The bill mandates that the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) establish rules for sharing the maintenance costs of railroad crossings between railroads and road authorities. For crossings managed by state or federal road authorities, the costs are to be split equally between the railroad and the road authority. In cases where the road authority is a local government, the railroad is responsible for maintaining the portion of the crossing between the ends of the railroad ties, while the local government is responsible for the areas outside the ends of the ties. This approach aims to clarify and standardize the allocation of maintenance responsibilities and costs for railroad crossings across different jurisdictions.
Summary
The bill requires the public utilities commission (commission) to
adopt rules requiring that, unless the applicable road authority is a local government, the total costs to maintain an existing railroad crossing (total costs) are shared equally between the railroad, railroad corporation, rail fixed guideway, transit agency, or owner of the track (railroad) and the applicable road authority. If the applicable road authority is a local government, the commission must adopt rules that require the total costs to be apportioned as follows:
•
The railroad is responsible for the costs to maintain the portion of the existing railroad crossing that is between the ends of the railroad ties; and
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The local government is responsible for the costs to maintain the portion of the existing railroad crossing that is outside of the ends of the railroad ties.
