Edina Approves $250K for Railroad Crossing Safety Plan
The Edina City Council approved $250,000 from its 2024 surplus to fund a railroad crossing safety action plan, marking the first step toward establishing quiet zones to reduce late-night train horn noise.
The plan addresses seven street-level railroad crossings along a CPKC rail line that runs through Edina from St. Louis Park to Bloomington. While most crossings in the city use bridges or underpasses, these seven locations require trains to sound horns as they approach, creating noise issues that have intensified as the railroad has expanded nighttime operations in recent months.
To qualify for quiet zone designation, federal regulations require cities to install additional safety infrastructure at each crossing to mitigate the increased risk created by the absence of train horns. The city initially sought federal funding for the project but was unsuccessful in securing those dollars.
The approved funding will cover the required safety infrastructure improvements at all seven crossings. City officials indicated they will determine a construction schedule once the funding allocation is finalized, followed by the formal application process for quiet zone status.
The timeline for implementing quiet zones could extend several years, as the city must complete all infrastructure work before applying for the federal designation that would allow trains to operate without sounding horns through the designated areas.
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Votes (1)
Funding Approval for Railroad Crossing Safety Action Plan
Dissent: None mentioned; the council reached a consensus to utilize $250,000 from the surplus.
Moved by Unknown [00:00] · Seconded by Unknown [00:00]
The council reviewed the necessity of self-funding the safety plan after failing to secure federal dollars. Discussion focused on the multi-step process required by federal regulations: mitigating risk with infrastructure, determining funding, and finally applying for the quiet zone designation.
Notable Quotes (1)
In order for the city to apply for a quiet zone, we first have to mitigate the increased uh risk at each crossing that's caused by the absence of a train horn.
Ordinances & Resolutions (2)
A foundational document required to identify infrastructure needs for quiet zone application.
The city budget source approved to fund the $250,000 safety plan.
Source document
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Other Topics from This Document
Railroad Crossing Safety Action Plan and Quiet Zone Establishment
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