New Markings Increase Safety, Reduce Danger At Railroad Crossings

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — The Florida Department of Transportation has finished installing "dynamic envelopes' in eight locations in Pinellas County.

Dynamic envelopes are roadway markings used to increase safe stopping behavior and safety for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic at grade rail crossings. These markings indicate the clearance needed for trains to safely pass.

By keeping vehicles outside the dynamic envelopes, fewer vehicles will be stopped too close to or actually on the tracks, thereby reducing the danger to vehicles, occupants, train crews, passengers and bystanders. The goal is to positively influence driver behavior and reduce the number of incidents and injuries sustained at rail crossings.

Developed by Marlin Engineering Inc., the purpose of dynamic envelopes is to satisfy the Federal Railroad Administration’s call for Florida to reduce crossing accidents.

Maline accepted this challenge by adding the dynamic envelopes to the crossings that included milling concrete panels, taping metal edges, mixing and application of binder epoxy, application of bauxite aggregate, and implementing a striping “x” pattern after the resin and bauxite set.

MARLIN collected data before and after the installation of the pavement markings and corresponding signage and the research indicates the installations resulted in a 45 percent decrease in the number of eastbound vehicles that stopped on the railroad tracks and a 14 percent decrease for westbound vehicles.

The crossing locations in Pinellas:

• Alt. US 19 (Myrtle Avenue) in Clearwater
• Alt. US 19 (Seminole Boulevard) in Seminole
• SR 590 (Phillipe Parkway) in Safety Harbor
• SR 60 (Court Street) in Clearwater
• SR 60 (Chestnut Street) in Clearwater
• SR 688 (Ulmerton Road) in Largo
• SR 693 (66th Street North) in Largo
• SR 694 (Park Boulevard) in Pinellas Park

The next set of Dynamic Envelopes will be installed at multiple railroad crossings in Pasco and Hernando counties:

• SR 597 / Dale Mabry Highway at US 41 (Land O Lakes)
• US 41 north of SR 52
• SR 575 / Trilby Rd (Lacoochee)
• US 41 / Broad St (Brooksville)
• SR 50 / Cortez Blvd (Brooksville)
• SR 50 / Cortez Blvd (Ridge Manor)
• SR 50A / Jefferson St. (Brooksville)
• US 98 north of Brooksville.