Title
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A QUIET ZONE ADMINISTRATIVE AGREEMENT WITH NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY FOR THE E. BARLOW ROAD TRAIL QUIET ZONE IMPROVEMENTS.
Brief Description: As part of the upcoming E. Barlow Road Trail Project the railroad track crossing on Barlow Road will become a Quiet Zone and Norfolk Southern Railway Company requires a Quiet Zone Administrative Agreement be executed prior to review and administration of the improvements.
Body
Legislative History
None.
Purpose & Explanation
The E. Barlow Road Trail Project will include the design and coordination with Norfolk Southern Railroad Corporation and construction of a new Quiet Zone at Terex Road near the E. Barlow Road Trail Project.
A railroad Quiet Zone is an officially designated section of track where train horn usage is reduced when crossing a public road. To achieve this, communities must implement enhanced safety measures at the crossings, such as improved warning systems (gates, lights, bells) and crossing designs. This allows nearby property owners to experience reduced noise pollution while still maintaining a high level of safety. For the crossing on Barlow Road, the new Quiet Zone improvements are anticipated to be gate arms that would extend across the center of the road, since gate arm improvements are already a part of the ongoing trail project design.
The Norfolk Southern Railway Quiet Zone Administrative Agreement outlines the collaboration between Norfolk Southern and the City to review the feasibility and method of establishing a Quiet Zone at the Barlow Road crossing.
The Agreement establishes the legal requirements for the City to reimburse Norfolk Southern for the costs associated with conducting initial administrative work related to the Quiet Zone, including engineering services and assessments. This reimbursement is independent of whether the Quiet Zone project proceeds or not.
Staff will return to Council for any separate agreements re...
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