The commission shall allocate and expend any money which may be appropriated, from the State Highway Account in the State Transportation Fund or any other fund, for the purposes specified herein, to cities, counties, and cities and counties, on the basis of need as determined by the commission, to assist them in paying their shares of the cost of constructing grade-crossing protection works on city, county, and city and county streets, roads, and highways. In no event, however, shall the commission allocate or expend to any city, county, or city and county a sum exceeding one-half of its share of the cost of such work.
Funds appropriated for the purposes specified herein shall be available for allocation and expenditure without regard to fiscal years.