Frankfort, Mokena, Ill., one step closer to quiet zones

Written by jrood

Frankfort and Mokena, Ill., could become quiet zones for passing trains, but it's likely to take months before residents get relief from the locomotives' blaring horns, The Herald News reports. The Federal Railroad Administration agreed in a letter to allow the villages to go ahead with plans to make the necessary railroad crossing safety upgrades needed before trains on the Canadian National Railway line can be prohibited from sounding their horns. The upgrades may take until next spring to complete, Frankfort Mayor Jim Holland said.

"We’re very pleased
to hear that the FRA has approved our project for a quiet zone," Holland
said. "We intend to get started with the necessary construction as quickly
as possible and get this implemented for our residents."

Both villages are pushing
ahead with efforts to get the quiet zone approval ahead of an expected jump in
the number of freight trains rumbling through town as part of CN’s acquisition
of the EJ&E Railroad. Nearly 30 trains are expected to eventually pass
through per day.

The EJ&E rails
acquired by CN in 2008 cut through many area communities, including Chicago
Heights, Park Forest, New Lenox, Frankfort and Mokena. The move was intended to
relieve rail congestion in many Chicago neighborhoods by diverting trains that
would have gone into the city to the 198-mile EJ&E route that circles the
city.

U.S. Rep. Debbie
Halvorson, of Crete, had submitted a letter to the FRA endorsing the villages’
plans.

With the quiet zones in
place, trains only would be required to sound their horns in emergency
situations. The railroad is supposed to pay for the crossing upgrades, which
include new medians to prevent cars from maneuvering around gates.

Frankfort has six crossings
from Harlem Avenue to 116th Avenue.

Tags: