Describe the state of roadway safety before the new practice was implemented. What was the safety issue, problem, or gap?

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) converted an existing highway-railroad crossing to a pedestrian- and bicycle-only crossing when new roadway construction and land use changes occurred in New Britain, Connecticut. The converted railroad crossing design needed to safely accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists accessing a nearby busway station, multi-use trail, and other amenities.

In 2016, three pedestrians in Ramsey, New Jersey, died when hit by a train near the Main Street and Ramsey transit station. The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), New Jersey Transit, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and local town officials worked together to find and implement a treatment to help prevent similar tragedies from occurring again.

What key challenges needed to be addressed before the new practice could be implemented?

The key challenge was getting agreement among professionals and the public on the chosen treatment.

Describe the new practice.

Both NJDOT and CTDOT identified a hinged pedestrian gate skirt as the most effective solution for the crossings. A hinged pedestrian gate skirt is a secondary horizontal bar that hangs under an existing pedestrian gate to help improve safety at rail crossings.

What technical and/or institutional changes resulted from the new practice?

Both Connecticut and New Jersey have installed hinged pedestrian gate skirts to better deter pedestrian violations.

What benefits were realized as a result of the practice?

This treatment deters pedestrians from going under a pedestrian gate that is in movement and in the down position. The pedestrian gate skirt pilot program found that descending gate violations decreased by 78 percent, and horizontal gate violations decreased by 54 percent. NJDOT reports no fatalities have occurred since installing the hinged pedestrian gate skirt. The low position of the gate skirt also benefits people who are blind or have low vision because the gate can be detected using canes or other mobility aids.