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<br />Quiet Zone Evaluation 15 <br />New Brighton, Minnesota <br />6. Potential Crossing Improvements <br />a. Methodology <br />For this evaluation, the existing crossings were visited to confirm the existing <br />characteristics such as warning devices, pavement markings, adjacent driveways, <br />and surrounding land use type. The existing crossing inventory from the U.S. <br />Department of Transportation was also obtained to confirm and/or determine <br />additional details. This inventory is provided in the Appendix. <br /> <br />With the existing characteristics known, potential options were explored that would <br />satisfy the requirements for the creation of a Quiet Zone. Options explored were <br />generally SSMs, which would be easier for the City to implement and would <br />minimize necessary ongoing work. Other government agencies, particularly <br />MnDOT, and MNNR were then contacted to informally discuss the potential <br />improvements. Through these discussions, the feasibility of each option was <br />explored, potential alternatives discussed, and pricing of railroad and SSM items <br />were confirmed. In addition, the upgrades necessary on the rail side were <br />investigated. Although MNNR would complete any work on the tracks, the expense, <br />including ongoing maintenance, would fall back to the City. Only minor changes are <br />expected in the cost of items needed for <br /> <br />Once this coordination was complete, the options were revised as needed and the <br />potential for one or more Quiet Zones, using the QZRI, was examined. Based on <br />the results of the QZRI, the recommended options for moving forward were <br />determined. <br />b. Potential Improvements <br />Quiet Zone Area 1 <br />As shown in Figure 2, Quiet Zone Area 1 consists of three at grade crossings. <br /> County Road H (69th Avenue NE) intersection with Stinson Boulevard (which <br />includes the Spring Creek Drive Crossing). <br /> Knollwood Drive north of the 1Valley View Lane intersection. <br /> Silver Lake Road north of the Erin Court intersection. <br /> <br />The recent County Road H and Stinson Boulevard improvement project installed <br />two-quadrant gates on County Road H and eliminated the Spring Creek Drive <br />crossing as mentioned earlier. For the creation of a Quiet Zone at this location, a <br />second set of gates would be needed to control the Stinson Boulevard and <br />Shamrock Lane approaches. Also, relocation of the existing gate just east of the <br />crossing needs relocation due to the necessity of channelization devices and to <br />control all four legs of the intersection. At the current location, channelization cannot <br />occur as the delineators would need to pass through the intersection. In addition, an <br />acceptable median or channelization device would be necessary for all approaches <br />as well as closure or directional fencing for the newly constructed trail crossing to <br />the east. The channelization device could be a raised longitudinal channelizer with