CITY OF SALEM PREPARES TO ESTABLISH A RAILROAD QUIET ZONE
News Release from City of Salem
Posted on FlashAlert: July 10th, 2013 3:16 PM
TRAIN
HORNS GO QUIET JULY 23, 2013, BUT FOR SHORTER DISTANCE THAN ORIGINALLY PROPOSED
If you live or work along the Union Pacific Railroad line between Mill Street SE and Market Street NE, you will notice the absence of train horns beginning July 23, 2013. The establishment of the much anticipated Railroad Quiet Zone has been approved by the Federal Railroad Administration. The Quiet Zone extends 1.1 miles and includes the following crossings:
* Mill Street SE
* State Street
* Court Street NE
* Chemeketa Street NE
* Center Street NE
* Marion Street NE
* D Street NE
* Market Street NE
In a Railroad Quiet Zone, trains are prohibited from routinely sounding their horns as they approach each at-grade road crossing. An exception is if the train engineer determines that there is an imminent danger on or near the tracks, in which case the horn may be sounded. In addition, there may be times when the train may sound its horn, for example during switching operations. However, the vast majority of trains will travel quietly through the Quiet Zone.
The City and Union Pacific Railroad completed safety improvements at the Quiet Zone crossings, as well as the crossings at Madison Street NE and Sunnyview Road NE. These improvements included installation of approach medians, sidewalk improvements, converting Chemeketa Street NE to a one-way street, and additional signs and flashing signals at the crossings. The improvements cost $2.6 million and were funded through the Streets and Bridges Bond Measure, approved by the voters in 2008.
The length of the Quiet Zone was shortened by two crossings than was originally proposed. The Quiet Zone, as originally proposed by the City of Salem, extended between Mill Street SE and Sunnyview Road NE. On July 3, 2013, an interpretation of the rules governing the spacing between crossings in a Quiet Zone, was issued by the Federal Railroad Administration at the request of the Union Pacific Railroad. The result of the rule interpretation was that the crossings at Madison Street NE and Sunnyview Road NE will need to be removed from the Quiet Zone, but that the remaining eight crossings still qualify for establishment on July 23, 2013. The loss of the crossings at Madison Street NE and Sunnyview Road NE is due to a conflict with Federal rules that have been interpreted to require a minimum of a quarter-mile spacing from the last crossing in a Quiet Zone to the next at-grade road crossing outside of the Quiet Zone. The crossing at Woodrow Street NE is only a tenth o f a mile north of Sunnyview Road NE and the crossing at Madison Street NE is two-tenths of a mile south of Sunnyview Road NE. This requires the end of the Quiet Zone to be moved south to Market Street NE.
The Salem City Council is considering using project savings from the Streets and Bridges Bond Measure to extend the new Quiet Zone to the north of Market Street NE to Hyacinth Street NE and/or to the south to Madrona Avenue SE. A decision will be made later in 2013.
In the meantime, City staff and its contractor are making final preparations to the Quiet Zone crossings by installing signs and adjusting the length of a few of the approach medians. Staff wishes to remind the public that even though train horns will not sound within the Quiet Zone, warning lights, bells, and gates will still operate at all crossings. Nevertheless, it is important that bicyclists and pedestrians exercise awareness and caution when approaching crossings in the Quiet Zone and remember to LOOK BOTH WAYS when crossing the tracks.
Contact Info:If you live or work along the Union Pacific Railroad line between Mill Street SE and Market Street NE, you will notice the absence of train horns beginning July 23, 2013. The establishment of the much anticipated Railroad Quiet Zone has been approved by the Federal Railroad Administration. The Quiet Zone extends 1.1 miles and includes the following crossings:
* Mill Street SE
* State Street
* Court Street NE
* Chemeketa Street NE
* Center Street NE
* Marion Street NE
* D Street NE
* Market Street NE
In a Railroad Quiet Zone, trains are prohibited from routinely sounding their horns as they approach each at-grade road crossing. An exception is if the train engineer determines that there is an imminent danger on or near the tracks, in which case the horn may be sounded. In addition, there may be times when the train may sound its horn, for example during switching operations. However, the vast majority of trains will travel quietly through the Quiet Zone.
The City and Union Pacific Railroad completed safety improvements at the Quiet Zone crossings, as well as the crossings at Madison Street NE and Sunnyview Road NE. These improvements included installation of approach medians, sidewalk improvements, converting Chemeketa Street NE to a one-way street, and additional signs and flashing signals at the crossings. The improvements cost $2.6 million and were funded through the Streets and Bridges Bond Measure, approved by the voters in 2008.
The length of the Quiet Zone was shortened by two crossings than was originally proposed. The Quiet Zone, as originally proposed by the City of Salem, extended between Mill Street SE and Sunnyview Road NE. On July 3, 2013, an interpretation of the rules governing the spacing between crossings in a Quiet Zone, was issued by the Federal Railroad Administration at the request of the Union Pacific Railroad. The result of the rule interpretation was that the crossings at Madison Street NE and Sunnyview Road NE will need to be removed from the Quiet Zone, but that the remaining eight crossings still qualify for establishment on July 23, 2013. The loss of the crossings at Madison Street NE and Sunnyview Road NE is due to a conflict with Federal rules that have been interpreted to require a minimum of a quarter-mile spacing from the last crossing in a Quiet Zone to the next at-grade road crossing outside of the Quiet Zone. The crossing at Woodrow Street NE is only a tenth o f a mile north of Sunnyview Road NE and the crossing at Madison Street NE is two-tenths of a mile south of Sunnyview Road NE. This requires the end of the Quiet Zone to be moved south to Market Street NE.
The Salem City Council is considering using project savings from the Streets and Bridges Bond Measure to extend the new Quiet Zone to the north of Market Street NE to Hyacinth Street NE and/or to the south to Madrona Avenue SE. A decision will be made later in 2013.
In the meantime, City staff and its contractor are making final preparations to the Quiet Zone crossings by installing signs and adjusting the length of a few of the approach medians. Staff wishes to remind the public that even though train horns will not sound within the Quiet Zone, warning lights, bells, and gates will still operate at all crossings. Nevertheless, it is important that bicyclists and pedestrians exercise awareness and caution when approaching crossings in the Quiet Zone and remember to LOOK BOTH WAYS when crossing the tracks.
Tony C. Martin, P.E., Assistant City Traffic Engineer
City of Salem Public Works Department
503-588-6211,tmartin@cityofsalem.net
Mark Becktel, AICP, Parks and Transportation Services Manager
City of Salem Public Works Department
503-588-6211, mbecktel@cityofsalem.net
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