A resolution to move forward with plans to pursue a train horn quiet zone designation for the City of Carroll failed by a narrow margin at last night’s (Monday) Carroll City Council meeting. The issue of train horns has come up off and on for city officials for over two decades, and it has been discussed at length by the council three times since October 2021. Previous attempts to receive a quiet zone designation were cost-prohibitive, but recent changes to Union Pacific’s and the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) protocols allowed for a potential path forward for under $2 million. Public Works Director Randy Krauel explains.
Construction and addition of these safety measures were estimated at a minimum of $1.625 million, with a high likelihood of costs coming in above the initial evaluation. Additionally, some of the infrastructure requires annual maintenance and inspection for an estimated $8,000 to $12,000 per year. At-Large Councilman LaVern Dirkx says residents are consistently split 50-50 on the issue of train noise, and this is the closest city officials have been to making it happen.
Dirkx adds he traveled to several communities with noise mitigation plans, and almost every resident he spoke with at those locations is happy with less frequent train horns. Ward 1 Councilman Tom Bordenaro questions if the cost justifies the result.
A motion to move forward with the proposed plan ended in a tie, with Bordenaro, Kyle Bauer, and JJ Schreck voting no and Dirkx, Carolyn Siemann, and Misty Boes in support. Mayor Mark Beardmore broke the tie with a nay vote. Video from Monday’s Carroll City Council meeting is included below.
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***Train horn discussion begins at 52:10***
