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Date for quiet zone implementation pushed back
The effective date for establishment of the quiet zone at the Wall Street railroad crossing has changed, Fort Scott City Commissioners learned Tuesday.
The quiet zone would prohibit train horns at a distance within a quarter mile before and after the Wall Street railroad crossing.
During the commission meeting, City Manager Dave Martin said city officials learned curbing at a north corner of the intersection where the BNSF Railroad parking area is located was about five feet short of regulations.
The original effective day of the quiet zone was May 9 but Martin said he has talked with BNSF officials who requested some additional measurements so that date could be moved back.
"There were some federal regulations that came through after it (quiet zone) was designed and implemented," Martin said.
"The federal regulations had changed," Martin told the Tribune. "They (BNSF) were concerned about the amount of curbing that went to the northeast, where BNSF employees come out to the lot to get to the street. They wanted about five more feet."
Martin said the city will re-apply for establishment of the quiet zone. Martin said the city was not aware of the regulations while the quiet zone project was underway.
He said the city has already corrected the curbing issue "at no cost," other than labor used, and didn't want to sign off on the project until all regulations and safety codes were met.
"I have to sign a document (as city manager) that I have made sure that it is done exactly all regulations -- state and federal -- call for to the best of my ability," he said. "I'm not going to sign that document when there's only five more feet to get it taken care of."
Martin said the problem wasn't an "error" on anyone's part.
"It came in after it was designed and built," he said. "It's a very easy fix."
Martin said the city re-applied Tuesday for establishment of the quiet zone and will now likely have to wait another 21 days for official approval. He said he will be notified later of the new establishment date for the quiet zone.
"It goes to BNSF, the city's insurance company, the state," he said. "Letters are signed to re-apply. Once those are in effect, then in 21 days the train is not going to sound its horn."
The city started the quiet zone project in late 2015. The project, which was approved by the Kansas Department of Transportation and BNSF Railroad, is aimed at quieting trains as they approach railroad crossings in order to decrease noise level for nearby businesses and residences. Train horns are silenced when other safety measures are implemented.
The approximately $168,000 project was funded by money from the transient guest tax and some city funds. The city assisted with some of the project work.