To address the issue of incessant train horn noise disrupting residents’ sleep in San Jose at night, the city government has proposed a “quiet zone.” This special area could be established as early as October, promising peace for the residential area.
According to San Jose Councilmember Raul Peralez, the city has officially submitted a notice to relevant authorities to establish a “partial quiet zone.” This zone is expected to cover railway intersections from Horning Street to North Montgomery Street, between 10 PM and 7 AM.
The notice was sent on July 30 to Union Pacific Railroad, along with national and local transportation management agencies, including the Federal Railroad Administration and Caltrans.
Citizens and stakeholders can contribute their opinions within 60 days from the date of the notice, before the “quiet zone” is officially established. If all procedures go smoothly, this area could be operational as early as October.
Mr. Peralez shared: “For the past year and a half, our residents have suffered severe sleep deprivation due to nighttime train horns. Establishing this Partial Quiet Zone will help restore the quality of life for people living along the Pacific railway corridor.”
The effort to minimize noise from nighttime trains was spurred by a feasibility study published on June 15. This study affirmed that the city designating a Partial Quiet Zone is feasible to reduce noise without increasing the risk of traffic accidents at intersections compared to the national average.
However, the study also pointed out that the potential risk on the railway corridor may increase in the future due to increased traffic. If the risk exceeds the national average, the Federal Railroad Administration may revoke the quiet zone status within six months.
Since Union Pacific Railroad increased the frequency of trains running through downtown at night last year, San Jose residents have consistently complained about the noise issue. A petition on Change.org protesting the loud train horns in the historic San Jose area from 10 PM to 4 AM has attracted more than 1,000 supporting signatures.
Currently, as no quiet zone has been established on the Warm Springs Subdivision of Union Pacific Railroad, federal law still requires trains to sound their horns when approaching intersections within the railway corridor.
Mr. Tim McMahan, spokesperson for Union Pacific Railroad, explained that federal regulations require trains to use horns for everyone’s safety. However, adopting the Quiet Zone option is a decision for local public authorities.
He added: “We welcome the City of San Jose’s commitment to studying the establishment of a quiet zone in the area and will continue to work with city representatives to find a suitable solution.”
Nevertheless, a statement on the Union Pacific Railroad website shows that the company does not support quiet zones. They argue that these areas “compromise the safety of railroad employees, customers and the public.”
While designating a quiet zone may be an initial solution, local lawmakers have considered more robust measures in recent months.
Last May, the mayor’s office and Councilmembers Sergio Jimenez, Raul Peralez, Dev Davis, and Maya Esparza jointly signed in support of exploring the possibility of filing a lawsuit alleging the railway caused nuisance and violated the National Environmental Policy Act due to not addressing graffiti on trains.
However, in the latest statement, Mr. Peralez emphasized that the quiet zone is “the only tool the city can implement” to minimize train horn noise.
Contact John Bricker at [email được bảo vệ] or follow him @ JohnMichaelBr15 on Twitter.
