(a) Each town, city or borough shall place, inspect and maintain warning signs and pavement markings consisting of stop lines and advance warning markings on each highway approaching a crossing at grade of such highway and the tracks of any railroad within the respective limits of such town, city or borough. Such signs shall be furnished by the railroad company crossing such highway. Such signs and pavement markings shall conform with the Federal Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and shall be placed in a manner that conforms with said manual. If in the case of any such crossing it appears that the placing of the signs prescribed by this section is impracticable or unnecessary, the Commissioner of Transportation may release such municipality from the obligation of placing and maintaining such signs on the highway near such crossing. The Department of Transportation shall annually notify in writing the appropriate town, city or borough of the location of all railroad crossings within the respective limits of such town, city or borough and the obligations of such town, city or borough under the provisions of this subsection.

(b) Each town, city or borough, upon receipt of a report of a malfunctioning grade crossing gate or signal shall dispatch local police or firemen to the crossing who shall, upon consultation with the railroad company crossing such highway, either direct traffic across the crossing or to an alternate route until such time as the railroad company crossing such highway repairs the gate or signal or assumes responsibility for directing traffic.