Residents near the upcoming G-Line for the commuter rail and patrons dining on patios in Olde Town Arvada often have to elevate the volume of conversations when trains --; both freight and commuter rail --; roll along Grandview Avenue.
But within a couple months, things will quiet down --; literally.
As Arvada residents await their turn to hop on the train, construction crews are putting finishing touches on stations and testing is underway to keep noise to a minimum.
"The construction of the G Line stations is progressing well with final landscaping, lighting, security camera and other amenity installation underway," Tara Bettale, a FasTracks public information manager, wrote in an email.
The new G-Line commuter train line is nearing completion, with a tentative opening day in October. The 11-mile long route will connect Denver's Union Station with northwest Denver, Adams County, Arvada and Wheat Ridge. Regional Transportation District officials haven't placed an exact opening date yet on the stations, but hope to make an announcement soon. Bettale said the contractor, Denver Transit Partners, needs to finish more testing on the G-Line before announcing a date.
Workers stationed at each crossing are part of that testing. There are flaggers on shifts 24 hours each day as the lines prepare to become "quiet zones."
The Federal Railroad Administration requires engineers to sound train horns 15 to 20 seconds before reaching a public crossing, unless it is a designated quiet zone, according to www.fra.dot.gov.
Safety features vary depending on the type of intersection and traffic volumes, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. Features like the crossing arms covering the entire intersection and pedestrian gates are among the improvements that must be in place and working properly for the quiet zone to be established at crossings near residential areas.
"Since the crossings are not commissioned and are being tested with moving trains, all entities involved want to be sure everyone is safe," Bettale wrote in an email. "So, if a crossing malfunctions during the testing of them, the flaggers can direct traffic to be sure there are no conflicts between a vehicle and a train. When a train is not going through the crossing, it can certainly look as though they don't have a job. But because testing is unpredictable, it's important for them to have a presence at the crossing in case something with the gate mechanisms malfunction."
There are 17 crossings along the G Line. Three are in Adams County and the rest in Arvada and Wheat Ridge, according to Bettale.
Maria VanderKolk, communications manager for the city of Arvada, said RTD is handling the logistics and infrastructure costs for the quiet zone on the G-Line, which runs parallel to a freight line. But the city is familiar with establishing quiet zones and she asked residents to be patient.
"The testing phase for a quiet zone is a long time," Vanderkolk said, noting it can often last several months per FRA requirements.
The city spent about 15 years making another freight rail line in town a quiet zone at a cost of about $250,000 per crossing. The area in which the new commuter line is being built wasn't previously designated a quiet zone because there were only occasional freight trains passing through. However, in recent years, residential development has increased in the area as the commuter rail has neared completion.
"With the G-Line coming it's a train every 10 or 15 minutes, so it would be intolerable (without a quiet zone)," Vanderkolk said.
The train horns are currently sounded until testing is complete.
"It will eventually end," Vanderkolk said.
Bettale said testing is scheduled for 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, though that is subject to change.
"The train horns, once the quiet zones will be approved, will stop for not only the RTD G Line commuter rail trains, but also the freight trains," Bettale added. "However, all operators of all trains are obligated to blow horns for any safety or emergency situation. Testing included the commissioning and testing of the railroad crossings to ensure the railroad and the traveling public is safe during crossing trains."
An exact schedule for the commuter rail has not yet been established for the Arvada station on Grandview Avenue in Olde Town and the Wheat Ridge station near Ward Road and West 52nd Avenue. But it is anticipated to stop at the stations every 15 minutes during peak hours (6 a.m. until 6:30 p.m.) then every 30 minutes during non-peak hours. A few weeks before the station is open, exact schedule and fares will be available at www.rtd-denver.com/g-line.shtml.
from Lakewood Sentinel - Latest Stories http://lakewoodsentinel.com/stories/Next-stop-quiet-zones-along-commuter-rail,234862
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