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<br />Quiet Zone Evaluation 38 <br />New Brighton, Minnesota <br />8. Implementation Plan and Next Steps <br /> <br />With seven potential Quiet Zones, the City could mix and match zones depending <br />upon multiple factors. Based on the initial review of the Quiet Zone concepts and <br />the areas that have generated the most complaints, Quiet Zone Areas 1, 2, 3, and <br />4 should be the focus. With the use of a less intrusive channelization device, the <br />roadways would not need to be widened and the channelization devices could be <br />implemented at any time. <br /> <br />It would also make sense to combine Quiet Zone Area 2 (Long Lake Drive) with <br />Quiet Zone Area 3 (Park Drive). By combining these areas, improvements may not <br />be necessary on Park Drive, as the other crossing improvements sufficiently reduce <br />the risk. The Quiet Zone calculator was used assuming installation of a flasher and <br />gate crossing system with channelization devices on Long Lake Road while leaving <br />the Park Drive crossing as is. The QZRI for this concept is 2,297.63, which is below <br />the RIWH of 3,003.15 and the NSRT of 14,723.00, suggesting that the Quiet Zone <br />could be implemented at both crossings without improvements at Park Drive. This <br />combination would reduce the overall cost of implementing the Quiet Zone. <br />Focusing on this area first would provide the City with an inexpensive opportunity to <br />become familiar with the Quiet Zone process. <br /> <br />The other Quiet Zone areas are in primarily industrial and commercial areas. The <br />crossings in these areas have not been the subject of many complaints, and the <br />concepts for these Quiet Zones would generally be more expensive and difficult to <br />implement due to multiple track locations and closely spaced intersections and <br />accesses. However, it is still recommended that the City confirm the feasibility of <br />these improvements through an informal diagnostic review. This would give the City <br />a reviewed and acceptable plan that would be ready in case need or opportunity <br />arises. <br /> <br />The recommended next steps for the City are: <br /> Schedule an informal diagnostic team review. This would be an informal <br />meeting with representatives from the FRA, MnDOT, the County, and MNNR <br />to review the characteristics of each crossing, obtain comments on the <br />proposed improvement concepts, and finalize the initial plans. <br /> Work in cooperation with the other agencies, develop the improvement plans <br />to be implemented at the crossing(s). <br /> Provide a written Notice of Intent to MNNR as the operating railroad, the FRA, <br />MnDOT as the state agency responsible for highway and road safety, and <br />any public agency with jurisdiction in the zone (such as Ramsey County for <br />County Road H). The notice must include a brief explanation of the City’s <br />tentative plans for implementing improvements within the Quiet Zone. The <br />FRA and railroad will have the opportunity to formally comment on the plans <br />at this time. <br /> Complete the design drawings based upon the comments.