MUNCIE, Ind. — A quiet zone for Muncie’s downtown will now depend on federal funds to silence train whistles and close some of the city’s rail crossings, the Muncie Star Press reported.
After meeting with Mayor Dan Canan and other community leaders, Congressman Mike Pence agreed Monday to seek $2.5 million from the Federal Railroad Administration for the project.
“This will mean trains don’t have to blast their horns every night,” Pence said.
The Mayor’s Downtown Redevelopment Partnership has studied the whistle problem downtown since 1999. A plan would install more gates, medians and warning devices at some crossings where whistles would be silenced, and other less-used residential crossings on Norfolk Southern and CSX lines would be closed.
Train whistles in the downtown have upset neighborhood residents and customers at the Radisson Hotel Roberts, and also affect business at Horizon Convention Center.
“I probably have about 20 complaints a week,” said Ken Hughes, hotel manager. “They ask, ‘How do you stand it?’ ”
Initial agreements were reached with railroad officials on safety plans for the quiet zone this year. Muncie City Council also must impose a quiet zone law.
Depending on funding, it could be another year or two before the quiet zone project is finished.
The expense of the project grew, Canan said, as railroad officials wanted more safety measures. The city also expanded the scope of the project.
“We looked at a minimal project,” the mayor said. “[Railroads] wanted the maximum improvements for safety.”
Norfolk Southern Corp. proposed only a few changes in a safety measure last February that would close seven crossings and update more than a dozen more.
“We supported the city’s plans with some conditions,” said William Hughes, a grade crossing safety manager for Norfolk Southern’s western region.
Norfolk Southern wanted quad-gates at railroad crossings with Memorial Drive, Kilgore Avenue and Council Street, where the city proposed fewer gates.
The city also is proposing median barriers at downtown crossings with Walnut, Jefferson, Liberty and Elliott streets.
William Hughes said the railroad would pay the city $70,000 to close seven other residential crossings in Muncie.
“I know this is an economic issue for folks in downtown Muncie,” William Hughes said. “The railroad does not benefit because we have increased liability.”
Tom Drake, CSX’s regional vice president for state relations, said Muncie’s plan was still under review.
The safety agreements also must be approved by state and federal transportation officials. Money could be available by 2004 for the project.