PETITION TRAIN HORN NOISE REDUCTION AND QUIET ZONE We, the undersigned, petition the City Council of Eureka to establish the City of Eureka as a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) approved train horn Quiet Zone (QZ). We want the City Council to remedy the noise pollution problem caused by the train whistle by: 1. Having City Council place an item on the agenda at the next Council meeting to discuss a Motion to establish a QZ for our city. 2. Having City Council file a written Notice of Intent to the FRA. (See below for Establishing a Quite Zone.) The City of Eureka is a wonderful city to live in. However, the noise caused by the train whistle, at all hours of the day and night, are detracting from almost all of the positive reasons for living in this city; Especially knowing that the FRA has made it possible, through the establishment of a QZ, for local governments and municipalities to virtually eliminate all of the noise pollution caused by the damaging sound levels of the train horn when passing through a grade crossing while maintaining and in some cases, increasing the safety level. We would like to have City Council make it a priority to eliminate the noise pollution caused by the train horn and establish a QZ for our city. The following links show how to establish a QZ. http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/cont... Other cities like Kirkwood, Webster Groves, and Washington have already established Quite Zones. For instance San Diego (http://www.quietzonesd.info/) and Richmond CA (http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/index.aspNID=1167.) Establishing a Quiet Zone There are both Federal and State regulations that govern the sounding of train locomotive horns. Federal regulations called the Final Rule on the Use of Locomotive Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings, 49 CFR 222 (Horn Rule), require that trains sound their horns as a warning to highway users at public highway-rail crossings. Missoui Public Utilities Code Section 7604 requires that trains sound their horns at all private and pedestrian crossings as well. The Horn Rule allows localities to establish quiet zones, which prohibits the routine sounding of horns at quiet zone designated rail crossings. In order to establish a quiet zone, the crossing must have: Minimum Length of at least one-half mile along the railroad track (except where a new quiet zone is added to an existing quiet zone). Active grade crossing warning devices that include both flashing lights and gates that control traffic over the crossing. In addition, the crossing must be equipped with constant warning time devices (regulating when the gate arms drop), if reasonably practical, and power-out indicators. Advance Warning Signs that advise the motorist that train horns are not sounded at the crossing. In order to establish a quiet zone, the City must first provide a written Notice of Intent to the Federal Railroad Administration, MODOT, and the railroad carrier operating over the impacted right-of-way. The Notice of Intent has a 60-day comment period. If there is a private and/or pedestrian grade crossing in the proposed quiet zone, a diagnostic team (composed of representatives of the impacted railroad carrier, the Federal Railroad Administration and MODOT must evaluate whether or not the quiet zone meets the above stated criteria. After expiration of the 60-day comment period (or after completion of diagnostic team recommendations, if any) the City must provide a Notice of Quiet Zone Establishment with a minimum 21-day notice period. The quiet zone is established upon expiration of the 21-day notice period. Thereafter, the routine sounding of horns at the quiet zone crossing is prohibited.