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Elk REQUEST FOR ACTION <br /> River <br /> TO ITEM NUMBER <br /> Mayor and City Council 6.3 <br /> AGENDA SECTION MEETING DATE PREPARED BY <br /> Work Session December 10, 2012 Justin Femrite,P.E., City Engineer <br /> ITEM DESCRIPTION REVIEWED By <br /> Quiet Zone Discussion Cal Portner, City Administrator <br /> REVIEWED BY <br /> ACTION REQUESTED <br /> Consider quiet zone implementation,associated costs and funding options. <br /> BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION <br /> The idea of establishing a Quiet Zone along the BNSF rail line through Elk River continues to be <br /> brought up by numerous concerned residents. The concerns are not limited to residents in the <br /> downtown area,but are coming from along the entire rail corridor through Elk River. <br /> Additional background information on the subject of Elk River Quiet Zones is contained in the attached <br /> staff memo that was presented to the City Council on April 8, 2011. The most frequently raised opinion <br /> is that the cost estimate for a Quiet Zone in Elk River is too high. Reference is generally made to other <br /> communities being able to implement Quiet Zones for far less cost. We have had the previous plan <br /> reassessed by an engineering firm,which has experience with implementing Quiet Zones and they <br /> generally concur with past estimates and the improvements required based on the geometric layout and <br /> type of infrastructure currently in place at the 10-crossings in Elk River. <br /> The improvements and costs detailed in 2011 are for implementing a Quiet Zone at all of the crossings <br /> with the installation of Supplemental Safety Measures or SSMs. SSMs are recognized standard safety <br /> improvements. These improvements include adding 100-foot long raised medians or installing four <br /> quadrant gate systems at a crossing. SSMs have been proven,through the Federal Rail Administration,to <br /> reduce the Risk Index of the crossing and thus are standard treatments that can be implemented to make <br /> a crossing Quiet Zone eligible. There are alternative options to installing SSMs that can be considered <br /> that would reduce the soundings along the line. Staff will be prepared to discuss the potential option at <br /> the Council meeting. <br /> With the understanding that train horns are a concern the questions to be discussed are as follows: <br /> 1. How"quiet"is a Quiet Zone? <br /> a. Federal warning requirements <br /> b. Locomotive horn vs. Locomotive engine and car noise <br /> c. Locomotive horn vs. Wayside horn <br /> 2. What are the Options? <br /> a. Status Quo <br /> b. Full Quiet Zone <br /> c. Phased-in Quiet Zone <br /> P a w I R E a a T <br /> NA URA <br />