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| Railroad Quiet Zones - Solving Noise Problems in Residential Areas |
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Location. Location. Location. That is the supposed mantra of Realtors about what is most important in real estate. While a great location can vastly increase the value of a prop-erty, a poor location can also decrease the amount a seller might receive.
One of the most transitional areas in town has been the area north of Memorial, south of I-10, west of downtown and east of Memorial Park. What once was an area made up of run-down houses has since been developed into an area filled with affordable townhomes, within an easy drive of downtown.
However, there has been one very noticeable downside to living in the area - noise from train whistles. Although it may not seem like it, railroads are still a vital method of transport in the United States. In fact, railroads are still responsible for transporting about 17 percent of the freight cargos in the country.1 And Houston is a major hub for rail transport because of its central location. Some areas of town see as many as 25 or 30 trains pass through on any given day.
All hours of the day and night, residents near Houston’s railroads can hear the shrill sound of the trains as they carry cargo across the city. Trains are usually required to sound their whistles as they approach an intersection with a road, to warn approaching cars and pedestrians. During the day, these 96-decibel train whistles are merely a nuisance. At night, though, the constant noise becomes a real problem.
In the past, cities concerned with this issue had to enact their own rules regarding train whistles. But now, as of last June, the Federal Railroad Administration allows cities to establish “quiet zones” - stretches of road where trains are not allowed to sound their whistles. These new federal guidelines help mediate the conflicting desires of neighborhoods, which want to cut down on noise, and railroad companies, which want to avoid accidents and operate without restrictions.
Quiet zones drastically decrease the noise level for nearby residential areas. But they are only possible when other safety measures compensate for the absence of the warning whistles. To qualify, a city that wants a quiet zone must equip each affected road crossing with adequate safety measures to prevent accidents from occurring, such as railroad cross-ing arms or reinforced medians. The crossings usually must include flashing lights and extended barricades that prevent traffic from circumventing them.
The obvious benefits from a quiet zone include a drastic reduction in noise levels, as the whistle noise stops immediately. Also, according to Houston City Council Member and HAR member Michael Berry, property values rise dramatically when a quiet zone is enacted - as much as 50 percent.
“There is always some devaluation from living near a railroad - you can't account for all of it, but these quiet zones do bring back some of that lost value,” Berry said. “The worst part of living near a railroad is the whistle noise. This eliminates that factor.”
However, the implementation of a quiet zone can provoke an array of other issues. Most obvious is the fact that trains can no longer warn a pedestrian or car that they are approaching, and must rely on the railroad crossing arms to keep cars out of the way.
Also, the city must spend taxpayer dollars - usually a combination of federal, state and local funds - to carry out the construction necessary on the streets that cross the railroad track. Often, a number of streets that cross the railroad or provide side-street access must be closed altogether.
In Houston, a stretch of railroad near West University and Bellaire is the closest in our area to becoming a fully-approved quiet zone. The cities of Houston, West University Place and Bellaire worked together to launch the zone as a pilot project for the Houston area. Last year, the city received approval from the Federal Railroad Administration to begin the process of creating a quiet zone. City engineers have already installed the proper barricades at the street crossings involved.
However, the project has been delayed by several review periods mandated by the FRA. All of the rail companies that use the affected railroad are legally entitled to a 60-day review period of the changes to the railroad. If they request a change, the FRA reviews it and then determines whether the city must make that change. The project is currently undergoing one of these 60-day review periods. If all goes well, the city expects the quiet zone to be fully operational by the first of June.
In the First Ward area, along Houston Avenue, preparations are also underway for an eventual quiet zone. The city has temporarily closed several intersections along streets parallel to the tracks and is currently trying to determine eligibility for federal and state funds to implement the necessary railroad crossings. Overall, says Council Member Berry, these quiet zones are a triumph in terms of Houstonians’ quality of life.
“For every obstacle a quiet zone creates, it opens so many more opportunities for a community,” Berry said. “It is a real victory for these neighborhoods.”
As the new quiet zone guidelines become more widespread, Realtors® can expect the issue to affect Houston neighborhoods - and property values - for years to come.
1 Source: U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Data for 2002, which is the most recently available.
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