(a) When a new highway is constructed across a railroad, such highway shall pass over or under the railroad as the Commissioner of Transportation directs. The company operating such railroad shall construct such crossing to the approval of the commissioner and may take land for the purposes of this section. The expense of such crossing construction shall be borne by either the town, city or borough constructing such highway, or by the company constructing the same, or by a sharing of the cost between the town, city or borough and the company, as the commissioner directs.

(b) On or after October 1, 1989, no public railroad crossing at grade shall be constructed unless authorized by special act of the General Assembly. The Commissioner of Transportation, upon the request of the joint standing committee on transportation or upon his own initiative, shall investigate and make recommendations concerning the creation of such a crossing. Such investigation shall include a public hearing on the creation of such a crossing. The commissioner shall provide reasonable notice to the town, city or borough where such crossing is to be located, any railroad utilizing the rail line and the party requesting the crossing and to the public through publication of notice in a newspaper having general circulation in the municipality where such crossing is to be located. Any proposed legislation for the creation of such a crossing shall be accompanied by a detailed report containing, but not limited to the following information: The date of the public hearing, any requirements for the protection of persons using the crossing, including but not limited to the protections established in sections 13b-342 to 13b-345a, inclusive, and a recommendation concerning the party to bear the costs of construction, installation and maintenance of such crossing.

(1949 Rev., S. 5487; 1963, P.A. 411; P.A. 75-486, S. 1, 69; P.A. 77-614, S. 571, 610; P.A. 89-372, S. 2, 4; P.A. 90-230, S. 82, 101; P.A. 00-148, S. 39; P.A. 01-105, S. 14; P.A. 02-89, S. 19; P.A. 12-80, S. 190.)

History: 1963 act provided that the expense for crossing construction be borne by either the local governmental entity or the company involved in the construction or be shared as directed by the commission instead of the previous provision for splitting the cost; P.A. 75-486 substituted “public utilities control authority” for “commission”, i.e. public utilities commission, and “authority” for “commission” thereafter, effective December 1, 1975; P.A. 77-614 substituted “commissioner of transportation” for “public utilities control authority” and “commissioner” for “authority” where appearing, effective January 1, 1979; in 1981 Sec. 16-98 transferred to Sec. 13b-268; P.A. 89-372 added new Subsec. (b) re creation of at-grade crossings by special act; P.A. 90-230 made technical change in Subsec. (b); (Revisor's note: P.A. 00-148 repealed Secs. 13b-247, 13b-255 to 13b-259, inclusive, 13b-266 and 13b-306 and, in so doing, specifically required the Revisors to delete references to said repealed sections in certain sections of the general statutes, including this section; the Revisors were unable to delete a reference to Sec. 13b-256 from Subsec. (a) of this section without making unauthorized substantive changes to the statute); P.A. 01-105 amended Subsec. (a) by making a technical change; P.A. 02-89 amended Subsec. (b) to replace reference to Sec. 13b-347 with reference to Sec. 13b-346, reflecting the repeal of Sec. 13b-347 by the same public act; P.A. 12-80 amended Subsec. (b) to replace reference to Sec. 13b-346 with reference to Sec. 13b-345a.

Annotations to former section 16-98:

Where highway crossing railroad at grade was commenced before section was enacted, the act prevented its completion. 55 C. 69; 70 C. 390. Commissioners may decide whether highway is to go over or under railroad, before acceptance of report of committee to lay out highway. 59 C. 210. It is not a taking of property to compel a company to pay half the expense of a bridge to protect the public. 60 C. 6. Layout of street across railroad, without notice or compensation, may be set up in defense when city seeks injunction against obstruction of street. 72 C. 225. Where highway runs under railroad, cost of retaining wall necessary to maintain level of tracks proper element of damage. 81 C. 582. Cited. 85 C. 599. Purpose of statute is to require a safe and usable crossing for both highway and railroad. To accomplish this, not just building of bridge but also relocation of transmission lines was necessary. Legislature by the phrase “expense of such crossing” intended to include in cost whatever was essential to fulfill purpose of statute. Under former provision, contract so far as it required city to pay more than half the cost of relocating wires was illegal. 150 C. 366. Public utilities commission could not construe statute to determine validity of apportionment made. It could, however, have withheld its approval if, contrary to railroad's expectation, part of cost of relocating transmission lines was going to fall on railroad. Appeal should have been granted. Id., 383. Cited. 152 C. 79; 154 C. 674.