Larry Bowron, of OHM, explained how a railroad quiet zone works at the April 2 Climax Village Council meeting.
By Bruce Rolfe
After briefly discussing a Railroad Quiet Zone at previous meetings, the Climax Village Council and 11 guests were offered an in depth look on the topic by a professional planning service official at the April 2 regular village council meeting.
Larry Bowron, of OHM Architects, Engineers and Planners of Kalamazoo, offered a presentation and answered questions about establishing a Railroad Quiet Zone. OHM is a municipal, architectural, engineering, and planning firm.
Bowron retired from the aviation industry after a 32-year career, including 22 years working for the City of Battle Creek. Eight of those 22 years Bowron was the transportation director, working closely with Kellogg Airport, public transit and railroad transportation.
Bowron recently worked with the City of Battle Creek on a $3.2 million project that established Railroad Quiet Zones at 11 crossings.
A railroad quiet zone is a railroad crossing at which trains are prohibited from sounding their horns. It contains one or more consecutive public grade crossings at which locomotive horns are not routinely sounded when trains are approaching the crossings. The horns can be silenced only when other safety measures compensate for the absence of the horns. The exception is if there is an emergency or imminent problem. If there is construction within 25 feet of the quiet zone, sounding the horn is mandatory. Bowron said with a railroad quiet zone in place, the requirements to stop sounding a train horn is a minimum of 15 seconds and no more then 20 seconds before the crossing, which is typically a quarter to a half mile before the railroad crossing, depending on the speed of the train and distance between crossings.
Bowron noted many communities are becoming concerned about the impact loud train horn noise can have on the well being of residents. His presentation indicated studies revealed that prolonged exposure to excessive noise levels can lead to stress, sleep disturbance, hearing loss, disruption to classroom learning and concentration.
The Federal Railroad Administration requirements for a train horn are a minimum of 96 decibels and a maximum of 110 decibels, or over 10 times louder then the minimum.
“In the end, overall it reduces the quality of life,” said Bowron.
The OMH advisor reviewed different supplemental safety measures that could be used at a crossing in a railroad quiet zone to prevent drivers of vehicles from going around the gates. Each supplemental safety measure was designed and tested by the FRA to determine how much risk they do at a specific crossing.
Two options Bowron said would not be needed because the Village of Climax project is so small, is completely closing off a road or installing quad gates which blocks both lanes in both directions to prevent drivers of vehicles from going around the gates. The OHM official told the Council and audience another option to reduce risk is installing a non-traversible curb (typically a six-inch curb in the center of a median) just before the approach on both sides of the road. Another deterrent that could be considered is a mountable curb risk channelization where removable paddles are installed in the middle of the road a specific distance before the crossing.
Bowron said whatever supplemental safety measure is put in place, the preference is installing the items from the stop line at each crossing and continuing with the items in place 100 feet back, however 60 feet will be accepted. He said if the deterrent is less then 60 feet an application would have to be filled out.
Long time Climax resident Charlie Osborn, who is against the railroad quiet zone idea, questioned whether installing some of the deterrents would create a small one way stretch on Cherry Street because traffic traveling west would have to turn right only and drivers traveling south on Main Street would have to drive all the way around the block and get back on Cherry or Church Streets. Bowron said that may be the case but could not be certain until a feasibility study is completed.
“I was born and raised, lived in this community for 77 years. The trains don’t bother me. They never have the last 50 years I’ve lived at the end of North Church Street,” said Osborn.
Bowron reviewed the implementation process, which includes planning and designing the project in accordance to guidelines, evaluating any risk, establishing a Diagnostic Study Team Review and providing public notices. A Notice of Intent, which includes a 60 day comment period and Notice of Establishment are two public notices required. Required safety improvements prior or after the Notice of Intent must be completed prior to the Notice of Establishment.
The project could be costly, however Bowron said a final cost couldn’t be produced until after a feasibility study is performed.
OHM’s proposal is $4,238 to perform a feasibility study and provide an estimated cost to construct the railroad quite zone at the Maple Street and Main Street crossings in the Village of Climax. Costs for the final design, bid documents, construction administration services and equipment used for the project would be extra. Bowron adds if Canadian National determines additional adjustments are necessary or equipment gets damaged and need to be repaired, the Village would be responsible for paying for those additional costs.
Trustee Nick Ludwig wondered how residents would react if there was a right turn only scenario at the intersection of Cherry Street and North Main Street if a non-traversible curb or a mountable curb risk channelization arrangement was used. He also wondered how a non-traversible curb or a channelization set up would impact snow plowing, potential future costs with replacing the removable panels if they were struck by a vehicle and broke, and the impact any traffic flow changes could have on the Memorial Day parade.
