Quiet Zone Committee To Go Ahead With Feasibility Study
SYRACUSE — Syracuse Quite Zone Committee, called SHHH, met with Faith Morrison, civil engineer and Paul Hummel, senior vice president of Lawson Fisher Associates, an engineering firm in Mishawaka, Tuesday night, Dec. 8, to discuss the possibility of establishing a railroad quiet zone. Members of the public and town officials were also invited.
“Having a quiet zone is near and dear to a lot of residents here,” said George Marlow, chair of the committee. At the same time he recognized there are concerns about safety and liability.
Morrison gave a brief overview of the eight crossings, four within Syracuse town limits and four in the county, that were under consideration for a quiet zone. She also reviewed the requirements for a quiet zone which include active grade crossing warning devices such as flashing lights, gates and power-out indicators; advance warning signs and supplemental safety measures as required.
Morrison explained the eight crossings already have active grade warning devices and would need to install advance warning signs and supplemental safety measures.
She also explained there are two quiet zone options, a partial quiet zone, where trains would not be allowed to blow their horns except in an emergency during specific hours of the day, usually at night. The other option is a full quiet zone where trains could not blow their horns at all except in an emergency.
After more discussion, the committee decided to contract with LFA for $8,500 to do a feasibility study with traffic counts to be done later this summer. The committee has $4,000 available plus $2,250 pledged to cover the cost of the feasibility.
Anyone wishing to make a donation to the quiet zone committee can mail it to WPOA, P.O. Box 427, Syracuse, IN 46567-0427.