The officers having charge of a public highway, street, or alley intersected by a railroad shall serve a written notice upon the nearest station agent or section foreman having charge of that portion of the railroad where such intersection occurs that the crossing, approach, or sidewalk described in section 4955.20 of the Revised Code must be built or repaired, setting forth its kind and extent and the time and manner of constructing it, as ordered by the legislative authority of the municipal corporation or board of township trustees.

A railroad company so notified must comply with such notice within a period of thirty days after receiving it. On failure to do so, the board or legislative authority may cause such crossing, approach, or sidewalk to be constructed or repaired as ordered, and recover the cost of so doing with interest in a civil action against the railroad company in the name of the board or municipal corporation.