Louisiana § RS 48:389 - Railroad traffic; certain speed restrictions

§ RS 48:389. Railroad traffic; certain speed restrictions

A.  In accordance with the Federal Railroad Safety Act (FRSA), 45 USC §421 et seq., specifically Section 434 thereof, the Department of Transportation and Development is authorized to establish speed restrictions for railroad traffic on a segment of railroad track within the corporate limits of a municipality when such speed restriction is necessary to eliminate or reduce an essentially local safety hazard.  

B.  To enable the department to exercise the authority conferred upon it by Subsection A, the governing body of the municipality seeking to restrict the speed of railroad traffic shall submit to the department a request, in writing, setting forth the unique characteristics of the essentially local safety hazard that is sought to be eliminated or reduced by the imposition of a local speed restriction.  

C.  Upon receipt of a request from a municipal governing authority, the department shall notify the railroad company affected of the request and furnish it with a copy of the request.  The department shall conduct an evidentiary fact-finding hearing prior to proposing any rule under the authority of this Section.  Within thirty days after the public hearing, the department shall publish its report and identify the unique characteristics of the local safety hazard sought to be eliminated or reduced by a speed restriction on railroad traffic, together with its findings that such speed restriction:

(1)  Is being imposed at a location which contains a unique and distinctive essentially local situation which is not statewide in character.  

(2)  Will eliminate or reduce an essentially local safety hazard.  

(3)  Is not incompatible with any federal law, rule, regulation, order, or standard.  

(4)  Will not create an undue burden on interstate commerce.  

(5)  Will not create a safety hazard which is different from the essentially local safety hazard which the speed restriction is designed to reduce or eliminate.  

D.  If after the public hearing the department determines there is a need for such requested speed restriction, it shall proceed to adopt a rule imposing same.  Any speed restriction imposed upon railroad traffic by rule of the department shall set forth the duration of the restriction, which duration shall not exceed the time required to eliminate or reduce the unique local safety hazard.  

E.  If after the public hearing the department determines there is no need for such requested speed restriction, it shall so advise the affected parties of its determination.  

F.  Any party being aggrieved by the findings, the determination, or the adoption of any rule by the department shall have the right to contest such findings, determination, or rule in any court of competent jurisdiction.

G.  The department shall comply with the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act in implementing the provisions of this Section.  

Acts 1991, No. 573, §1.  

{{NOTE:  SEE ACT 573 OF 1991, §§2, 3, AND 4, FOR LEGISLATIVE INTENT AND APPLICABILITY TO EXISTING ORDINANCES AND PENDING LITIGATION.}}