1. Grade Crossings Regulations & Grade Crossings Standards
Compliance and Protection Measure Protocol
Hello. My name is Dylan Ridsdale, Rail Safety Specialist with the Road Safety Unit at Traffic Services. My role is to help ensure that the City of Ottawa as Road Authority meets its obligations as defined in the Grade Crossings Regulations and Grade Crossings Standards. This presentation has been developed to raise awareness and knowledge of the federal Grade Crossings Regulations and Grade Crossings Standards here at the City of Ottawa.

2. Overview 66
public grade crossings provide varying levels of protection:
Public grade crossings on active rail lines in Ottawa
Passive
crossings-
Sign control only
The City as Road Authority is responsible for the public approaches to each public grade crossing
Protected
crossings-
Flashing lights
and Bell (FLB)
Fully protected
crossings-
Flashing lights,
Bell and Gates (FLBG)
Before we begin to learn about the Grade Crossings Regulations and Standards, let’s first review public grade crossings here in Ottawa. Did you know there are 67 public grade crossings on active rail lines in Ottawa? The City of Ottawa is responsible for all public road approaches to public grade crossings.
Did you know grade crossings provide varying levels or types of protection? Each type of crossing protection can be found in Ottawa.
The first and least restrictive type of crossing is a Passive Crossing. Passive Crossings are controlled by signs only. A passive crossing could be controlled by a Railway Crossing sign or a combination of Railway Crossing sign and Stop sign.
The second type of crossing is a Protected Crossing. Protected Crossings are controlled by the Railway Crossing sign as well as Flashing Lights and a Bell.
The third type of crossing protection is a Fully Protected Crossing. Fully Protected Crossings are controlled by the Railway Crossing sign as well as Flashing Lights, a Bell and barrier Gates. This is the most restrictive type of crossing protection.

3. Background
The regulations are intended to ensure that a reasonably safe environment exists for persons travelling on road and rail through: 1
establishing enforceable safety standards for grade crossings 2
clarifying the roles and responsibilities of railway companies, road authorities and private authorities 3
promoting collaboration between railway companies and road authorities
Now, let’s move on to learning about the Grade Crossings Regulations and Standards.
To begin, it is important to understand that the primary objective of the Grade Crossings Regulations and Standards is to enhance safety at Canada’s federally regulated grade crossings to reduce the incidence of deaths, injuries, property damage and environmental damage.
To achieve this, the Grade Crossings Regulations are intended to ensure that a reasonably safe environment exists for persons travelling on road and rail by...
Establishing enforceable safety standards for grade crossings...
Clarifying the roles and responsibilities of railway companies, road authorities and private authorities and...
Promoting collaboration between railway companies and road authorities.
The Grade Crossings Regulations and Standards are far reaching and affect municipalities in many ways at various levels including planning, design, construction, operations and maintenance. This presentation is designed to help ensure regulatory compliance at each level.
Understanding the consequences of non-compliance cannot be understated. Consequences of non-compliance can include risk of injury or death to the travelling public, City staff and railway personnel... Transport Canada inspections ... Transportation Safety Board investigations which can lead to charges under various acts... as well as civil litigation.

4. GCR and the Road Authority The regulations affect:
Sightlines
New/Existing Public Grade Crossings Design Elements
Signs and Pavement Markings
Warning System & TCS Interconnection
Changes to a Public Grade Crossing
Stopping on a Crossing Surface
As we have now learned, the Grade Crossings Regulations and Standards affect the City of Ottawa in many ways. More specifically, the Grade Crossings Regulations and Standards require road authorities to:
Maintain driver sightlines on all approaches to public grade crossings...
Ensure the design elements of road approaches to public grade crossings satisfy the Grade Crossings Standards...
Install and maintain all grade crossing related signage and pavement markings in accordance with the Grade Crossings Standards and ...
Install, inspect, test and maintain traffic control device and signal interconnections in accordance with the Grade Crossings Standards...
The Grade Crossings Regulations also require road authorities to improve the overall safety of a public grade crossing if there are any changes to:
The location, angle or gradient of a road approach to the grade crossing... The road design vehicle... Traffic lanes or shoulders and... Traffic control device and signal interconnection to a crossing warning system.
The Grade Crossings Regulations also require the road authority to:
Take steps to ensure vehicles do not stop on a public grade crossing if there is evidence that queued traffic regularly stops on that crossing.

