GENERAL ORDER NO. 145

PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA

REGULATIONS GOVERNING RAILROAD GRADE CROSSINGS TO BE CLASSI-FIED EXEMPT FROM THE MANDATORY STOP REQUIREMENTS OF SEC-
TION 22452 OF THE VEHICLE CODE

Applicable to exemption requests submitted after January 1, 1978
Adopted February 13, 1980. Effective February 13, 1980. Resolution No. ET-1269.

1. GENERAL

These regulations are established to implement Section 22452.5 of
the California Vehicle Code relating to railroad grade crossings
which may be declared exempt from the mandatory stop require-
ments of Section 22452 of the Vehicle Code. Section 22452.5
provides that:

"The Department of Transportation and local authorities, with
respect to highways under their respective jurisdictions, may
place signs at railroad grade crossings permitting any vehicle
described in subdivision (a) of Section 22452 to traverse such
crossings without stopping. Such signs shall be placed in accor-
dance with criteria adopted by the Public Utilities Commission.
Prior to placing such signs, the Department of Transportation
or local authority shall consult with the Department of the
California Highway Patrol railroad corporations involved, and
the operators involved and shall secure the permission of the
Public Utilities Commission if a railroad corporation under the
jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission is affected. Prior
to permitting the placement of such signs, the Public Utilities
Commission shall seek the concurrence of the Department of
the California Highway Patrol."

Formal requests seeking "Exempt" status for a grade crossing
must be made to the Commission by the California Department of
Transportation or the local authorities with regard to highways
under their respective jurisdictions. Other interested parties
desiring "Exempt" status for a grade crossing must seek consid-
eration of their request through the public authority having
jurisdiction over the highway at the crossing. Where the public
authority declines to file the "Exempt" status request, the party
desiring "Exempt" status shall file a formal application with this
Commission seeking authority for such exemption.

2. CRITERIA AND QUALIFICATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION
OF EXEMPT STATUS

A railroad grade crossing to be considered for "Exempt" status
shall meet the following criteria:

2.1 Crossings Equipped with Automatic Gate-type Signals

(a) Protection--The crossing shall be equipped with auto-
matic gate-type signals, PUC Standard No. 9 series, in
compliance with the requirements of Commission
General Order 75.

(b) Traffic Control Signals--Grade crossings where the
railroad traverses through an intersection of two or
more roadways and traffic is controlled by a traffic
control signal may be considered under the same
criteria as a crossing equipped with automatic gate-
type signals.

(c) Number of Tracks--The crossing shall not have more
than two tracks.

(d) Sight Distance--There shall be a clear and unobstruc-
ted view of the grade crossing from any point on the
highway for a distance equal to the minimum stopping
sight distance¹ for the posted speed limit.

(e) Train Speed--The maximum allowable train speed at
the grade crossing shall be not greater than 60 miles
per hour.

(f) Accident History--The grade crossing shall not have
had more than two vehicle-train accidents in the last
five years. If the automatic gates have not been in
service for five years, only that period covered by the
automatic gates shall be applicable.

2.2 Crossings without Automatic Gate-type Signals

(a) Number of Tracks--Maximum of two tracks, only one
of which shall be classified as a main track.

(b) Train Traffic--Train traffic at the grade crossing shall
be not greater than an annual average of five trains per
day.

(c) Train Speed--The maximum allowable train speed at
the grade crossing shall be not greater than 30 miles per
hour.

(d) Switching Operations--There shall be no regular
switching operations across the crossing except where
motion sensing apparatus is installed or flagging as
specified by the Commission is required.

(e) Warning Devices--The railroad crossing warning de-
vices shall be properly located and maintained in
compliance with the requirements of Commission
General Order 75.

(f) Crossing Angle--The horizontal angle between the
axes of the line of track and the highway shall be not
less than 60 degrees.

(g) Sight Distance--(Corner Visibility) There shall be a
clear and unobstructed view of the grade crossing and
of the rail line for a distance of 400 feet in both
directions along the line of track from any point on the
highway within the minimum stopping sight distance
for the posted speed limit.⁽

(h) Accident History--The grade crossing shall not have
had more than two vehicle-train accidents in the last
five years.

