Sec. 4. Whenever the department shall come to the conclusion, whether on account of the topography of the ground at the crossings, or on account of the great number of travelers using any crossing of a highway and railroad, or for any reason deemed by the department to be sufficient, that the grades of such crossing should be separated, and it shall be found practicable to do so, the department shall serve with notice the railroad company or companies, and also serve with notice the board of commissioners of the county or counties in which such highway crossing is located. Said notice shall set out that the department, on the day named, will consider the matter of separation of the grades at such crossing and the department shall have jurisdiction of the parties and the subject matter in said proceedings and shall hear and determine the matter. If satisfied that said crossing is dangerous to life and that safety and the accommodation of the public requires that the grades be separated, and that it is practicable to separate said grades, the department may so order. The department shall, in said order, prescribe the manner in which such separation shall be accomplished. The cost of such separation shall be borne one-fourth (1/4) by the county and counties in which such grade is separated and three-fourths (3/4) by the railroad company or companies, and whenever the department may order any such grades separated, it may, if it shall deem it best, relocate or consolidate highway crossings over railroads, street railroads, interurban street railroads, or suburban street railroads in this state, and may relocate or consolidate highways leading to any such crossing. If any of the parties to such proceeding fail or refuse to obey the orders of the department, the department may proceed, in any circuit or superior court of any one (1) of the counties in which said highway crossing may be located, to enforce its orders. The provisions of this section shall not apply to cities of over twenty thousand (20,000) population.
Formerly: Acts 1913, c.182, s.4; Acts 1915, c.75, s.1. As amended by P.L.62-1984, SEC.94; P.L.384-1987(ss), SEC.59; P.L.81-1996, SEC.1.
Structure Indiana Code