Assessing Safety and Infrastructure Design at Railway Level Crossings Through Microsimulation Analysis

The European Union (EU) is paving the way toward “Vision Zero”, a future goal of eliminating road fatalities and severe injuries. Railway level crossings are critical safety hotspots where road and rail traffic intersect and present a unique challenge in balancing the safety of both rail and road users while ensuring efficient traffic flow. Collisions at these crossings account for a significant proportion of railway-related fatalities in the EU, underscoring the need for targeted safety interventions. This article explores the impact of signal preemption strategies on the safety and operational performance of railway level crossings through a microsimulation analysis. Using VISSIM, a railway level crossing and its adjacent road intersection were modeled under existing and alternative scenarios. The preemption strategy was designed to clear vehicles from the crossing area before train arrivals, reducing conflict risks and optimizing traffic flow. Key findings reveal that the proposed preemption strategy significantly reduces queue lengths within critical safety zones, mitigating vehicle spillback and enhancing operational efficiency. The analysis highlights the importance of integrating railway operations with traffic signal systems, particularly in urban areas with limited queue storage capacity.