HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 8687INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8687
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council May 24, 2005
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SUBJECT: Establishing Two New Railroad Crossing Quiet Zones
The City Council will be asked to consider the creation of two quiet zones under the recently published
Federal Railroad Administration Train Horn Rule (the Rule). An M&C seeking Council authorization for
the City Manager to certify the quiet zones will be presented May 31, 200 &C is approved,
the quiet zones will be effective on June 24, 2005. Since creating the proposed quiet zones is time
sensitive, this Informal Report is intended to give Council some additional background on the issue
before the M&C is up for consideration.
With the authorization of these two quiet zones, the City will 1) create a new quiet zone prohibiting the
routine sounding of the locomotive horns at two railroad crossings on the Fort Worth & Western
Railroad (FWWR) at Museum Way and at W. 71h Street, and 2) continue a quiet zone already in effect
at two crossings on the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), at E. 7h and E. 8th Streets.
The proposed quiet zone on the FWWR rail line is adjacent to a new hotel and town homes within the
"South of Seventh" development. The development is now occupied, and the residents and hotel
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4-11- owner expect the new quiet zone to be effective as soon as possible.
QUIET ZONE BACKGROUND
The Rule provides procedural mechanisms for a public authority to create quiet zones within which
routine train horn sounding is prohibited. Under one method, the public authority must install
supplemental safety measures (SSM) to compensate for the train horn. With a proper SSM, or quiet
zone device, in place, a city can issue a certification notice to inform the FRA, the railroad, and others
that the crossing is in conformance with the federal standards for a quiet zone. Federal approval is not
necessary. However, strict guidelines are established to certify that each crossings is in conformance
with F•A standards.
Transportation and Public Wo,rks is developing a new Railroad Program to manage and coordinate
many types of City railroad projects. The emphasis of the Program will be to improve crossing safety
and to create quiet zones to minimize train horn noise.
in order to ensure the best use of public funds, the proposed Railroad PMgram will inciude a piroject
ranking and selection process, and accomplish projects based on the prifority rating criteria. The
proposed Railroad Program will be presented to the Citv Council for approva! in the upcoming months.
FORT WORTH, TEXAS