(a) In road and highway districts where the act creating the district, and amendments thereto, do not permit a change in plans of the district or where by act of the General Assembly the roads to be built are specifically defined or otherwise limited, and where the road is not completed and a minor change in route or an addition to the road would enable the traveling public to avoid a dangerous railroad grade crossing, the board of commissioners is authorized to make the minor changes in route or to make an addition to the roads to be built that will enable the traveling public to avoid a dangerous grade crossing. If the change in route or addition to the road is not planned over existing public roads, then the change or addition shall only be made with the approval of the county court. The commissioners shall then lay out a public road over the proposed route if the court approves the change or addition.
(b) If it is necessary to increase the assessed benefits or to increase the annual levy of any district, both in acreage and assessed valuation of property, in order to make a change in route or addition to a road in order to enable the traveling public to avoid a dangerous grade crossing, then the change shall only be made with the consent of a majority of the landowners of the district.