FRA publishes highway-rail crossing inventory reporting rule

Earlier this month, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) published the final National Highway-Rail Crossing Inventory Reporting Requirements rule.

A response to a Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 mandate, the regulation requires railroads to submit information to the crossing inventory for previously unreported highway-rail and pathway crossings and newly established crossings. Railroads also must update the inventory at least every three years.

Among the rule requirements:

• Railroads must submit data for previously unreported highway-rail and pathway crossings no later than March 7, 2016.
• Railroads must submit data for new highway-rail and pathway crossings no later than six months after the crossing becomes operational, or no later than March 7, 2016 — whichever occurs later.
• Railroads are required to update existing crossing data in the crossing inventory at least every three years.
• Railroads are required to report the sale of a crossing to the crossing inventory within three months of the sale date.
• Railroads are required to report the closure of a highway-way or pathway crossing to the crossing inventory within three months.
• Class Is are required to electronically submit crossing data to the crossing inventory; all others may submit crossing data either electronically or in hard copy.