5. “Threats and Interference”
Article 102(1) “When a railway company or a road authority undertakes, at a public grade crossing, an activity that could constitute a threat to, or that interferes with, the safety of railway operations, the railway company and the road authority must put in place the necessary protection measures to address the threat or the interference.”
One of the significant articles of the Grade Crossings Regulations is Article 102(1) which states, “When a railway company or a road authority undertakes, at a public grade crossing, an activity that could constitute a threat to, or that interferes with, the safety of railway operations, the railway company and the road authority must put in place the necessary protection measures to address the threat or the interference.”
This is a broad statement and captures a wide spectrum of possibilities both in terms of threats and interferences as well as protection measures.
So what are some examples of activities that could threaten or interfere with the safety of railway operations at a public grade crossing?

6. Examples of “Threats and Interference”
Sightlines unobstructed
Sightlines obstructed
The image on the left demonstrates a driver’s unobstructed view of a crossing warning system. As you can see, the crossing warning system’s flashing lights have just begun flashing alerting the driver that a train is approaching.
The image on the right clearly demonstrates a threat to the safety of railway operations at the crossing. Due to a City of Ottawa fleet vehicle parked on the shoulder of the road, the driver’s view of the crossing warning system and its flashing lights is obscured. The Grade Crossings Regulations require that drivers must have an unobstructed view of a crossing warning system to provide drivers sufficient warning of an approaching train and the need to stop.

7. Examples of “Threats and Interference”
Sightlines unobstructed
Sightlines obstructed
Again, the image on the left demonstrates a driver’s unobstructed view of a crossing warning system.
Similar to the City of Ottawa fleet vehicle parked on the shoulder of the road in the last example, the image on the right clearly demonstrates that the driver’s view of the crossing warning system and its flashing lights is obscured by a Portable Variable Message Sign. Remember, the Grade Crossings Regulations require that drivers must have an unobstructed view of a crossing warning system to provide drivers sufficient warning of an approaching train and the need to stop.

8. Examples of “Threats and Interference”
In this example, a planned culvert replacement project located 125m away from a public grade crossing will require lane reductions that will in turn create traffic queues. The queued traffic will potentially result in vehicles stopping on the grade crossing. The Grade Crossings Regulations require that the road authority notify the rail authority of the threat and take steps to ensure queued traffic does not stop on the crossing.
Keep in mind that this is an example of a threat due to a project in relatively close proximity to a public grade crossing.

9. Examples of “Threats and Interference”
In this example, a watermain replacement project will require lane reductions that will create traffic queues. The queued traffic will potentially result in vehicles stopping on the public grade crossing 3.2 kilometers away. Unlike the previous example, this project is not relatively close the public grade crossing andemphasises the need to carefully consider the impact your work or activity may have on public grade crossings that are not necessarily nearby.
Regardless of proximity, the Grade Crossings Regulations require that the road authority notify the rail authority of the threat and take steps to ensure queued traffic does not stop on the crossing.

10. Other possible “Threats and Interferences”
Site Visiting a Public Grade Crossing
The previous examples provide you a better understanding of how work or activities we do at the City can threaten or interfere with the safety of railway operations at public grade crossings. Other examples could include:
Work undertaken by contractors and sub contractors, signage and pavement marking work, site visit work of any kind, road maintenance work, street lighting work, Traffic Control Signal work, forestry work, detours and special events. However, this is not an exhaustive list. Remember, work and activities the City and our contractors undertake may require Rail Authority notification and possible protection measures.
We must plan our work and activities accordingly to ensure regulatory compliance and the safety of railway operations at public grade crossings.
Special Events

11. How can you secure the protection measures you may need?
City of Ottawa Contact
Dylan Ridsdale
Rail Safety Specialist
Extension 23184
Cell (613)
If I am unavailable,
Please contact the appropriate Rail Authority
If you have any questions about the Grade Crossings Regulations, the Grade Crossings Standards, or if you believe or are unsure your work or activity may require Rail Authority notification and possible protection measures, please contact me at before you begin your work.
Alternatively, please contact the applicable Rail Authority before you begin your work.
Remember, the City of Ottawa must comply with the Grade Crossings Regulations and Grade Crossings Standards. Please plan your work accordingly.

12. Rail Authority Contacts
VIA Rail – Alexandria, Beachburg and Smiths Falls Subdivisions
Primary Contact:
Secondary contact: Derek Tardif, VIA Rail
Cell: (514) Office: (514)
3 Place Ville Marie, Suite 500, Montréal, Québec, H3B 2C9
Nylene Canada- Renfrew Spur
David Steeds, General Manager, Nylene Canada
Office: (613) x-315
Canadian National Railway – Beachburg Sub and Walkley Line
Vincent Rolland, CNR
Cell: (514) de La Gauchetière Street West, Montreal, Quebec, H3B 2M9
A list of all crossings in Ottawa and each applicable rail authority contact will be provided via in the coming days.
Capital Railway- Elwood Subdivision
Kenneth Morrison, City of Ottawa
Cell: (613)
3101 Albion Rd, Ottawa , Ontario, K1V 2A3

13. Questions???