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EUGENE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Work Session: Railroad Crossing Quiet Zones Meeting Date: July 20, 2005 Agenda Item Number: B Department: Public Works Staff Contact: Tom Larsen www. eugette-or, gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-4959 ISSUE STATEMENT The council requested a work session to discuss new federal rules effective June 24, 2005, establishing a process to obtain a "quiet zone" designation from the Federal Railroad Administration. BACKGROUND The sounding of train whistles or horns is a long-established safety and warning practice. They are of necessity loud and attention-getting. For many years, the City has received complaints from residents who live near the tracks and are disturbed by the noise. In the late 1980s, the City attempted to obtain a "whistle free" zone under the then-current State rules. Southern Pacific was the principal operator of trains at that time and was strongly opposed to the "whistle free" zone. The City was successful in obtaining an Oregon Public Utility Commission Order to establish a "whistle free" zone in August 1990, conditioned on the City making a number of safety improvements to the crossings in the zone. Southern Pacific appealed in Marion County Circuit Court. On appeal, the PUC Order was rescinded in September 1991. In large part the appeal was based on a July 1990 Federal Railroad Administration study showing a 195% increase in nighttime crossing crashes in Florida when whistles were silenced The current operator, Union Pacific, has stated support for the status quo and current use of train horns. The majority of citizen complaints come from the downtown and Whiteaker areas. There is no documentation that the sounding of train horns has gotten louder or become more frequent. While horns are sounded at other crossings in town, this discussion will focus on the stretch of railroad track between Van Buren Street on the west to Hilyard Street on the east. See Attachment A for a vicinity map. The "quiet zone" rule does not restrict the railroad from using train horns as a warning or safety device when people or animals are crossing or walking along the tracks or when used for communication between engineers and train crews. The rules specify that a "quiet zone" must be at least lA mile long, which means the City cannot apply for "quiet zone" designation for just one downtown crossing. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) oversees the administration of the federal rules pertaining to "quiet zones." The FRA' s role is that of administrator, ensuring that jurisdictions comply fully with the rules in the process of establishing a "quiet zone." The FRA's primary goal is the protection of public safety at rail crossings. Because the process of obtaining a "quiet zone" under the new rules would require modifications to existing grade crossings, the Oregon Department of Transportation Rail Division must approve the design and issue the implementing order. The affected railroad, Union L:\CMO\2005 Council Agendas\M050720\S050720B.doc