5.2. SR 12-20-2004
Item # 5.2
MEMORANDUM
FROM:
Mayor and City Co~
Michele McPherso'.'tirector of Planning
TO:
DATE:
December 20, 2004
SUBJECT:
Consider Downtown Railroad Quiet Zones
Attachments
. September 20, 2004 Director of Planning Memo
. July 6, 2004 MettoPlains Letter Requesting Quiet Zone
. Article - Thursday, November 18, 2004 St. Paul Pioneer Press - regarding Quiet Zone
Rules
The Council may recall on the September 20'" staff provided infonnation to the City Council
regarding implementation of quit zones at Main Stteet, Jackson, and Proctor in response to a
letter received from MettoPlains relating to the Downtown Development Project.
At that time, the Council provided no specific direction to staff regarding MettoPlains'
request. The next step to implementing a quiet zone would be for the City to contact
Burlington Northern Sante Fe staff in Chicago to run an incident analysis on the three
intersections. This incident analysis will determine what supplemental safety measures
would be required at each crossing to implement the quiet zone per Federal Railroad
Authority requirements. Staff has not completed this task as we are awaiting direction from
the City Council.
Request
The City Council is asked to provide direction to staff regarding the establishment of quiet
zones as requested by MettoPlains.
S: \pLANNING \ Case Files \2004 \P 04-19 Jackson Block \ 12 06 04 Quiet zone memo.doc
MEMORANDUM
FROM:
Mayor and City Council
Downtown Project Team
{J//
Michele MCPherso.},~irector of Planning
TO:
DATE:
September 20, 2004
SUBJECT:
Railroad Quiet Zones
On Friday, September 17''', Terry Maurer and I met with Spencer Arndt of the Burlington
Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) to discuss the Federal rules regarding railroad quiet
zones. Spencer provided the attached guidelines and methods to implement quiet zones to
us and I am forwarding them to you.
Occasionally, staff will receive requests regarding the use of train horns within the City froin
residents and we also received a letter from MetroPlains requesting that the City implement
quiet zones within downtown (letter attached).
There are five options for establishing a quiet zone within the City. They include closing a
crossing, creating a one-way street, installing medians, using four quad gates or installing an
automated horn (an automated horn sounds parallel to the roadway versus the train horn
which sounds parallel to the railroad tracks). The Council may recall that in 2003, the
crossing at the Troy Street alignment was closed.
The Council needs to be aware that there is no fundinf available either from the Federal
government or from BNSF for implementation of a quiet zone. All costs including
diagnostic analysis of the crossings, installation of equipment, and ongoing maintenance will
be the City's responsibility, should the Council chose to pursue a quiet zone at any of the
seven crossings in the City.
Prelinainary estimates anticipate that depending upon the option pursued, installation of the
various safety measures could be anywhere from $75,000 - $300,000 per crossing. Spencer
anticipated the horn option to cost $60,000 - $80,000 each. Ongoing maintenance is
anticipated to be approximately $5,000 per year. Again, these would be the City's ongoing
costs.
Rilllroad Quiet Zones
September 20, 2004
Page 2
Spencer outlined the process to implement a quiet zone. The first step is to contact a staff
person in Chicago who can calculate our incident ratio which will determine what needs to
be done and at how many crossings it needs to occur. Once the incident ratio has been
determined, the City can begin to look at specific crossings for establishing quiet zones. The
MetroPlains request require action at three crossings - Proctor, Jackson and Main Street.
If the Council desires, staff will contact the staff person in Chicago to analyze the incidents
at the seven crossings in the City; otherwise, staff will not pursue any further action
regartling this subject.
.
$: \PLANNING\:Miche1e McPherson \CCREPRTS\RR quiet zones.doc
eIIJ ETROPLAINS -
METROPlAINS PROPERTIES INC
METRO PLAINS DEVELOPMENT LLC
II
" II u 1/ ,\' i /I g
{ II I'
Ii e a ,- I [ {/ /I d
July 6, 2004
Mayor Klinzing and Council
City of Elk River
13065 Orono Parkway
Elk River, MN 55330
RE: Downtown Revitalization
In some of our preliminary work for marketing of the downtown Bluff Block and Jackson
Block professional realtors have identified that the noise that comes from the trains horn
whistle as it goes through the community of Elk River will cause problems with the sale
and leasing of the developments.
