STEVENS POINT QUIET ZONE Associate Administrator for Safety Federal Railroad Administration 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, MS-25 Washington, DC 20590 Mailed:, 2009 Certified Mail Article# 70000520002247320178 Subject: Notice of Intent to Establish a Railroad Quiet Zone by Public Authority Designation 49 CFR 222.39(a)(3). This letter and the attachments are a Notice of Intent for the proposed creation of a new 5.27 mile quiet zone. The railroad quiet zone would begin at Wisconsin Central Railroad milepost 245.63 and end at Railroad milepost 250.9. As required by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the following information is provided to you and other parties. All public and private highway-rail at-grade crossings to be included within the proposed quiet zone are (49 CFR 222.43(b)(2)(i)): Crossing No. Mile Post Crossing Type Street Name 692535H 246.87 Public Hoover Road 692548J 249.21 Public Water Street 692549R 249.28 Public Park Street 692550K 249.35 Public Wood Street 692553F 249.93 Public West River Drive 692554M 250.35 Public West Clark Street Notice of Intent - Page 1 of 6
The Stevens Point Quiet Zone is to restrict the routine sounding of locomotive horns on a 24-hours a day basis (49 CFR 222.43(b)(2)(ii)). The City of Stevens Point s plan to implement a quiet zone began quietly in January of 2000 when the Common Council adopted a resolution petitioning the Wisconsin Railroad Commissioner to designate the Wisconsin Central Railroad line running through town as a test corridor for the quiet zone program. Beginning in 2003 the Commissioner, the Railroad and the City met and held public hearings on the closure of three crossings in Stevens Point. As a result, two crossings, Prairie Street and Tamarac Street were ordered closed, Wood Street the third crossing remains open and now has gates and flashers. Prairie Street was unique in that it intersected with Park Street at the tracks. The intersection had skewed angles at the tracks, making visibility of trains poor. In cooperation with the Railroad Commissioner and with financial backing from the railroad a redesigned Park Street crossing was built to cross at a near right angle, improving safety at the crossing. Hoover Road was reconstructed in 1985 as a four lane divided highway. The medians as constructed comply with the requirements of Appendix A to Part 222 A 3. Gates With Medians or Channelization as a pre-existing supplemental safety measure. All at-grade public crossings in the Stevens Point Quiet Zone are equipped with flashing lights and gates, power out indicators and constant warning time devices. As a result of all these improvements we have been able to reduce our Quiet Zone Risk Index (QZRI) to a level below the Risk Index with Horns (RIWH) (49 CFR 222.43(b)(2)(iii). A complete and accurate Grade Crossing Inventory Form is on file with the FRA for every public grade crossing in the Stevens Point Quiet Zone. Before the implementation of the Stevens Point Quiet Zone, each crossing approach will have an advanced warning sign, in accordance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which advises motorists that train horns are not sounded at the crossing. A Diagnostic Team met on April 21, 2009 to evaluate conditions at every public and private grade crossing in the Stevens Point Quiet Zone and to make determinations or recommendations concerning the safety needs at each crossing (Appendix F to Part 222). The Diagnostic Team reviewed and studied all of the safety improvements implemented in the quiet zone since 2003. The Team determined that there were no private crossings within the proposed quiet zone and all questions, request, determinations and recommendations were addressed and noted. All public grade crossings in the proposed quiet zone were visited in the field by the Diagnostic Team and it was determined that no additional safety measures were needed for risk reduction for the Stevens Point Quiet Zone to move toward implementation. Notice of Intent - Page 2 of 6
Members of the Stevens Point Quiet Zone Diagnostic Team: Tammy Wagner, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Regional Crossing and Trespasser Manager Mark P. Morrison P.E., Wisconsin Department of Transportation Grade Crossing Safety Engineer Jacqueline A. Moder, Canadian National Railway Manager, Public Works Southern Region City of Stevens Point Representatives Kevin Ruder, Chief of Police Donald G. Popoff, P.E., Director of Public Works/City Engineer Jeff Hild, R.L.S., Project Manager Name and title of person who will act as point of contact during the quiet zone development process is (49 CFR 222.43(b) (2) (iv)): Jeff Hild Project Manager City Engineering Department City of Stevens Point Phone: (715) 346-1562 Email: jhild@stevenspoint.com A list of the names and addresses of each party that will receive written notification in accordance with 49 CFR 222.43(a) (1) & (3). Notice of Intent - Page 3 of 6
The following will receive written notice, by certified mail, return receipt requested, of our intent to create the Stevens Point Quiet Zone. Associate Administrator for Safety Federal Railroad Administration 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, MS-25 Washington, DC 20590 The State agency responsible for highway and road safety: Mr. Ron Adams Director of Bureau of Railroads and Harbors Division of Transportation Infrastructure Development 4802 Sheboygan Avenue Room 155B Madison, WI 53705 Railroads operating over the public highway-rail grade crossings within the proposed quiet zone: Ms. Jacqueline Moder Manager, Public Works Southern Division Canadian National Railway 1625 Depot Street Mr. Thomas J. Healey Counsel-Regulatory Canadian National Railway 17641 South Ashland Ave Homewood, IL 60430 The State agency responsible for grade crossing safety: Mr. Roger Breske Commissioner Office of the Commissioner of Railroads 610 N. Whitney Way Room 110 P.O. Box 8968 Madison, WI 53708-8968 The highway or traffic control or law enforcement authority having jurisdiction over vehicular traffic at grade crossings within the proposed quiet zone: Mr. Kevin Ruder Chief of Police City of Stevens Point 1515 Strongs Avenue Notice of Intent - Page 4 of 6
ACTION REQUIRED Please consider this notice as the beginning date of the required 60-day comment period in the Stevens Point Quiet Zone process. The 60-day comment period for this Quiet Zone will end on, 2009, or when written comments or a no comment statement is received from each recipient of this notice (49 CFR 222.43(b)(3)(i)). Attached for your convenience is a form to facilitate your response. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. Respectfully submitted, Jeff Hild Project Manager Notice of Intent - Page 5 of 6
Date Mr. Jeff Hild City of Stevens Point 1515 Strongs Avenue Subject: Notice of Intent to Establish a Railroad Quiet Zone by Public Authority Designation 49 CFR 222.39(a)(3). We received your Notice of Intent dated, 2009. We offer the following comments: No Comment. Comment: Signature By: Notice of Intent - Page 6 of 6