Cost too high for quiet

Enhanced safety measures at railroad crossings like this one at the Eighth Street Corridor on Hammond Avenue allow the city to maintain quiet zones on the rail corridor under rules established by the Federal Railroad Administration. The traffic signals here work in conjunction with the railroad crossing arms to ensure traffic is clear of the intersection when a train passes. However, the cost of enhancing safety at 62 other crossings in Superior, estimated at more than $11 million, is too costly and trai...

November 22, 2013 at 6:00 AM

With no money tree to shake out millions of dollars for railroad-highway crossing improvements, Superior residents are going to have to live with the sound of train horns in many neighborhoods in the city.

Money is tight and project priorities are established, which lead the council to reject a five-year plan to improve 62 crossings in Superior to silence train horns. The horns are required to sound at crossings under rules established by the Federal Railroad Administration unless safety measures are enhanced.

Fixing all 62 crossings would have cost the city more than $11 million dollars.

After months of discussion following the termination of a quiet zone in June at the crossing of North 28th Street near the rail yard, it became apparent there is only one solution -- comply with FRA rules.

It's the second time in five years a quiet zone waiver in the city was denied. The enhanced safety measures were required at the North 28th Street rail yard crossing after a 2009 train-car crash raised the hazard level of the crossing.

Federal regulations don't allow city crews to design or construct the safety improvements, but the city must pay for improvements made by the railroads.

The goal now is to stay ahead of the regulations to maintain the remaining quiet zones, said Assistant Public Works Director Todd Janigo. About 18 remain citywide.

Councilor Dan Olson said he'd also appreciate it if city managers continued to keep an eye open for funding possibilities and rule changes that would allow the city to silence the horns.

"I've lived with it practically my whole life," said Councilor Esther Dalbec, who led the charge to try to silence the horns when North End lost its quiet zone in 2008. While recent improvements along the Eight Street corridor have allowed the city to retain a quiet zone there, a waterfront rail corridor to the north features trains that blow horns routinely.

Dalbec said the city simply cannot afford to make the required improvements at this time. Like people living in North End, Dalbec said people are just going to have to get used to it.

That offered little solace to Councilor Mick MacKenzie, who lives about a half mile from the recently revoked quiet zone and has fielded numerous calls about the noise.

MacKenzie said that is going to be difficult for people in his district to take, especially those living on Elmira Avenue where the train horns are the loudest and invade people's homes all hours of the day and night.

"Living with it," MacKenzie said. "It's going to be hard to tell people to do it."

However, with the city already struggling to pay for infrastructure projects and other issues, spending more than $11 million on railroad safety measures didn't sit well with councilors either.

Janigo said the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Railroads recommended closing the 28th Street crossing.

MacKenzie said that wasn't a viable solution because it would create problems for emergency services responding to the homes and residents west of the tracks in Billings Park.

"The FRA doesn't answer to anyone," MacKenzie said.