Lincoln BNSF Railroad
Quiet Zone Study
December 21, 2006
Train noise has been an increasing concern expressed by citizens living near the BNSF Railway corridor in northeast Lincoln. Kirkham Michael, under contract with the Railroad Transportation Safety District (RTSD), has conducted an evaluation of four at-grade crossings listed below along the BNSF Railway corridor. This evaluation focuses on the improvements necessary for each at-grade crossing to create a Quiet Zone along the corridor, without compromising safety at the rail grade crossings.
A Quiet Zone is a section of a rail line that contains one or more consecutive public crossings at which locomotive horns are not routinely sounded.
This study is based on the information and requirements for the creation of Quiet Zones as outlined in the Final Rule on the Use of Locomotive Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings, published by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on August 17, 2006. In the Final Rule, the FRA issued regulations which specify when trains must sound their locomotive horn while approaching and entering public crossings. The ruling also provides exceptions to the requirement through the creation of Quiet Zones. Communities can establish Quiet Zones to improve the quality of life by making improvements to at-grade crossings. The following Supplemental Safety Measures (SSMs) may be used to mitigate the silencing of locomotive horns at railroad at-grade crossings:
- Permanent or temporary closure (nighttime -10 pm to 7am daily)
- Four-quadrant gate systems (generally more complex and costly to maintain)
- Raised medians or channelization devices (to prevent driving around gates)
- Conversion of a two-way street to a one-way street (with full width gates)
Wayside horns may also be used as substitute for locomotive horns at individual crossings within Quiet Zones. The wayside horn is a stationary horn mounted on poles, directed at drivers at a highway-rail grade crossing, and designed to provide audible warning to oncoming motorists of the approach of a train.
| Crossing | Potential Crossing Improvements |
|---|---|
| North 70th Street | Remove and Replace Curbs and Medians |
| North 44th Street | A) Close Crossing or B) Widen North 44th Street and Construct Raised Medians or C) Install Wayside Horns |
| Adams Street | Install Wayside Horns |
| North 33rd Street | Construct Raised Medians and Close One Driveway |
The improvements above are being considered for the BNSF crossings in order to establish a Quiet Zone. We are interested in your thoughts. Please feel free to fill out one of the comment sheets or contact Roger Figard, Engineering Services, 441-7711 or Rick Haden, Kirkham Michael, 477-4240.
