This kind of traffic signal rail integration is being done "more often" these days, where you have some odd situations, but especially with LRT lines, and where you have major street parallel to high usage RR lines, with many crossings, and left hand turns are also put under such controls.

Integrating traffic signals with the rail crossings, at crossings with intersections, and or parallel roadways is now becoming very common on LRT systems, both in street operation, and on open ROW.

As George rightly notes, solid reds on the traffic signals, which were finally integrated with the Blue Line LRT crossings, do reduce accidents and fatalities. This was done at the Blue Line intersections along Long Beach Avenue, and caused even drunks (over 80% of those early period fatalities had an "average" blood alcohol nearly 3 times the legal limit) to "stop" much more often at a "solid" red traffic signal, than a "flashing red" dramatically reducing the early accident and fatality rates.

The Gold line along Duarte Road in Monrovia and Duarte are fully integrated with the traffic signals and display solid reds, including new placements of the traffic signals in advance to the tracks, at all of those intersections.