The Council voted this evening to submit a letter to the Federal Railroad Administration requesting implementation of a "Quiet Zone" along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad. If approved by the FRA, raised medians will be built at each railroad crossing which would prohibit vehicles from driving around railroad crossing arms. This safety measure would then allow trains to pass through Wellington without sounding their horns at railroad crossing. The first proposal was to implement a Quiet Zone and in addition, close the "G" Street crossing. Burlington Northern Santa Fe will pay $50,000 for each crossing closed, the money of which would be used to offset the cost of the raised medians. That proposal failed by a vote of 5-2, with Valentine, Weber, Antonich, Shimer, and Tracy voting against. The second proposal was to implement Quiet Zones, leaving the "G" Street crossing open. That proposal passed by a vote of 4-3 with Brand, Shimer, Tracy, and Nunemaker voting in favor. Council Member Mortimer abstained from both votes as she owns property in the affected area.
The Quiet Zone will only affect the BNSF Railroad, and still must be approved by the Federal Railroad Administration. The Union Pacific Railroad will continue as normal without a "Quiet Zone".
If passed, train engineers may still sound the horn in an emergency situation.
For more information on Quiet Zones, go to http://www.fra.dot.gov/rpd/freight/1318.shtml
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