The cost of constructing a grade crossing improvement, including the making of ways, crossings, or viaducts, above or below the railroad tracks, and the raising or lowering of the grades of the railroad tracks and sidetracks for such distance as required by the county and made necessary by such improvement, including the cost of moving or changing existing structures and other incidental expenses, together with the cost of land or property purchased or appropriated, and damages to owners of abutting or other property, and damages to owners of abutting agreed upon, eighty-five per cent by the county and fifteen per cent by such railroad company, including any interurban railroad company, the crossing of whose tracks with such highway is involved.

The county shall have a right of action against such company for the recovery of the fifteen per cent of the costs payable by it, with interest from the time it becomes due[.] [S]uch county and company may agree as to what part of the work is to be done by the company, and also fix the amount to be allowed or credited to the company for doing the work. Such company may deduct from its fifteen per cent of the cost of the improvement, the expense incurred by it in the change of its grade required by the county or made necessary by it under such specifications, but only in case the amount of the expense has been agreed upon in writing between the county and the company. If the amount of work done by the company, or made necessary by reason of such change of grade on lowering or raising its tracks, exceeds fifteen per cent of the cost of the improvement, then it may recover the amount with interest in excess of fifteen per cent of the expenses, in an action at law against the county.

In connection with any such improvement, the board of county commissioners or the director of transportation, and the railroad company or any interurban railway company whose tracks are to be raised or lowered, or over or under whose tracks the proposed improvement is to pass, may agree as to the proportions of such construction, the cost of which is to be shared, and upon the percentages of the cost to be borne by the county or state, and by the railroad company or interurban railway company, but if no such agreement is made this section shall apply.

Effective Date: 09-28-1973 .