Ask a Trooper by Troy Christianson

Question: I was stuck at a train crossing the other day for half an hour. What is the law on how long a train can block the road crossing and who do I report this to? How do I get this fixed as it seems to happen far too often?

Answer: Minnesota law prohibits trains from blocking public roadways for more than 10 minutes. You should report any issues to local government (city, county or state), which will then contact the appropriate railroad company. The state law does not apply to cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants, as they regulate obstructions of streets by city ordinance.

You can avoid a ticket — and a crash — if you simply buckle up, drive at safe speeds, pay attention and always drive sober.  Help us drive Minnesota toward zero deaths.

If you have any questions concerning traffic-related laws or issues in Minnesota, send your questions to Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State Patrol, at 2900 48th St. NW, Rochester, MN 55901-5848; or reach him at Troy.Christianson@state.mn.us.

Troy Christianson is a sergeant with the Minnesota State Patrol.