PAULETTE RICE: Coordinating Arkansas’ Railroad Crossings
(L. to R.) Paulette Rice, Railroad Crossing Coordinator and Renee Cordell, Railroad Coordination Assistant.
BY DAVID NILLES
A
S ArDOT’S RAILROAD
"In 2017, I transitioned into the TPP/
reveals that an at-grade railroad
CROSSING
Multimodal and Project Planning
crossing is one that exists at street
COORDINATOR,
Section as Railroad Coordinator
level, meaning the railway and roadway
PAULETTE RICE IS RESPONSIBLE
Assistant, and stayed in that position
intersect. There are two types of
FOR COORDINATING ALL OF
for two years. In 2019, I accepted a
crossings.
THE DEPARTMENT’S RAILROAD
new role at ArDOT as Project Manager
ACTIVITIES IN ARKANSAS UTILIZING STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING. That may seem like a large task considering there are 2,464 public at-grade railroad crossings in the state. In addition, there are currently 229 active construction jobs that include railroad involvement. Fortunately, Rice loves her job. “I was hired by ArDOT in April 2015 as the Transportation Planning and Policy (TPP) Division Administrative Assistant,” Rice shared.
within the Information Technology Division. “During my first year of service as Project Manager, I realized how much I was missing railroad coordination; I thought about it every time I traveled across a rail crossing. In 2020, I accepted the vacant position within TPP as Railroad Coordinator.”
RAILROAD CROSSINGS EXPLAINED A quick tutorial in railroad crossings
Some at-grade crossings, known as active crossings, have traffic control devices that provide a visual and audible advance notice of the approach of a train. These include flashinglight signals (both mast-mounted and cantilevered), bells, automatic gates and active advance warning devices. At-grade crossings with only signs and pavement markings are considered passive crossings. Of Arkansas’ 2,464 at grade crossings, 35% are active and 65% are passive. (continued on page 18) ARKANSAS HIGHWAYS MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2020
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