City of Salem Public Works Department Minutes

City of Salem Public Works Department
Railroad Crossing Safety Improvement Advisory Committee
Minutes
February 18, 2010
The meeting was opened by Alan Scott, Committee Chair.
Introductions were made around the room. Attendance was as follows.
Members in Attendance:
Jason Brandt, Chamber of Commerce
Darrin Brightman, State of Oregon, DAS
Geoff Darling, Highland Neighborhood Association
David Fridenmaker, Salem-Keizer School District
Larry George, Morningside Neighborhood Association
Rob Gould, South East Salem Neighborhood Association
Dwan Muller, Northgate Neighborhood Association
Alan Scott, Northeast Neighbors
Ross Stout, Willamette University
Members Absent:
Sue Donnelly, Grant Neighborhood Association
Joe Green, CAN-DO Neighborhood Association
Staff in Attendance:
Mark Becktel, Parks & Transportation Manager
Rick Barnes, Senior Project Manager
Tony Martin, Assistant City Traffic Engineer
Councilor in Attendance:
Councilor Chuck Bennett
Interested Parties:
Cherie Bennett
Rachel Nolin
Bryan Cook
Jeff Leach
Schedule update:
The third meeting is scheduled for March 18. The recommendation of this committee
will go to City Council in May instead of April as previously stated. Because of the
delay in getting on the council agenda, it would be possible to have a fourth meeting in
April if it is needed.
Overview of Crossing-Specific Alternatives and Presentation of Proposed
Improvements/Costs:
Rick Barnes gave an overview of crossing-specific alternatives with cost estimates for
improvements needed at each of the crossings that are being considered for safety
upgrades and inclusion in the quiet zone.
Wayside Horns are a possible option for any crossing, but because of the cost, are not
included in the proposals for all crossings. There will be a demonstration of the Wayside
Horns Saturday, February 20, 2010. The cost of a Wayside Horn is about $100,000.00
including the cost of installation.
Improvements proposed at many intersections include pedestrian crossing improvements,
adding crossing gates and the addition of a raised median.
Discussion of Options/Recommendations:
A question was raised about access to businesses near the crossing since a raised median
may mean ingress or egress in one direction only. The standard to keep in mind is that
“reasonable access” must be provided. Reasonable access does not mean un-restricted
movement.
Maps and sound diagrams were shown to compare current train whistle noise with the
sound emitted by the Wayside Horn.
A suggestion was given to make sub-sets of sections of track with cost estimates to help
in deciding funding and timing priorities. It would also be helpful to include distances
between crossings on the spreadsheet of cost estimates.
A question was asked about the possibility of doing a “partial quiet zone,” for example
quiet at night.
It was recommended that a fourth meeting should be held in April since it will probably
be needed to complete the recommendations to take to City Council.
The meeting was adjourned.
C:\All_storage\web_cms_storage\railroad projects\20100218_rr-xing minutes.doc
Sound Comparison
Train Horn vs.
AHS
TM
Automated Horn System
Tested, Proven and Reliable
TM
Locomotive engineers are required by the
new FRA train horn rule to begin
sounding the locomotive horn at a
minimum of 15 seconds prior to the train’s
arrival at the grade crossing. They are also
required to continue to sound the horn
until the train arrives at the crossing.
Conforms to Requirements under the FRA Train Horn Rule
What is AHS
What the Residents say:
“We had thought about selling our home because the
train horns bothered us so much. Then, Glory be to
God, you installed the automated horn systems and we
have a new life.” – Citizen, Ames, IA
“The automated horn system has greatly reduced the
train noise in my home. With the automated system I
can sleep through the night and that really improves my
quality of life. Thank You!” – Citizen, Riverside, CA
“The City has done a good job. Keep up the good
work..” – Citizen, Roseville, CA
“…analysis of the effectiveness of automated horns as a
safety feature and as a method of reducing noise from
train horns. On both counts the automated horn proved
extremely successful .” – Mayor, Mundelein, IL
Railroad Controls Limited
7471 Benbrook Parkway
Benbrook, TX 76126
www.railroadcontrols.com
Phone: (817) 820-6300
Fax: (817) 820-6340
?
AHS™, the Automated Horn System, is
the only proven innovative railroad
signaling device that significantly
improves safety for motorists and
pedestrians at railroad-highway grade
crossings while dramatically reducing
the amount of noise pollution created
by train horns along rail corridors in
populated areas.
