Highway-Railway At-Grade Crossing Structures: Optimum Design/Installation Practices and Management Program – An Overview

Replacing and rehabilitating highway-railway at-grade crossings represent major track maintenance expenses for the U.S. highway governmental agencies and railroad industry. The ideal crossing system is one that will maintain a smooth surface and stable highway/trackbed for a long period of time minimizing costly and inconvenient disruptions to highway and rail traffic. This report describes the consensus goals for, and the development of, a cooperative, fast-track crossing renewal system for an ideal highway-railway crossing management program. The performance-based process utilizes premium structural materials and construction techniques to provide long-term, cost effective, smooth, and safe crossings. Specifically stressed is the desirability of using a high-modulus, waterproofing, structural layer composed of hot-mix asphalt. Detailed descriptions are provided for several representative projects. These include typical installation processes, installation time studies, photographic documentation, and cost/economic evaluations. References are provided for Performance Measures that are documented in succeeding reports emanating from this project. These include 1) Trackbed and Surface Pressure Measurements, 2) Long-Term Settlement Measurements, 3) Rideability Measurements, and 4) Interfacial Surface Pressure Measurements