Agenda - Council - 02/24/1981 - Laserfiche WebLink

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circuit and then atop activate the signals until they start again and move through the crossing, The activation of signals a considerable time before train arrival at the crossing is referred to as "early signal activia- tion. # Early signal activation contributes to rail/community conflicts in three ways. First, it increases the amount of time crossings are closed to vehicle traffic. In some communities, a significant portion of the blocked crossing time (up to 40 percent) is the result of early signal activation. Second, early signal activation has resulted in frequent violation of warning signals by motorists and thus has reduced the credibility and, therefore, the effectiveness of warning signals. Finally, early signal activation is aggravating to community residents and heightens the rail/com~,uity conflict in general. GCPs eliminate early signal activation by determining the speed of the approaching train and activating the signals at a set time internal prior to train arrival at the crossing (usually 25 to 30 seconds). In this way vehicle delay and safety problems associated with early signal activation are reduced. GC~s could reduce the magnitude of emergency vehicle delays by an estimated 10 to 25 percent; general vehicular delays and associated co=muntty development and accessibility problems by 10 to 25 percent, and grade crossing safety hazards by 35 to 70 percent. The safety hazard reductions include cases in which automatic gates are installed in place~of less effective protection devices. The costs of installing GCPs range from $45,000 to $75,000 per crossing. Installation of GCPs with automatic gates may increase the cost 22