Vermont § 3593 - Partial reimbursement of crossing maintenance costs; crossing surfaces

§ 3593. Partial reimbursement of crossing maintenance costs; crossing surfaces

• (a) Definitions. As used in this section: (1) “Public rail-highway crossings” means at-grade crossings determined by the Agency
  to be active public crossings. Public crossings shall not include crossings on railroad
  lines that have been abandoned or embargoed. (2) “Active warning devices” means flashing lights, signals, automatic gates, or manually
  operated gates. (b) Reimbursement. To the extent funds are appropriated for this purpose by the General Assembly, the
  Agency shall reimburse railroads up to $2,000.00 annually for the maintenance of each
  public rail-highway crossing equipped with flashing light signals and $2,500.00 annually
  for the maintenance of each crossing equipped with automatic or manually-operated
  gates. Any reimbursement under this subsection shall be reduced by any amount that
  a municipality or some other third party is separately required to contribute to the
  railroad’s cost of maintaining active warning devices at a public rail-highway crossing,
  whether because of some contractual obligation or because of a regulatory order entered
  by the Transportation Board or one of its predecessor agencies. (c) Failure of railroad to perform maintenance. Payment to any railroad may be made contingent on the railroad’s performing inspection
  and maintenance of active warning devices in accordance with regulations promulgated
  by the Federal Railroad Administration. (d) Maintenance of crossing surface. The Agency shall be responsible for maintenance, repair, replacement, and installation
  of highway surfaces at public rail-highway crossings. (e) Quiet zones; special agreements. Notwithstanding this section, the Agency may enter into special agreements to reimburse
  a railroad for inspecting and maintaining signals and related equipment at crossings
  that have been specially designated as “quiet zones” pursuant to section 3582 of this title. (f) Rulemaking. The Secretary may adopt rules to implement this program. (Added 1999, No. 18, § 8, eff. May 13, 1999; amended 2021, No. 105 (Adj. Sess.), § 35, eff. July 1, 2022.)