Each railroad company shall keep its right-of-way clear of all brush and timber in the vicinity of a railroad grade crossing with a state highway for a distance of one hundred feet from the crossing in such manner as to permit a person upon the highway to obtain an unobstructed view in both directions of an approaching train or other on-track equipment. The department shall cause brush and timber to be cleared from the right-of-way of a state highway in the proximity of a railroad grade crossing for a distance of one hundred feet from the crossing in such manner as to permit a person upon the highway to obtain an unobstructed view in both directions of an approaching train or other on-track equipment. It is unlawful to erect or maintain a sign, signboard, or billboard, except official highway signs and traffic devices and railroad warning or operating signs, outside the corporate limits of any city or town within a distance of one hundred feet from the point of intersection of the highway and railroad grade crossing unless, after thirty days notice to the Washington utilities and transportation commission and the railroad operating the crossing, the department determines that it does not obscure the sight distance of a person operating a vehicle or train approaching the grade crossing.
When a person who has erected or who maintains such a sign, signboard, or billboard or when a railroad company permits such brush or timber in the vicinity of a railroad grade crossing with a state highway or permits the surface of a grade crossing to become inconvenient or dangerous for passage and who has the duty to maintain it, fails, neglects, or refuses to remove or cause to be removed such brush, timber, sign, signboard, or billboard, or maintain the surface of the crossing, the utilities and transportation commission upon complaint of the department or upon complaint of any party interested, or upon its own motion, shall enter upon a hearing in the manner now provided for hearings with respect to railroad-highway grade crossings, and make and enforce proper orders for the removal of the brush, timber, sign, signboard or billboard, or maintenance of the crossing. However, nothing in this section prevents the posting or maintaining of any legal notice or sign, signal, or traffic device required or permitted to be posted or maintained, or the placing and maintaining thereon of highway or road signs or traffic devices giving directions or distances for the information of the public when the signs are approved by the department. The department shall inspect highway grade crossings and make complaint of the violation of any provisions of this section.