If the train horn is to be an effective
warning device for the motorist, it must
provide a sound level capable of initiating
a response from the driver when the train
is approaching the crossing. Unfortunately
the sound level required to achieve that
response and the location of the train
relative to the crossing creates a
significant noise impact on the
community.
The two noise footprints to the left depict
the area impacted by the sound of the train
horn and AHSTM respectively.
The
comparison of the train horn and AHSTM
shows a dramatic difference between the
areas that are impacted at specific decibel
levels. By examining the 80 decibel
contour on the two footprints it can be
seen that the area impacted by the AHSTM
is a fraction of the size of the 80 decibel
contour produced by the train horn.
™
Reduces Noise by up to 98%
Mundelein, IL
Proven Technology
AHSTM is a stationary horn system activated by the railroad-highway grade crossing
warning system. The Automated Horn System is mounted at the crossing, rather than on the
locomotive, to deliver a longer, louder, more consistent audible warning to motorists and
pedestrians while eliminating noise pollution in neighborhoods for more than one-half (1/2)
mile along the rail corridor.
AHSTM is designed to sound like a train horn. The tone modules in the Automated Horn
System horns were digitally recorded from an actual locomotive horn. Upon receipt of the
signal from the railroad’s track circuit warning system AHSTM mimics the train horn
warning by cycling through the standard railroad whistle pattern until the train reaches the
crossing. Once the train has entered the crossing AHSTM stops sounding its horn. A
confirmation signal notifies the locomotive engineer that the Automated Horn System is
functioning properly. When the locomotive engineer sees that the confirmation signal is
flashing, he will not be required to sound his horn unless he detects an unsafe condition at
the grade crossing. Coordination with the railroad operating company is essential since the
Automated Horn System is directly connected to the railroad’s crossing signal-warning
system. Additionally, the railroad operating company must issue instructions to their train
crews regarding the sounding or non-sounding of the train’s horn.
AHSTM was designed from the ground up to perform these functions, not assembled from
off the shelf parts.
Railroad Controls Limited
7471 Benbrook Parkway
Benbrook, TX 76126
www.railroadcontrols.com
© 2005 Railroad Controls, L.P.
© 2005 Railroad Controls, L.P.
Phone: (817) 820-6300
Fax: (817) 820-6340
Improved Audible Warning
for High Speed Rail Lines
AHS Research
TM
The Automated Horn System has been studied since
1995. The initial study was conducted by John A.
Volpe National Transportation Systems Center for
the United States Department of Transportation.
Since then studies have been conducted by the Iowa
Department of Transportation, Association of
American Railroads, Texas Transportation Institute
and the City of Richardson, TX.
AHS provides improved audible warning for drivers
approaching crossings located on high speed rail lines. The
new FRA train horn rule requires that locomotives traveling
faster than 45mph to sound the horn 1/4 mile in advance of
the crossing. This results in reduced audible warning time
for trains traveling 60 mph or faster.
All the research to date has proven the Automated
Horn System to be an effective solution for
mitigating train horn without compromising driver
safety.
Ames, IA
The Automated Horn System is the only tested
Wayside Horn.
For example, an 80-mph train would provide approximately
11.3 seconds of audible warning, if the driver could hear the
horn when it was first sounded 1/4 mile away.
Roseville, CA
AHS, when installed at locations equipped with constant
warning circuitry, provides a minimum of 20 seconds of
warning regardless of the approaching train speed. Since
AHS is positioned at the crossing and focused on the
roadway approach, the audible warning is louder than the
train horn until the train is very near the crossing.
The ONLY Proven System
AHSTM Study Conclusions:
“The results from the evaluation show a significant 70% decrease in violations of highway-rail crossing law iwh
the AHS. Noise levels in areas near the tracks decreased by up to 85%.” - Evaluation of the Automated Wayside
Horn System in Mundelein, Illinois Final Report, by Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, January 2003
“Wayside horns are a viable alternative to locomotive horns for audible warning at grade crossings. Wayside
horns have the advantage of being closer to the motorist. In addition, they have a more focused radiation
pattern and produce less community noise exposure.” -Wayside Horn Sound Radiation and Motorist Audibility
Evaluation, Prepared for: Association of American Railroads, Prepared by: Mike Fann & Associates, May 2000
“For nearby residents, the automated horn system greatly reduces the negative impacts resulting from the loud
train horns; the automated horns are well accepted by both motorists and locomotive engineers; and the
automated system appears to provide an equivalent level of safety at the crossings.” -Evaluation of an Automated
Horn Warning System at Three Highway-Railroad Grade Crossings in Ames, Iowa, by Steve Gent, P.E. (Iowa DOT),
Scott Logan, P.E.(City of Ames Iowa), David Evans (Iowa State University), 1998
“The wayside horn provided an equal or significantly louder audible warning at the point at which motorists
most need the warning.” - Automated Wayside Train Horn Warning System Evaluation, Prepared for: The City of
Richardson, Texas, Prepared by: PB Farradyne Inc., May 2001
“The AHS appears to be, after almost 5 years of operation, an effective alternative to the locomotive horn at the
Tenth Street crossing in Gering, Nebraska, with a violation rate no greater than that observed during pretest
monitoring.” -A Safety Evaluation of the RCL Automated Horn System, by Stephen S. Roop, Ph.D. Texas
Transportation Institute, May 2000
“The safety evaluation suggests that the wayside horn will not result in behavior that puts the driver at
increased risk compared to the use of the train horn. The frequency of violations was lower for the wayside
horn than the train horn, while the time to collision and violation time was not statistically or practically
different for either warning system.” - Field evaluation of a Wayside Horn at a Highway-Railroad Grade Crossing,
by U.S. Department of Transportation Research and Special Programs Administration John A. Volpe National
Transportation Systems Center, June 1998
How AHS Connects
to the Railroad
TM
AHSTM connects with the railroad’s crossing
warning system in a manner similar to traffic
signal preemption connections. Typically
AHSTM horns and control cabinets are mounted
on their own pole assemblies. The confirmation
signal is attached to the top of one of the pole
assemblies and must provide a clear line of sight
to approaching trains from 1/4 mile away.
Power is typically provided by the city.
Leading the Way in Quiet Zone Solutions
What is a Quiet Zone?
What is a Quiet Zone?
A quiet zone is a section of a rail line that contains one or more consecutive public crossings at which locomotive horns
are not routinely sounded.
Why has the FRA issued the Train Horn
Rule?
Four Types of Quiet Zones
• Issued 4/27/05
• Rule becomes effective 6/24/05
• Requires horns to be sounded to warn motorists at
public crossings
• Provides exceptions where risk is minimized
• Enables communities to establish quiet zones by
reducing the risk caused by lack of horns
• Pre-Rule Quiet Zones:
Areas without train horns on October 9, 1996 and on
December 18, 2003
• Intermediate Quiet Zones:
Areas without train horns after October 9, 1996 and before
December 18, 2003
• New Quiet Zones:
Quiet Zones that do not qualify as Pre-Rule or Intermediate
Quiet Zones
• Partial Quiet Zones:
A Quiet Zone where the train horns are not routinely
sounded for a specified period of time during the
evening and/or nighttime hours (10pm-7am).
Changes in Train Horn Requirements
SSM - Supplemental Safety Measures
• To require trains to sound a locomotive horn at public
grade crossings
• To permit the creation of Quiet Zones
• To promote quality of life without compromising
safety
FRA Final Rule
• Requires the sounding of locomotive horns when
approaching every public crossing (replacing state
law)
• The horn shall be sounded no greater than ¼ mile from
the crossing and at least 15 seconds, but no more than
20 seconds, prior to the train entering the crossing.
• Sec. 229.129 defines minimum and maximum train
horn decibel levels (96dB-110dB)
Who Can Establish a Quiet Zone?
• Public authority with jurisdiction for the roadway at
the crossing
• If the Quiet Zone includes more than one public
authority, all agencies must agree and actions must be
taken jointly
• Quiet Zones may be established irrespective of
state law
How are Quiet Zones Created?
Local governments will have two ways of creating
a quiet zone:
• Show that the lack of the horn does not pose a
significant safety risk
• Implement safety measures such as SSMs or wayside
horns to reduce excess risk associated with no horn
• Temporary Closures
• Four-Quadrant Gates
• Gates with Medians or Channelization Devices
• One-way Streets with Gates
Wayside Horn
A stationary horn located at a highway-rail grade
crossing, designed to provide, upon the approach of a
locomotive or train, audible warning to oncoming
motorists of the approach of a train.
