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A05235 Summary:

A05235 Actions:

A05235 Committee Votes:

A05235 Floor Votes:

A05235 Memo:

NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
 submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)



 
BILL NUMBER: A5235B
 
SPONSOR: Abinanti

 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to direct the department of transportation to
conduct a study of level grade rail crossings
 
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
 
This legislation directs the department of transportation to conduct a
statewide study of highway-railroad grade crossings to determine whether
adequate safety measures exist to prevent collisions between trains and
motor vehicles.
 
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
 
Section 1 of the bill directs the department of transportation, in

consultation with the metropolitan transportation authority, the depart-
ment of motor vehicles, the division of state police, the governor's
traffic safety committee, local governments, and any other department,
division, board, bureau, commission, agency or public authority of the
state or any political subdivision thereof deemed necessary by the
commissioner of transportation, to conduct a statewide study of high-
way-railroad grade crossings to determine whether adequate safety meas-
ures exist to prevent collisions between trains and motor vehicles. Such
study will include, but not be limited to, the design and safety of
highway-railroad grade crossings and the feasibility of implementing
design changes to increase safety and reduce the likelihood of
obstruction at such grade crossings; adequacy of traffic and pedestrian
warning signals; the availability of Federal funding for highway-rail-
road grade crossing improvement projects; and the feasibility of equip-

ping passenger and commuter trains with technology to increase safety.
Furthermore, the study will include data on highway-railroad grade
crossing accidents and incidents that have occurred within the state on
an annual basis over the past five years. The commissioner of transpor-
tation will submit a report of such study, including detailed recommen-
dations and findings, to the governor, the temporary president of the
senate, the speaker of the assembly, the chair of the senate transporta-
tion committee, the chair of the assembly transportation committee and
the chair of the assembly corporations, authorities and commissions
committee, on or before April 1, 2017.
 
Section 2 is the effective date.
 
 
JUSTIFICATION:
 
This legislation is introduced in the wake of the Metro-North Train  659
collision on February 3, 2015, where a commuter train collided with an
SUV at a highway-railroad grade crossing in Valhalla, NY during the

evening rush hour. This legislation authorizes the department of trans-
portation, in consultation with other departments, agencies and organ-
izations to conduct a statewide study to assess whether adequate safety
measures exist at highway-railroad grade crossings to prevent acci-
dents.The study will also include the availability of Federal funding
for improvement projects and the feasibility of implementing changes to
increase safety.
 
Although the numbers of fatalities and accidents at highway-railroad
grade crossings have fallen steadily on a national level, they have
increased in New York State. According to an article in the New York
Times, based on the latest available Federal Railroad Administration
data, there have been thirty highway-railroad grade crossing accidents
on Metro North in New York since 2003. As also noted in the article,
highway-railroad grade crossing accidents on the three major commuter
rail lines in New York rose to twenty eight in 2013. This legislation

will require a comprehensive evaluation of the safety of highway-rail-
road grade crossing and the feasibility associated with improving their
safety.
 
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
 
New bill.
 
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
 
To be determined.
 
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

A05235 Text:

 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                         5235--B
                                                                Cal. No. 202
 
                               2015-2016 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                    February 13, 2015
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced by M. of A. ABINANTI -- read once and referred to the Commit-
          tee  on  Transportation -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
          reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- advanced  to
          a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place on
          the order of third reading
 
        AN  ACT to direct the department of transportation to conduct a study of
          level grade rail crossings
 
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section  1.  The  department  of transportation shall, in consultation
     2  with the metropolitan transportation authority, the department of  motor
     3  vehicles,  the  division  of state police, the governor's traffic safety
     4  committee, local governments, and any other department, division, board,
     5  bureau, commission, agency or public authority of the state or any poli-
     6  tical subdivision thereof deemed necessary by the commissioner of trans-
     7  portation, conduct a statewide study of highway-railroad grade crossings
     8  to determine whether adequate safety measures exist  to  prevent  colli-
     9  sions  between  trains and motor vehicles. Such study shall include, but
    10  not be limited to, the  design  and  safety  of  highway-railroad  grade
    11  crossings and the feasibility of implementing design changes to increase
    12  safety  and to reduce the likelihood of obstruction at such grade cross-
    13  ings; adequacy of traffic and pedestrian warning signals; the availabil-
    14  ity of federal funding for highway-railroad grade  crossing  improvement
    15  projects; and the feasibility of equipping passenger and commuter trains
    16  with technology to increase safety. Furthermore, the study shall include
    17  data  on  highway-railroad  grade  crossing accidents and incidents that
    18  have occurred within the state on an annual basis  over  the  past  five
    19  years.  The  commissioner of transportation shall, on or before April 1,
    20  2017, submit a report of such study, including detailed  recommendations
    21  and  findings,  to  the governor, the temporary president of the senate,
    22  the speaker of the assembly, the  chair  of  the  senate  transportation
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD09024-05-5
        A. 5235--B                          2
 
     1  committee,  the  chair  of the assembly transportation committee and the
     2  chair of the assembly corporations, authorities and commissions  commit-
     3  tee.
     4    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.