NJ Transit Grade Crossing Safety

Grade crossings pose one of the most significant safety challenges for railroads and transit agencies across the United States. The removal or modification of grade crossings with the intention of reducing risk can improve public safety, decrease financial burdens, and improve service to the public. To address these challenges, this proposal describes our plan to narrow a list of one hundred grade crossings on New Jersey TRANSIT to twenty, through a developed selection method that can be utilized on a larger inventory. The results of this research have the potential to guide NJ TRANSIT and NJDOT in the efficient spending of limited funding for maximum safety improvements and improved service benefits to the communities of New Jersey. The objectives of this research include: - To provide a literature review consisting of the following three key topics: state-of-the-art grade crossing hazard analysis, lessons learned in grade crossing prioritization, and recommended safety countermeasures with justifications. - Complete prioritization of the one hundred provided grade crossings by formulating a ranking model with selection criteria and evaluation factors, such as traffic and train volumes, speed, and warning devices. - Select the top twenty grade crossings and focus on safety data analysis and modification recommendations, as well as the benefits of the suggested improvements with justifications. - To develop annotated datasets and an analysis method to allow for expedited programmatic decision making. NJ TRANSIT and other agencies can provide inventory datasets and use the same methodology to derive optimal improvement lists for efficient budgetary allocation.

• Record URL:
  https://www.njdottechtransfer.net/2018/01/01/research-project/?pdb=49

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $200,000
• Contract Numbers:

  Contract ID 21-60167, Task Order 385

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  New Jersey Department of Transportation

  1035 Parkway Avenue
  Trenton, NJ  United States  08625
• Project Managers:

  Potapa, Stefanie

• Performing Organizations:

  Rutgers University, Piscataway

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  623 Bowser Road
  Piscataway, NJ  United States  08854
• Principal Investigators:

  Liu, Xiang

• Start Date: 20210518
• Expected Completion Date: 20221118
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: Grade Crossings and Trespass
• USDOT Program: System Safety Management
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Evaluation and assessment; Improvements; Railroad grade crossings; Railroad safety
• Subject Areas: Railroads; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01774134
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: New Jersey Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: Contract ID 21-60167, Task Order 385
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jun 14 2021 3:21PM