2014.12.22 Council Agenda Item 06
Summary
Railroad Crossing Quiet Zone project update from the Public Works Director.
A public comment period will not be included with this item.
ACTION: Council action is not anticipated.
Description
The Town Council previously approved the project and associated funding in April 2014. Throughout the summer, staff refined the design and worked with the FRA to navigate the application process. Staff also held abutter meetings and further refined the design to accommodate abutter input while making sure that final adjustments met the FRA safety standards.
The final median design in the new quiet zone (Field and Woodville Roads) does not include the reflective “yellow sticks” based on some abutter input. Signage at the beginning of the medians are reflective and will provide for a visible warning that the medians exist. Additional signage also warns motorists, pedestrians and cyclists that the trains no longer use horns and whistles. These signs also offer general notice or guidance that there is a crossing ahead. The final design does not include a median on the west side of the Woodville Road crossing based on guidance offered by the Town Council in April 2014. This area will include additional yellow striping to indicated caution in this area.
There were design changes in the current quiet zone on Blackstrap and Falmouth Road. These changes include fewer medians at Blackstrap and Falmouth Road crossing based on challenging private drive and public road access points. We also took into consideration wide turning movements of long wheel base vehicles. The FRA standards will not require medians at these two crossings to maintain the current quiet zone however we decided to add additional striping to make the crossing more visible. New signage similar to that described above for the new quiet zones will also help people take greater notice of the crossings and be warned to take caution.
Finally, late in the process, the Town was informed that there is one private farm crossing in the Quiet Zone. This crossing also required some safety enhancements to be in compliance with a Quiet Zone. Those improvements included addtional signage and vegitated clearing. Dave Gagnon, the owner of the crossing, granted the town an easement to install the improvements and maintain them in the future.
Final design plans for all four crossings are attached.