• One-for-one substitute for the train horn
• Can be used within or outside of a QZ
• Simplest way to reduce train horn noise since
a QZ is not required
Considerations for use of Wayside Horns
• Temporary closure is not feasible
• Not enough distance to implement raised medians
• One-way street is not a viable alternative
• Cost of four-quadrant gates is prohibitive
• Cost effective for the community
ASM – Alternative Safety Measures
• Non-complying SSMs
• Engineering ASMs
• Programmed Enforcement
• Public Education and Awareness
• Photo Enforcement (state law must allow)
• Effectiveness is monitored for the next two calendar
quarters and every second quarter thereafter
• May be reduced to one qtr/yr after 5 years
Preparation for Quiet Zone Analysis
• Verify AADTs and train counts
• Verify collision data
• Verify Crossing Warning Circuitry
• Review closure options
• Develop conceptual drawings and cost for
each alternative for each crossing
• Develop matrix to analyze pros and cons of
each alternative
Terminology
Alternative Safety Measures (ASM)
A safety system or procedure, other than an SSM,
established in accordance with this part which is provided
by the appropriate traffic control authority or law
enforcement authority and which, after individual review
and analysis by the Associate Administrator, is determined
to be an effective substitute for the locomotive horn in the
prevention of highway-rail casualties at specific highwayrail grade crossings.
Channelization Device
A traffic separation system made up of a raised
longitudinal channelizer, with vertical panels or tubular
delineators attached, that is placed between opposing
highway lanes designed to alert or guide traffic around an
obstacle or to direct traffic in a particular direction.
Crossing Corridor Risk Index (CCRI)
The number reflecting a measure of risk to the motoring
public at public grade crossings along a rail corridor,
calculated in accordance with the procedures in Appendix
D of the FRA’s Train Horn Rule document, representing
the average risk at each public crossing within the
corridor. This risk level is determined by averaging
among all public crossings within the corridor, the product
of the number of predicted collisions per year and the
predicted likelihood and severity of casualties resulting
from those collisions at each public crossing with the
corridor.
Four-Quadrant Gate System
A system of gates designed to provide a full closure of
the crossing eliminating the opportunity to drive around a
single lowered gate.
Nationwide Significant Risk Threshold
(NSRT)
The number reflecting a measure of risk, calculated on a
nationwide basis, which reflects the average level of risk
to the motoring public at public highway-rail grade
crossings equipped with flashing lights and gates and at
which locomotive horns are sounded.
Non-traversable Curb
A highway curb designed to discourage a motor vehicle
from leaving the roadway. Non-traversable curbs are
used at locations where highway speeds do not exceed 40
miles per hour. The curbs must be at least six inches
high.
One Way Street with Gate(s)
Gate(s) must be installed such that all approaching
highway lanes to the public highway-rail grade crossing
are completely blocked.
Quiet Zone Risk Index (QZRI)
The measure of risk to the motoring public which reflects
the Crossing Corridor Risk Index for a Quiet Zone (if
horns are presently sounded at the crossings) and reduced
risk due to implementation, if any, of SSMs and ASMs
within the Quiet Zone.
Risk Index With Horns (RIWH)
The measure of risk to the motoring public when
locomotive horns are routinely sounded at every public
highway-rail grade crossing within a quiet zone.
Supplementary Safety Measure (SSM)
A safety system or procedure established in accordance with
this part which is provided by the appropriate traffic control
authority or law enforcement authority responsible for
safety at the highway-rail grade crossing, that is determined
by the Associate Administrator to be an effective substitute
for the locomotive horn in the prevention of highway-rail
casualties. Appendix A of this part lists such SSMs.
Temporary Closure
Designed to provide for a Partial Quiet Zone, required
under the new FRA train horn rule, allowing train horns
not to be routinely sounded during certain hours of the day
(10pm-7am) by eliminating vehicular access to the
crossing.
Wayside Horn
A stationary horn located at a highway-rail grade crossing,
designed to provide, upon the approach of a locomotive or
train, audible warning to oncoming motorists of the
approach of a train.
For More information on Quiet Zones
please visit our website at www.railroadcontrols.com
or contact us at (817) 820-6300