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J <br />px <br />Silence the Train Horns <br />PROPOSED FEDERAL RULES ALLOW CITIES TO CREATE "QUIET ZONES" <br />SAFETY AND SILENCE MERGE IN <br />THE QUEST FOR QUIET <br />For years residents near railroad crossings have wanted to improve their quality of life <br />by silencing train horns, but the increased danger posed by quiet trains has bedeviled <br />government safety regulators. <br />The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA, has studied Quiet Zones (QZ) since the <br />early 90s. Consistent patterns of increased collisions occurred when train horns were <br />silenced. So, any permissive regulations would have to give serious consideration to <br />safety issues. <br />Accordingly FRA s proposed regulations would allow communities to create QZs in <br />return for upgrading road/rail crossing safety from its current level. The required <br />upgrades specified are those designed to increase safety at a greater rate than the <br />higher risk associated with QZs - a win-win situation. <br />The FBAs new draft regulations require communities to adopt specific safety measures <br />in order to create a QZ. Generally a community may qualify a QZ by closing crossings <br />or protecting each of its roadirail crossings with crossing gates- flashing lights; a few <br />relatively minor expense items such as additional signage; and one supplemental <br />safety measure (SSM). <br />While SSMs are generally expensive and maintenance intensive. CtL'1Cl1 }I23 is the <br />exception Two 100 foot sections of OW1Cii 13Unz_ can be installed in about three hours <br />at a fraction of the cost of other SSMs. with tittle maintenance thereafter. <br />C4WIC.X KIM 'crossings have proven effective in communities in all areas of the country. <br />with several projects over three years old No other mountable median has proven <br />such durability and effectiveness at discouraging drive -around gate violations. <br />Mountable median with channelization devices high intensity yellow sheeting and <br />Reflective Arcs are by far the least expensive SSM and fastest to install. That also <br />describes CWIC}} W'A'S". a proven SSM on an FRA test site". <br />For more <br />information call <br />)Wl 'li ) UR5', <br />at (813) 645-5072 <br />www.gwickkurb.com <br />L.... <br />FRA PROPOSED <br />SUPPLEMENTARY <br />SAFETY <br />MEASURES (SSM) <br />AND THEIR COST <br />Temporary Closure of a <br />public highway -rail grade <br />crossing. Annual cost <br />Esrimared at S54.750. Requires <br />dair ser -up and re n•oi al of <br />closure. <br />Four -quadrant gates. <br />5244,000. to 5318, 000. Annual <br />maintenance cost are esrnzared <br />at 53.750. <br />Mountable median with <br />channelization devices. Under <br />S12000 for a apical crossing <br />plus installation 100 fr. per side <br />Includes c tanme1L er with 236 <br />sq in. of Tipelllreflecm•e <br />sheeting and Ref'ecriv e Arcs. <br />Barrier curb medians with or <br />without channelization <br />devices. Requires widening of <br />roadway tit ir'3 estimated <br />minimum cos: ofSd0:000 <br />One-way streets with gates. <br />Unknown costs <br />Photo enforcement S55.000. <br />to 575.000. -dmzuai operartng <br />cost 520.000. to S30.000 <br />21 <br />IIEV DARITC FITC <br />