physical ingredients are signs warning trail users, safety messages, and a surface to allow bike and pedestrian movement while accommodating the rails and flangeways. There are several types of crossing surfaces; see http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/xings/xing_surfaces.cfm.
Warning signals and even crossing gates to stop trail users when trains are approaching are also in use. Crossing at right angles to the tracks avoids the hazard of bike tires getting caught in the flangeway grooves. The one real danger is where there are two busy tracks to cross. As soon as a train on their side passes, trail users are ready to cross and may not look to see that another train may be approaching on the far track, obscured from view by the first train.
The minimum needed for a rail crossing: trail surface and signs; angled crossing is not optimum; Chattanooga, Tennessee
The concrete trail has built-in culverts to accommodate water in the railroad drainage ditches; Denver's Sanderson Gulch Trail
Separate treads for walkers and for bicyclists with small RR crossing signs; Minneapolis Cedar Lake Regional Trail
Sign warns trail users that railroad crosses trail at an angle; Minneapolis Cedar Lake Regional Trail
Signs and railroad crossing lights guard trail crossing of Hiawatha light rail corridor; Minneapolis, Minnesota
Crushed rock is used between the rails for the trail surface at the crossing; Poudre River Trail west of Fort Collins, Colorado
Published November 2019
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