Evaluation of Planning and Design Issues for Multiuse Trail and Highway Crossings

Abstract

Across the country a network of multiuse trails is evolving from abandoned rail corridors. This phenomenon creates a new set of demands on public highway and transportation agencies. These demands are most evident at public highway crossings of rail-trail projects. These demands raise new policy, planning, and engineering issues. The most difficult and controversial of the engineering issues is whether to retain or remove grade-separating rail structures. The issue often pits trail advocates against public highway and transportation engineers in a debate over whether safety is enhanced or degraded by the removal of the structure. Decisions on structures rely on a variety of factors, including the physical condition of the structure; the alignment, clearance, and sightlines at the crossing; the quality of trail plans; and the magnitude and division of responsibility for current and future costs. To effectively resolve trail and highway crossing issues, it is important to recognize that, in matters related to the crossings, the highway or transportation agency's customer base includes trail users as well as motor vehicle drivers and passengers. Decisions on crossing issues should evolve from a balanced appraisal of the sometimes differing safety and operating needs of trail as well as highway users. The process of reaching balanced, multimodal design decisions begins with better public planning before rail line abandonment. The state highway or transportation agency can enhance its decision making through better communication, coordination, and encouragement of trail planning with sister state agencies, local government(s), regional planning agencies, and trail development organizations.