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QUIET ZONE STUDY PRESENTATION <br />May 14, 2014 — 7:30 p.m. — Little Canada City Center <br />Over the past several months, the City has received a significant number of calls involving train <br />whistles at all hours of the day and night, the length of trains, what was being hauled, and the <br />safety of railroad cars. The City Council discussed the various issues in play, and it was <br />determined that our only option available to Little Canada relative to the train whistles would be <br />to establish a Quiet Zone which would then cause the railroads to cease the routine sounding of <br />their horns when approaching public highway -rail grade crossings. <br />If the City establishes a Quiet Zone, at a minimum, double -gated cross arms need to be installed <br />at grade crossings to meet safety requirements. Initial estimates are that gated cross arms will <br />run between $200,000 and $250,000 per crossing. Little Canada has six crossings and only one <br />is gated. Other improvements could also be necessary that may include the installation of <br />medians to prevent vehicles from circumventing the gates. Quite Zones can be full (no horn <br />blowing at any time) to partial (no horn blowing between midnight and 7 a.m.). <br />The first step in establishing a Quiet Zone is to conduct a Quiet Zone Study. In November of <br />2013, the City Council hired Short - Elliot- Hendrickson (SERI) at a cost of $10,000 to conduct a <br />Quiet Zone Study of the at -grade crossings in Little Canada. That study is now ready, and will <br />be presented to the City Council at its Wednesday, May 14, 2014 meeting at 7:30 p.m. at <br />City Hall. <br />The general public can view this presentation live on the City's Channel 16. It will also be <br />replayed at various times throughout the following two weeks. As always, the general public is <br />invited and welcomed to attend the Council meeting in person. <br />77 <br />