When two or more railroads cross a public highway or street at a dangerous crossing, the expenses incurred in the erection and maintenance of gates, bells, or other devices, and of necessary gatekeepers or flaggers, and apportioned by the public utilities commission as railroad expense, shall be shared equally by the railroads.
Chapters 4901., 4903., 4905., 4907., and 4909. of the Revised Code do not prevent the use of automatic bells or other mechanical devices by a railroad at a public crossing not declared dangerous by the public utilities commission, nor do they prevent state, county, township, or municipal officials from entering into an agreement with a railroad to pay all or part of the expense of erecting a warning device. Any funds levied and made available for highways or street purposes may be used to pay the public share of the cost under such an agreement. If a gate is erected or a flagger is stationed and maintained by a railroad, either alone or pursuant to such an agreement, the gate or flagger shall not be abandoned nor an automatic bell or other mechanical device substituted for the gate or flagger, unless the commission consents to the abandonment or substitution.
R.C. § 4907.49