Dwight:<div><br></div><div>My understanding of the process is that the safety upgrade is a pre-requisite to being able to submit a request for a quiet zone, but getting a quiet zone approved is a multi-year process with many hurdles. I believe I was told Kensington has pursued for many years and still not gotten approval. </div>
<div><br></div><div>At this point, I can't recall who I consulted at MD Dept of Transportation, but the gist of the summary was this: upgrading the safety of the intersection is good, but it is very unlikely that we will be able to get a quiet zone approved given the number of crossings. And, Rob is correct that we would need a consultant to move that process to the next step - it is a substantial application that would need to be prepared by a technical consultant.</div>
<div><br></div><div>I agree, it would be an improvement, and it is a goal to work toward, even if it is a long process. </div><div><br></div><div>Alice</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">
On Sat, May 22, 2010 at 9:11 PM, Dwight Holmes <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:dwightrholmes@gmail.com">dwightrholmes@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
This isn't exactly how I recall Rob's post - maybe there was yet<br>
another one on the topic - but it's the only one I found on the topic;<br>
from 3 years ago, prior to the installation of the new 4-way crossing<br>
gates.<br>
<br>
<br>
---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>
From: Rob Oppenheim <<a href="mailto:rob.oppenheim@comcast.net">rob.oppenheim@comcast.net</a>><br>
Date: Mon, Apr 16, 2007 at 4:41 AM<br>
Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] Trains and Horns<br>
To: TownTalk <<a href="mailto:towntalk@riverdale-park.org">towntalk@riverdale-park.org</a>><br>
<br>
<br>
I (and David Hiles before me) have been working to have the train<br>
horns silenced.<br>
<br>
To do so, we have to raise the safety of the crossing high enough to<br>
have the area declared a quiet<br>
zone. Later this year, we are scheduled to get 4-way gates installed.<br>
This will be a giant step<br>
forward in making the intersection safer.<br>
<br>
The Maryland house and senate recently passed bill HB509 that will<br>
allow us to install advanced<br>
enforcement systems that can dramatically increase the safety of the crossing.<br>
I lobbied hard for this bill, and I am very excited that it passed.<br>
<br>
The town council approved adding two street lamps to the crossing, and<br>
we are looking into<br>
getting special train track lighting to discourage cars from turning<br>
onto the tracks (the most<br>
common set up to an accident). I also hope to have the sidewalks and<br>
curbs improved.<br>
<br>
Most importantly, I hope to get the council to appropriate funds in<br>
next years budget to hire<br>
a consultant that specializes in quiet zones to help us thru the maze<br>
of regulations.<br>
<br>
Silencing the train horns will improve the quality of life for us all,<br>
and it will make the town center<br>
much more attractive to prospective businesses. It may be the single<br>
most important economic<br>
development item we can undertake.<br>
<br>
I know that some of you are nostalgic for the sound of the horns. Yet<br>
many others find them<br>
painfully loud. I hope you won't miss them too badly when their gone!<br>
Getting them silenced<br>
is a long and difficult project, but we made great headway on it this year.<br>
<br>
Rob Oppenheim<br>
<br>
Ward One Councilman, Riverdale Park<br>
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</blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Alice C. Ewen<br>Councilwoman, Ward 1<br>Town of Riverdale Park MD<br>
</div>