TO: Mayor and Commissioners
FROM: Tim Stillings, Planning & Zoning Director
THROUGH: Donald B. Cooper, City Manager
DATE: February 16, 2016
Title
NOTICE OF INTENT TO ESTABLISH A QUIET ZONE THROUGH THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH
Body
Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Motion to authorize the City Manager to submit the Notice of Intent to Establish a Quiet Zone along the FEC Corridor within the City of Delray Beach to FEC and other state and federal agencies as required by law.
Body
Background:
The Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) is working with the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to improve the safety of the roadway-rail crossings along the FEC corridor between West Palm Beach and the City of Boca Raton. The key focus of these improvements is to upgrade all the public at-grade crossings so that a continuous “Quiet Zone” can be established along this corridor.
Quiet Zones are regulated by the Federal Railway Administration (FRA) under the Use of Locomotive Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings rule, published in the Federal Register on April 27, 2005. Under this rule, new “Quiet Zones” can be established if the at-grade crossings meet or exceed the national risk standard (aka “National Significant Risk Threshold”).
According to information provided by the FRA, “The rule addresses use of the horn only with respect to highway-rail grade crossings. Railroads remain free to use the horn for other purposes as prescribed in railroad operating rules on file with FRA, and railroads must use the horn as specified in other FRA regulations (in support of roadway worker safety and in the case of malfunctions of highway-rail grade crossing active warning devices).”
To establish the Quiet Zone in the City of Delray Beach, a Notice of Intent must be submitted to FEC. Under the federal law, “The public authority responsible for traffic control or law enforcement at the highway-rail grade crossing is the only entit...
Click here for full text