Sec. 2. (a) If a highway or road is being constructed or reconstructed so that it crosses or intersects the existing tracks of a railroad at grade level at a point where no crossing previously existed, the department, county, city, or town under whose jurisdiction the crossing lies shall pay the cost of the construction of the new crossing, the approaches to the crossing, and the cost of the necessary protective or crossing warning signals. After construction, the owner or lessee of the railroad shall maintain the crossing and protective or crossing warning signals and keep them in repair at the owner's or lessee's cost.

(b) If the owner or lessee of a railroad is constructing or reconstructing railroad tracks so that the tracks cross or intersect a highway or road at grade level at a point where no railroad crossing previously existed, the owner or lessee of the railroad shall pay the cost of the construction of the new crossing, the approaches to the crossing, and the cost of the necessary protective or crossing warning signals. After construction, the owner or lessee of the railroad shall maintain the crossing and protective or crossing warning signals and keep them in repair at the owner's or lessee's cost.

(c) If a highway or road crosses or intersects the tracks of a railroad at grade level and the highway or road is reconstructed to alter the existing crossing or intersection by a change of grade, widening or changing the type of pavement, or by changing the angle of the intersection, the department, county, city, or town under whose jurisdiction the crossing lies shall pay the cost of the reconstruction of the crossing, the approaches to the crossing, and the cost of the necessary protective or crossing warning signals. After reconstruction, the owner or lessee of the railroad shall maintain the crossing and protective or crossing warning signals and keep them in repair at the owner's or lessee's cost.

(d) If the owner or lessee of a railroad reconstructs or alters the tracks of a railroad that crosses or intersects a highway or road at grade level so that it is necessary to reconstruct or alter the crossing or intersection, the owner or lessee of the railroad shall pay the cost of the reconstruction or altering of the crossing, the approaches to the crossing, and the cost of the necessary protective or crossing warning signals. After construction, the owner or lessee of the railroad shall maintain the crossing and protective or crossing warning signals and keep them in repair at the owner's or lessee's cost.

(e) Notwithstanding subsections (a) through (d), the department, a county, a city, or a town under whose jurisdiction a railroad crossing lies may provide highway or road surface maintenance at a railroad crossing if the department, county, city, or town requests and receives written approval from the railroad owner or lessee before commencing the highway or road surface maintenance. The cost of the maintenance may be wholly or partially borne by the department, county, city, or town upon agreement with the railroad.

(f) Any construction, reconstruction, or maintenance of highway or road surfaces provided for in this section may be paid for from funds obtained under 23 U.S.C. 130.

(g) A railroad whose tracks lie in any public highway or road shall properly grade, surface, and maintain the highway, road, and railroad tracks within the boundaries described in subsection (h):

(1) in accordance with the grade and surfacing material of the highway or road; and

(2) in a manner as to afford security for life and property of persons and vehicles using the highway or road.

(h) The railroad is responsible for the repair and maintenance of the grade and surface occupied by the railroad tracks, including the space:

(1) between the rails of a railroad track;

(2) between the railroad tracks if there are at least two (2) railroad tracks; and

(3) that extends eighteen (18) inches in width on the outside of each rail of a railroad track.

As added by P.L.18-1990, SEC.214. Amended by P.L.183-2005, SEC.1.