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<br />Quiet Zone Evaluation 11 <br />New Brighton, Minnesota <br />With four-quadrant gates, a vehicle could be trapped on the tracks between the <br />lowered gates with no escape route. To avoid the trapping of vehicles between the <br />four-quadrant gates, loop detectors or other sensor are needed. These detectors <br />would require additional agreements with MNNR to provide for the cost of <br />continual maintenance. Therefore, the most likely improvement option at the <br />crossings within the City is the installation of two-quadrant gates with a median or <br />channelization. <br /> <br />In addition to the improvements necessary on the railway and roadway <br />components of an at- grade crossing, a Quiet Zone must be a minimum 1/2-mile in <br />length, 1/4-mile to each side of a crossing. If a second crossing is within that <br />distance, the Quiet Zone must be expanded to include the second crossing. This <br />requirement is based on the maximum distance from a crossing that a train horn <br />may be sounded and the intention to maximize the impact of a Quiet Zone for a <br />community. Eliminating a train horn at one crossing but not a second crossing, <br />1,000 feet away, would still mean that the area would experience train horns. <br />Using the 1/2-mile and 1/4-mile criteria, Figure 2 shows the potential Quiet Zone <br />areas within the City. As shown, the existing rail crossings could be subdivided <br />into seven distinct Quiet Zone areas. It should be noted that one Quiet Zone <br />covering all the crossings would also be possible. <br /> <br />An alternative to a full Quiet Zone is a Partial Quiet Zone, which is a Quiet Zone <br />that is active for a specified period of time each day. Most often, a Partial Quiet <br />Zone is enacted at night between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Per the federal regulations, a <br />Partial Quiet Zone may be enacted through one of two options: <br /> Enact the SSMs and/or ASMs necessary for creation of a Quiet Zone. In <br />other words, the appropriate grade crossing improvements to qualify for a <br />Quiet Zone are needed whether the zone is in operation at all times or for a <br />specific duration. <br /> Temporary closure of a grade crossing. To implement this option, FRA <br />approval of a road barrier design and the plan to open and close the barrier <br />is necessary. <br /> <br />Given these requirements, a Partial Quiet Zone does not appear to be a viable <br />option for the City. There would be no cost benefits to a Partial Quiet Zone when <br />the required improvements are installed, and managing the opening/closing of <br />temporary barriers (not to mention the closing of a public street) would be difficult, <br />as well as having a potential impact on emergency services and general <br />residential access. <br /> <br />Adjacent pedestrian crossings are not technically considered part of a Quiet Zone. <br />Good practice and simple consideration for residents’ safety suggest that options <br />for the trails and sidewalks should be examined. The FRA also strongly <br />recommends a diagnostic review for safety concerns and recommendations. At a <br />minimum, signing should be provided warning pedestrians that there will be no <br />train horn. Other potential pedestrian improvements could include channelizing