We have been advised by Burlington Northern (BNSF) that only the local road authority
can make the request and modifications that need to be done in order to have the Quiet
zone. We like to request that the City of Elk River establish a Quiet Zone in its
downtown. I have attached the information that was given to me by BNSF.
Ene.
SPRUCE TREE CENTRE . 1600 UNIVERSITY AVE, II SUITE 212
ST PAUL MINNESOTA 55104-3825
,~! 646 72.!g :!!I F.Aj (,S; 6-+6 ~q4" m N""'!':'le.r~CJbllc~')'"
:z
o
u
VJ
w
f-
U
z
5:
f-
5:
5:
5:
~
::J
c::()
::J
V)
..,.
o
o
....
00
-
II!:
OIl
<II
:i
OIl
>
o
z
>'
oC(
o
III
ill:
::)
:J:
I-
:r:
1-.....'.........
52
'"
'"
w
II!:
c..
0<:
w
w
Z
o
c..
-'
::J
oC(
c..
z
f-
'"
op.
<(
e::::::
o
LL-
V"'")
I--
LL-
<C
e::::::
L.J
>-
<C
o
z
o
I-
"
Z
><
...
....
V>
...
Z
~
...
....
u
'"
u
...
....
....
:;;
IX
...
I-
Z
...
u
---I
o
::r::
o
:z:
<C
V"'")
L..L.J
I--
:z:
==>
I--
e::::::
o
0....
0....
o
e::::::
L..L.J
L..L.J
I--
:z:
==>
---I
o
:>
V>
...
""
<(
....
o
z
::;
~
...
>
...
IX
o
:z:
'"
V>
""
<(
o
I
I-
'"
o
z
...
z
<(
....
'"
...
""
<(
....
IX
<(
...
'"
...
l-
I
~
L..L.J
L.J
---I
o
0....
'"
I-
:z:
"
...
:z:
'"
<(
Z
Q
<(
>
o
I--
V"'")
---I
---I
<C
L.J
~
...
:;:
V>
"
Z
OJ
o
::;
z
o
I-
:z:
"
"'
'"
~
...
Z
w
O'tl
~c:
....!
.. ..
ilia.
:!EO
u
L
~
....- ~
cd.:
~
=-
=-
Io-i~ en
e<:S 0. <I)
-....""
(1)0-
5'::;E S
U"",O
-<I=:
~ 0
~ "-
:--0.
CO
.....
€
~
~
~
o
OJ
., e1
'"
l-
I
..,
w
I
=
. ...-.4
'"
<(
Z
CI
<(
>.-.-
OJ
=
---0
N
......-
OJ
. ...-.4
=
~
U-.
L..L.J
-
0::::
CO
:z:
r:n
Q)
,.......;
t3
.-
~
~
.-
ed
......
.....
.....
~
.-
......
t3
Q)
......
o
.....
..c:
r:n
;:::::$
~
r:n
b
.-
~
Q)
td
~
.-
,.......;
g
o
~
r:n
Q)
,.......;
e
'cd
......
Q)
"'t:$
&
=~
(1).-
00"0
0:=
.::: :=
<:J,Q
.....(1)
<:J <:J
~.,...
.--
.:::0
<:J~
.... ....
<08
~b1i3,;! 1Zi"=~"'O a):::
a) "= Q) ;... bL);;::. =:5 C1J
"C"";:jQ,)C:o.. ca <:!)
Q) S O'''O._? "0 .c
~1-;Q,)~~g'5"CoE
CD 0.... 0._ s:: 0 Q,)
a~~~tJB~~"g~
.s c~ ~ ~~"3"'S."t..c "g
[j~B >.~g~~~'5 m
:t=baS..oca~....>_~ :E Q3
~ ,Vi C "0 8 ~ rJ'1 ;:: ~ ~ ....
