When a state highway or an extension or relocation thereof is parallel, adjacent, or near to a railroad, and the director of transportation deems it necessary to separate the grades of any intersecting highway, road, or street with such highway, extension, or relocation thereof, but which separation of grades should not, in the opinion of the director, be accomplished without eliminating an adjacent grade crossing over the tracks or reconstructing an existing separated crossing over or under the tracks of the railroad on such intersecting highway, road, or street, then the director may proceed with such proposed improvement, providing federal aid highway funds are used to pay costs involved, in whole or in part, including the elimination of the grade crossing over the tracks of such railroad, or the reconstruction of such existing separated crossing over or under such tracks, paying construction costs and acquiring and paying for property and rights therein as provided for in section 5531.02 of the Revised Code. Unless otherwise agreed upon, costs of the improvements to be borne by the railroad shall not be in excess of the amount or percentage set forth in an act of congress authorizing or appropriating federal aid highway funds, or other federal funds for highway purposes, which are used to finance the cost of the improvement in whole or in part.
R.C. §5523.20