3. FORMAL REQUESTS

Requests shall be filed in writing by the California Department of
Transportation or local authority, with regard to highways under
their respective jurisdictions, on paper 8½ inches by 11 inches in
size. The original and two copies shall be filed with the Commis-
sion and the request shall include the following data:

3.1 A statement showing the public benefit to be obtained by
exemption of the grade crossing.

3.2 Evidence showing that the grade crossing meets the mini-
mum qualifications set forth above.

3.3 A Statement indicating the existing protection at the grade
crossing.

3.4 The California Public Utilities Commission assigned number
for the grade crossing.

3.5 A map of the immediate vicinity of the grade crossing, on a
scale of 50 to 200 feet per inch, showing the locations of
streets, buildings and other view obstructions, railroad
tracks, protection devices and traffic control devices and, if
available, a series of appropriately labeled photographs
showing the above features.

3.6 A statement of highway elements, including number of
lanes, approach grades, posted speed limit and Average
Annual Daily Traffic.

3.7 A statement regarding the general visibility conditions in
the vicinity of the grade crossing, including glare or fog
conditions.

3.8 A statement regarding the basic train operations, e.g., the
maximum allowable train speed, frequency and character-
istics of switching operations.

3.9 A statement regarding any .other characteristics that are
peculiar to the grade crossing and highway under consider-
ation, including, but not limited to, vehicle approach speeds
and vehicle accidents attributed to the grade crossing.

3.10 A letter of concurrence from the California Department of Highway Patrol.

3.11 Evidence that a copy of the formal request has been served
on the affected railroad.

3.12 A notice, stated in general terms, shall be given by mail to
the operators of the vehicles affected by the exemption
request. However, in those cases where notice by mail
would be impractical because the operators involved cannot
be reasonably ascertained or because the class of operators
is so large that notice by mail would be costly, a notice by
publication is sufficient. In such cases, notice should be
placed in trade publications and newspapers of general


circulation reasonably calculated to apprise the operators
involved of the exemption request.

4. PROCESSING

4.1 The request for "Exempt" status for a grade crossing will be
reviewed by the Commission's Transportation Division staff
as to content and the qualifications of the crossing in
relation to the criteria specified in Paragraph 2 of this
General Order.

4.2 An on-site inspection will be made of the grade crossing by
the Commission staff with the applicant.

4.3 Upon the conclusion of the staff that grade crossing meets
the minimum requirements for "Exempt" status and their
recommendation that "Exempt" status be approved, a
resolution authorizing the exemption may be issued by the
Commission's Executive Director.

4.4 Grade Crossings declared "Exempt" will be subject to
periodic review and changes in conditions may warrant
removal of "Exempt" status from the grade crossing.

4.5 A list of "Exempt" crossings will be established and a copy
of the list will be served by mail upon each public agency
and publicly owned transit system. The list will also be
served by mail upon each railroad corporation, passenger
stage corporation, charter-party carrier of passengers, pe-
troleum irregular route carrier, petroleum contract carrier
and highway common carrier having authority to transport
petroleum products in bulk in tank vehicles subject to the
jurisdiction of this Commission. The published exempt
crossing list will be updated annually.

5. APPLICATIONS REQUIRED WHERE THE PARTIES ARE
NOT IN AGREEMENT OR THE CROSSING DOES NOT MEET
THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Where the parties, including the Commission staff, are not in
agreement as to the public necessity of "Exempt" status for a
railroad grade crossing or the staff has not recommended the
granting of a `"request," or the railroad involved has protested, the
public authority, or other interested parties desiring the change,
shall make formal application to the Commission seeking author-
ity for "Exempt" status. The formal application shall comply with
the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (Title 20 of the
California Administrative Code).

Approved and dated February 13, 1980 at San Francisco, California.

PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

By Joseph E. Bodovitz

Executive Director

¹ A Policy on Geometric Design of Rural Highways 1965, American Association of State Highway Officials.

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