Bowron said currently there are 17 trains that go through the village each day - nine from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and seven from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Bowron’s presentation revealed as of October 14, 2022, there are 981 Quiet Zones in the United States including nine in Michigan.
Improvements for Veteran Memorial in Village Park Approved
An area in the northwest corner of the Climax Village Park that contains a small marker noting eight Climax area veterans who lost their lives during World War II, continues to be enhanced with improvements. Two bushes surrounding an old memorial marker containing the names of Max Bailey, Amos Force, Wilfred Gibson, Dallas Malone, Loyd Puffer, Wesley Simmonds, Carroll Smoke and Fred Trubey, have been removed and the area has been cleaned up and expanded for future improvements.
The Council approved purchases totaling $3,815.93 for two Buddy Benches, one 36-inch by 24-inch soldier plaque, one 3 foot soldier plaque base, five service logo plaques for each branch of the military, one service logo plaque base, pea stone, pea stone delivery, steal boarder rails and three dwarf shrubs. The plaque will also include a quote about the Climax WW II fallen heroes. Because there is a large number of veterans who commit suicide each year, there will be a suicide prevention phone number on the two Buddy Benches.
Climax resident Roger Smith has done a lot of research and leg work getting prices and putting together information for the memorial area and buddy benches.
Sydney Cope Will Be Offered Treasurer Position
After a very positive interview with Sydney Cope by the Administration Committee, Chairperson Denise Kenney recommended the council hire Cope as the new treasurer. The Council is expected to officially appoint Cope as the new treasurer at the April 16 meeting. Kenney said Cope is qualified both academically and with previous experience for the job. Current treasurer Brenda Borden, who has told the Council May 30, 2024 will be her last day, will assist and train Cope until she departs.
The Council approved a resolution calling for a 3 percent cost of living increase for the treasurer and clerk effective April 1, 2024.
In two other items covered April 2:
• New trustee Alyssa Schwili, who was appointed to a vacant position at the March 19 meeting, was sworn into office after the meeting was started.
• Kenney informed the council part time DPW employee Kevin Leach has resigned from the position. DPW Manager T.J. Gibson said for the immediate future, he and DPW employee Forrest Cope will operate the department without a part time employee.
• The old Village of Climax 2013 Ford F150 pickup truck has been put up for sale and for bid.
After briefly discussing a Railroad Quiet Zone at previous meetings, the Climax Village Council and 11 guests were offered an in depth look on the topic by a professional planning service official at the April 2 regular village council meeting.
Larry Bowron, of OHM Architects, Engineers and Planners of Kalamazoo, offered a presentation and answered questions about establishing a Railroad Quiet Zone. OHM is a municipal, architectural, engineering, and planning firm.
Bowron retired from the aviation industry after a 32-year career, including 22 years working for the City of Battle Creek. Eight of those 22 years Bowron was the transportation director, working closely with Kellogg Airport, public transit and railroad transportation.
Bowron recently worked with the City of Battle Creek on a $3.2 million project that established Railroad Quiet Zones at 11 crossings.
A railroad quiet zone is a railroad crossing at which trains are prohibited from sounding their horns. It contains one or more consecutive public grade crossings at which locomotive horns are not routinely sounded when trains are approaching the crossings. The horns can be silenced only when other safety measures compensate for the absence of the horns. The exception is if there is an emergency or imminent problem. If there is construction within 25 feet of the quiet zone, sounding the horn is mandatory. Bowron said with a railroad quiet zone in place, the requirements to stop sounding a train horn is a minimum of 15 seconds and no more then 20 seconds before the crossing, which is typically a quarter to a half mile before the railroad crossing, depending on the speed of the train and distance between crossings.
Bowron noted many communities are becoming concerned about the impact loud train horn noise can have on the well being of residents. His presentation indicated studies revealed that prolonged exposure to excessive noise levels can lead to stress, sleep disturbance, hearing loss, disruption to classroom learning and concentration.
The Federal Railroad Administration requirements for a train horn are a minimum of 96 decibels and a maximum of 110 decibels, or over 10 times louder then the minimum.
“In the end, overall it reduces the quality of life,” said Bowron.
The OMH advisor reviewed different supplemental safety measures that could be used at a crossing in a railroad quiet zone to prevent drivers of vehicles from going around the gates. Each supplemental safety measure was designed and tested by the FRA to determine how much risk they do at a specific crossing.
