Message to the Congress Transmitting Part I of a Two-Part Study on Railroad-Highway Safety.

To the Congress of the United States:

I am pleased to submit to the Congress Part I of a two-part study of Railroad-Highway Safety in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-458).

Railroad-highway grade crossing safety is not a simple issue. It has many complexities which arise from such factors as the division of authorities and responsibilities for grade crossing safety among many governmental levels and jurisdictions, the important role of the private railroad companies who own and maintain the fights-of-way, the division of financial responsibilities between government and the private industry, and the cost and reliability of protective devices and grade separations.

This Report was prepared by the Department of Transportation as a comprehensive background survey of the problems involved. It contains a useful history of the grade crossing issue, a review of current problems and a discussion of the grade crossing problem within the context of highway safety.

Any recommendations for specific action will be presented in Part II of this Report to be submitted by next July 1972, under the provisions of the Highway Safety Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-605).

I commend this Report to you as important groundwork for a better understanding of the issues in this field, and I request that any definite legislative action on this subject be deferred until Part II of the Report has been transmitted to the Congress.

RICHARD NIXON

The White House

November 19, 1971