Important Update for All Cities Along the FrontRunner Line:
FrontRunner and freight trains will now be sounding their horns at all at-grade crossings from Salt Lake City to Provo. Recent inspections by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) identified minor deficiencies at some crossings, leading to the suspension of the quiet zone until all crossings meet updated FRA standards. While these deficiencies are minor and do not pose any safety risks, they still require attention to restore the quiet zone.
A quiet zone was originally established in 2012 ahead of FrontRunner’s installation. This agreement, made between the FRA and the cities/counties with at-grade railroad crossings from Salt Lake City to Provo, allowed trains to pass through without sounding their horns, provided additional safety measures were in place. At that time, Lehi City acted as a liaison with the FRA on behalf of all cities and counties within the quiet zone.
Most of the remaining deficiencies involve medians that fall just short of the new FRA standards. For example, some medians that should be 100 feet long are currently 97, 95, or 91 feet. When these medians were installed in 2012, they were fully compliant with FRA regulations. However, the FRA has since revised its standards, no longer counting the length of the plowable end toward the total. All affected cities are working quickly to resolve these issues so the quiet zone can be reinstated.
Lehi City has identified three medians with deficiencies. Two of them need to be raised where the gate arm comes down, and one needs to be extended by six feet. These medians are designed to prevent motorists from driving around the gate arms when they are down. It’s important to note that motorists who follow the laws at railroad crossings are not at an increased risk because of these deficiencies. We are working diligently to address them.
We understand the increased noise from train horns may be disruptive, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. Unfortunately, the quiet zone cannot be reinstated until all crossings are fully compliant with the new standards. We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to resolve these issues as quickly as possible.
Railroad operators could begin sounding their horns as early as today or as late as Monday, October 7th. We are hopeful that all deficiencies will be addressed by the end of October.
