69-14-607. Overhead or underground crossings. (1) No railroad crossing, other than a grade crossing, shall be ordered by any board of county commissioners.

(2) (a) The public service commission may, however, upon petition or request in writing of any board of county commissioners, order an overhead or underground crossing at any place where a railroad crossing has not been constructed and is required by the provisions of 69-14-601 through 69-14-611; provided, in its judgment, the safety, necessity, and convenience of the traveling public require such crossing.

(b) When any such petition or request is presented, the commission shall fix a date for hearing the same and shall give at least 10 days' written notice to the board of county commissioners and the owner or operator of the railroad to be affected by such order of the time fixed for the hearing. At such hearing, the commission shall hear all testimony offered as to the safety, necessity, and convenience of the traveling public requiring such a crossing and the expense of constructing and maintaining the same and shall make such investigation and inspection of the conditions at the place of crossing as may be deemed necessary or advisable and shall thereupon determine whether such order should be made.

(3) In the event an overhead or underground crossing is ordered, the commission may in its discretion require the same to be constructed and maintained by and at the expense of the railroad company or may apportion the expense between the railroad company and the county in which said crossing is located. The part of the expense apportioned to said county, if any, shall be paid to the railroad company from the funds of said county properly applicable to the payment of such expense.