Fri Jul 03 2009
by Emily Canning-Dean
Reporter
Bedford -- When it comes to establishing quiet zones for local train traffic, city officials say it has become a waiting game.
City Manager Bob Reid said the city has been in communication with the Federal Railroad Administration while attempting to establish quiet zones at railroad crossings at West Grace Street and West Glendale Avenue.
In a quiet zone, train operators would not be required to sound their whistles before traveling through crossings unless there is an emergency.
"The FRA asked us to send them data regarding the crossings," including the volume of traffic crossings at the tracks, Reid said. "We have done that and are still waiting for them to get back to us. We sent them the data about six months ago."
The FRA did not return calls to verify they had received the data.
Reid said the city has spent $16,000 on median barriers that the FRA said would be required if the crossings became quiet zones. The barriers would be set up on the street just before the crossing and would prevent motorists from attempting to drive around a railroad gate in order to cross the tracks.
"We have them in storage right now," Reid said. "We aren't going to set them up until we know about all of the alterations we need to make [to the crossing]."
Reid said there is currently only one quiet zone in Ohio, in a town called Moraine near Dayton.
Reid said Economic Development Director Mike Mallis is trying to get in contact with Moraine officials to learn about their crossing and what they had to do to have the quiet zone established.
"I want to get as much information as I can so the city can decide if we should continue to go forward with this," Mallis said.
"Moraine's crossing is in a rural area with less traffic," Reid noted. "Ours are more complicated with two tracks to cross and some line-of-sight issues."
Officials from Moraine did not return the newspaper's calls for comment. For now, Reid said Bedford is waiting on further instructions from the FRA.
E-mail: ecanning@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3166
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