North County Quiet Zones

What is a quiet zone?

A quiet zone is a section of a rail line where locomotive horns are not routinely sounded.  Jurisdiction of Quiet Zones fall under the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).

A quiet zone removes the requirement for the routine blowing of train horns, although the conductor always has the option to blow horns at their discretion. To learn more about FRA's rules and requirements for quiet zones, visit their website. 

How are quiet zones implemented?

In order to establish a quiet zone, local governments or other agencies must show that the lack of the horn does not pose a significant safety risk.  Some of the ways in which local governments may accomplish this include safety measures such as gates, medians, and other channelization devices.

Once the intersection safety improvements are complete and meet appropriate standards, local governments or agencies must file the appropriate notices and applications for the approval and establishment of quiet zones to the Federal Railroad Administration. 

What work has been done in the past on quiet zones in Palm Beach Gardens?

Quite Zones are dependent on approved safety measures that are in place for motorist and pedestrians at railroad crossings.   The City of Palm Beach Gardens has implemented some of these measures during new roadway construction or road redevelopment projects. When All Aboard Florida proposal came to light (now known as Brightline) future safety measures were to be implemented as part of the Brightline transit project. With the delays to the Brightline project, the intersection improvements in Palm Beach Gardens that would allow for quiet zone application have also been delayed.

What are the future plans for quiet zones in Palm Beach Gardens?

Brightline – the company that has commenced high-speed passenger rail from Miami to West Palm Beach and advances with plans to continue north to Orlando – has installed safety measures in West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, and Delray Beach at select intersections.  The above communities now have quiet zones.  As Brightline proceeds with phase 2 of their project to bring passenger rail north from West Palm Beach to Orlando, they’ve installed safety measures at some intersections which will remove the need for trains to blow horns.  However, additional safety measures may be required in Palm Beach Gardens. The City is evaluating the most practical safety improvements for several railway crossings here.  Additionally, we are working with the FRA to receive credit towards the quiet zone assessment for projects already undertaken by Palm Beach Gardens. Once safety measures are in place and the risk score without horns is attained, the City will file for a quiet zone.  However, approval will almost certainly be held until the Brightline passenger trains are certified for operation from the FRA.  Currently, there are no quiet zones established by a municipality in Northern Palm Beach County.  

With that information in mind, the following summary and conclusions can be drawn:

• Unfortunately, Quiet Zones aren’t as simple as passing an ordinance and/or simply notifying the Federal Railroad Administration or the railroad of a desire to have less train horn noise.  Local governments will have to prove (at perhaps considerable expense) and illustrate that safety measures make horns unnecessary. 
• Each of the 6 railroad/vehicle intersections in Palm Beach Gardens have unique characteristics in terms of traffic counts and intersection design.  The safety improvements needed for one intersection aren’t likely to be the same for others.   It is important that each be carefully studied and reviewed to ensure that the City’s investment ensures safety and meets the criteria to be approved by the Federal Railroad Administration.

The City Council and Administration hear the concerns from the public about train noise very clearly.  The preliminary strategy that is emerging at this point is to study all available alternatives and associated costs and make appropriate recommendations to the City Council as Brightline's project implementation and schedule becomes more clear.