§ 54-4-15. Establishment and regulation of grade crossings.

(1) No track of any railroad shall be constructed across a public road, highway or street at grade, nor shall the track of any railroad corporation be constructed across the track of any other railroad or street railroad corporation at grade, nor shall the track of a street railroad corporation be constructed across the track of a railroad corporation at grade, without the permission of the Department of Transportation having first been secured; provided, that this subsection shall not apply to the replacement of lawfully existing tracks. The department shall have the right to refuse its permission or to grant it upon such terms and conditions as it may prescribe.

(2) The department shall have the power to determine and prescribe the manner, including the particular point of crossing, and the terms of installation, operation, maintenance, use and protection of each crossing of one railroad by another railroad or street railroad, and of a street railroad by a railroad and of each crossing of a public road or highway by a railroad or street railroad, and of a street by a railroad or vice versa, and to alter or abolish any such crossing, to restrict the use of such crossings to certain types of traffic in the interest of public safety and is vested with power and it shall be its duty to designate the railroad crossings to be traversed by school buses and motor vehicles carrying passengers for hire, and to require, where in its judgment it would be practicable, a separation of grades at any such crossing heretofore or hereafter established, and to prescribe the terms upon which such separation shall be made and the proportions in which the expense of the alteration or abolition of such crossings or the separation of such grades shall be divided between the railroad or street railroad corporations affected, or between such corporations and the state, county, municipality or other public authority in interest.

(3) Whenever the department shall find that public convenience and necessity demand the establishment, creation or construction of a crossing of a street or highway over, under or upon the tracks or lines of any public utility, the department may by order, decision, rule or decree require the establishment, construction or creation of such crossing, and such crossing shall thereupon become a public highway and crossing.

(4)

(a) The commission retains exclusive jurisdiction for the resolution of any dispute upon petition by any person aggrieved by any action of the department pursuant to this section, except as provided under Subsection (4)(b).

(b) If a petition is filed by a person or entity engaged in a subject activity, as defined in Section 19-3-318, the commission's decision under Subsection (4)(a) regarding resolution of a dispute requires the concurrence of the governor and the Legislature in order to take effect.

Amended by Chapter 190, 1999 General Session