(a) Whenever, in the judgment of the department in respect to the state highway system, a county in respect to its county road system, or a municipality in respect to its municipal street system, such protection is reasonably necessary for the safety of the traveling public, the department or the county or the municipality may order the protection of a grade crossing by the installation of protective devices. Prompt notice of such order shall be given to the railroad or railroads involved; and within 30 days thereafter the representatives of the department, the county, or the municipality and of the railroad or railroads involved shall meet and, within 90 days, agree to a plan and specifications for the acquisition and installation of protective devices. If an agreement is not reached within 90 days, the department, the county, or the municipality may order the railroad company or companies involved to proceed with the acquisition and installation of protective devices, as indicated in the plan and specifications accompanying its order. However, no work leading to the installation of protective devices at a grade crossing on a county or municipal public road system shall commence until and unless the plan and specifications for such device are approved by the department. It shall be the duty of the railroad or railroads to proceed with acquisition and installation of protective devices within 60 days after receipt of an order to that effect and to complete such acquisition and installation within six months thereafter.

(b) (1) The expense of acquiring and installing a protective device shall be shared between:

(A) The department and the railroad involved, in such portions as may be determined by the negotiation procedures set forth in subsection (b) of Code Section 32-6-195, including consideration of all pertinent factors included in said subsection to be weighed in determining a reasonable division of costs and including the right of the department after a hearing to make the determination of the fair and reasonable costs to be shared by the railroad in the event that agreement as to such division of costs cannot be reached; and

(B) The county or municipality and the railroad involved, equally.

However, if such device shall be required as a result of a new road being constructed over an existing railroad, 100 percent of such cost shall be the responsibility of the department, county, or municipality involved; and, if such device shall be required as the result of a new railroad, 100 percent of such cost shall be the responsibility of the railroad.

(2) As used in this subsection, the term "expense of acquiring and installing a protective device" means:

(A) In the case of a protective device for part of a county road or municipal street system, the total cost of such project less the sum of any funds for such project furnished by the federal and state governments; and

(B) In the case of a protective device for part of the state highway system, the total cost of such project less any funds furnished by the federal government.

(3) The railroad or railroads shall maintain all protective devices at its or their own expense; and nothing in this subsection shall be construed to impose any public liability on the department or any county or municipality in any manner regarding such devices. However, nothing in this subsection shall prevent an agreement between the railroad or railroads and an industry or industries, which agreement assesses the cost of construction or maintenance of such devices against the industry or industries to be served by such track.

(c) In any case where the protective devices are acquired and installed by agreement or by order of the department, a county, or a municipality, a statement of such public agency's share of the costs of the project, as determined by such agreement or pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code section, shall be submitted by the railroad involved to the public agency involved upon completion of the project and upon nonpayment may be collected as provided by law.

(d)

(1) As used in this subsection, the term "active warning devices" means automated control gates, lights, and warning bells, used singly or in any combination.

(2) Each local school district in this state shall survey its established school bus routes annually and submit to the Department of Transportation a list identifying each rail crossing that does not have active warning devices on an established bus route. Each local school district shall be required to submit this information to the department each year by no later than September 1.

(3) Each local school district shall exercise best efforts to minimize the number of established school bus routes that cross rail crossings that do not have active warning devices.

(4) The department shall use the information about school bus routes as an important factor in selecting rail crossings to upgrade with active warning devices.