Two options Bowron said would not be needed because the Village of Climax project is so small, is completely closing off a road or installing quad gates which blocks both lanes in both directions to prevent drivers of vehicles from going around the gates. The OHM official told the Council and audience another option to reduce risk is installing a non-traversible curb (typically a six-inch curb in the center of a median) just before the approach on both sides of the road. Another deterrent that could be considered is a mountable curb risk channelization where removable paddles are installed in the middle of the road a specific distance before the crossing.
Bowron said whatever supplemental safety measure is put in place, the preference is installing the items from the stop line at each crossing and continuing with the items in place 100 feet back, however 60 feet will be accepted. He said if the deterrent is less then 60 feet an application would have to be filled out.
Long time Climax resident Charlie Osborn, who is against the railroad quiet zone idea, questioned whether installing some of the deterrents would create a small one way stretch on Cherry Street because traffic traveling west would have to turn right only and drivers traveling south on Main Street would have to drive all the way around the block and get back on Cherry or Church Streets. Bowron said that may be the case but could not be certain until a feasibility study is completed.
“I was born and raised, lived in this community for 77 years. The trains don’t bother me. They never have the last 50 years I’ve lived at the end of North Church Street,” said Osborn.
Bowron reviewed the implementation process, which includes planning and designing the project in accordance to guidelines, evaluating any risk, establishing a Diagnostic Study Team Review and providing public notices. A Notice of Intent, which includes a 60 day comment period and Notice of Establishment are two public notices required. Required safety improvements prior or after the Notice of Intent must be completed prior to the Notice of Establishment.
The project could be costly, however Bowron said a final cost couldn’t be produced until after a feasibility study is performed.
OHM’s proposal is $4,238 to perform a feasibility study and provide an estimated cost to construct the railroad quite zone at the Maple Street and Main Street crossings in the Village of Climax. Costs for the final design, bid documents, construction administration services and equipment used for the project would be extra. Bowron adds if Canadian National determines additional adjustments are necessary or equipment gets damaged and need to be repaired, the Village would be responsible for paying for those additional costs.
Trustee Nick Ludwig wondered how residents would react if there was a right turn only scenario at the intersection of Cherry Street and North Main Street if a non-traversible curb or a mountable curb risk channelization arrangement was used. He also wondered how a non-traversible curb or a channelization set up would impact snow plowing, potential future costs with replacing the removable panels if they were struck by a vehicle and broke, and the impact any traffic flow changes could have on the Memorial Day parade.
Bowron said currently there are 17 trains that go through the village each day - nine from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and seven from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Bowron’s presentation revealed as of October 14, 2022, there are 981 Quiet Zones in the United States including nine in Michigan.
Improvements for Veteran Memorial in Village Park Approved
An area in the northwest corner of the Climax Village Park that contains a small marker noting eight Climax area veterans who lost their lives during World War II, continues to be enhanced with improvements. Two bushes surrounding an old memorial marker containing the names of Max Bailey, Amos Force, Wilfred Gibson, Dallas Malone, Loyd Puffer, Wesley Simmonds, Carroll Smoke and Fred Trubey, have been removed and the area has been cleaned up and expanded for future improvements.
The Council approved purchases totaling $3,815.93 for two Buddy Benches, one 36-inch by 24-inch soldier plaque, one 3 foot soldier plaque base, five service logo plaques for each branch of the military, one service logo plaque base, pea stone, pea stone delivery, steal boarder rails and three dwarf shrubs. The plaque will also include a quote about the Climax WW II fallen heroes. Because there is a large number of veterans who commit suicide each year, there will be a suicide prevention phone number on the two Buddy Benches.
Climax resident Roger Smith has done a lot of research and leg work getting prices and putting together information for the memorial area and buddy benches.
Sydney Cope Will Be Offered Treasurer Position
After a very positive interview with Sydney Cope by the Administration Committee, Chairperson Denise Kenney recommended the council hire Cope as the new treasurer. The Council is expected to officially appoint Cope as the new treasurer at the April 16 meeting. Kenney said Cope is qualified both academically and with previous experience for the job. Current treasurer Brenda Borden, who has told the Council May 30, 2024 will be her last day, will assist and train Cope until she departs.
The Council approved a resolution calling for a 3 percent cost of living increase for the treasurer and clerk effective April 1, 2024.
In two other items covered April 2:
• New trustee Alyssa Schwili, who was appointed to a vacant position at the March 19 meeting, was sworn into office after the meeting was started.
• Kenney informed the council part time DPW employee Kevin Leach has resigned from the position. DPW Manager T.J. Gibson said for the immediate future, he and DPW employee Forrest Cope will operate the department without a part time employee.
• The old Village of Climax 2013 Ford F150 pickup truck has been put up for sale and for bid.
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