"'j 0 (l)..... ~....ca Q)
bOO N..... ca Q - 0 I-;
~ ca r.n .... O....J {f;j 00 . ca
~ ':31J is ","''''OI~~ 1(J
~ -< ~ g,g ~ I :g a E $'3
"O..cOC_tl.JO~_Q,)""
.~ca""'C'.)'aoar.n ~"OQ,)
SOscbW.c.sI~~:S
~~t)~g-aQ)~t:~"g:s
(l.J~Q)..o ;3=00 ~s:;
:I:: &oo~ c:s g.~~ &~
';!~~2<~~~i!S~
~
'0
;j
.aCtl"S-=.alS'Ca-o fi)ca;;::~
rO-::: bJ:) C'..1 ?'::: '-< ~ .co <<i ~.~
~,s"'_~'O!i',: ~'O
2Z1i5~]!"S'E~~ 1)as~
~g.~~ ~ ~ ~~ o~ S3
OJC1.) ~"O >_ .51ij ~
~1-;(1)~~goj '2'S~~
.m g:S b C":tj =00 a 00 ct! 'S::
~:g g ~~~~.s ~ ~~~
~'O",i<~1(J "'> ~"aS
,......-oo~:s-+-';...oo i:t!i:d=
Q) ~ 0 ~ s Q) ~"~ ~ ~ g;... .
.sCt!NC,)=5~Q. Q)8C),s00~
..."C -tI:! 00 __ ~ os
~~'s.t3h-i ~ Ct! si s~
11J go C"~ "CJ 8"- Q) ..=.Q ~ C,) gs
~'g ~ ;j,s"',s ~zj~ ~'~~ ~
B"= ;S 00 ~ ~-- = tI:I Ct! 0 "C
a'E~ i:t! ~'CJ 5.~~< ~~ ~ ~
8',,8 ~I@..~!i.~ ~'~ ~ [;;
0::
"'~
:o~
<~
coo.
:-- ~
0::<:;
<"
::s .~
:--0.
co
a~z'~ ~~.~~~..
~~.~~ ~'a 8Q-E~
;...~O;.~ ;...~gsCt!O
.s:"ca iZI .... = C,) 1:) ~
11) 1:I,"ca~ 11) 8 ~ 11) Q)::::I
,,~"= ,s.c",!o&i8
00 i3 "C 0 o"d..= 11)
.;!3 C,)~:tj 11) 11) :3 .c
11) ct! iDa' ~ Q) 00
S1.;3 '0 ~ ..= ~.t:: - 11)
'ca 00 ;... '0 ~ ~:~ ~ -g- g
A. ct! ~ ~ ~;:::I;:::I 00 Q."=
~:a~o 08,g~.1=
eJ_ >=i = =..= ~ Cl) 11)
oooo.S ,s--lJ-sS:S
"",'~ ct:!1ti (1)_.... 0_
== " ~ "'=' "''''_ _0
~ NS.;g ~gjg'C ;:::I
Q):p:..... "ca . 0
~~$ga)::=~..QooS"C
Eo-< a Cl) 00.$= eJ;'... ~ ~
CQ ~ ~ g ~ ~ ~~ ~
~
"'-
""o~
~:v.E--6
c.... C ItI
:::I rc rc Q)
o .u-..c
U 0 Q. Q)
>. ~ rc.~
::::<iQ.Q
uciI::JQ.
:v ~ ~ g
Co ......-
a:'E)'"'C:=
Q) :::I 0 E
'Eco:::~~
.- "C ::J N QJ
UQJrc~1:
QJ~Q..(Ii!tl
~.~ +-'..c ::J
I- Q.V'! +-' C"
-
o
C
.2 QJ
~""
it.... ",!tIo,
- +oJ. Q).... 0 C'I C
~ it Ii].~ ~ -c u .!:: :0
<lI .~ 'c (5 E ~ Q. ~ ==
-;;-5~~tO~..c:.E
...c:: .......... (Ii rc E U'\ 0
+-' m i::~ c.. III (Ii +-' S
~~(lJ5~1gQj~
co
...
",.
'"
""
""
'"
:a
a=
z
<
0::
""
w.
~
~
~
.--..
~
~
~
~
o
~
w.
~
~
---
~
~
~
~
Z
~
o
~
~
.-
, co
..... 0 III +-'
~ '5103.!:: Q)
C c u 0 .....
Q).- 0........ t\) 0,
~ ~ 0.1 ~ .!::
<lI ...J QJ +-' O-C
(: -g ~.!:: .....~
~rcca::E..c
+-' U'\'- Q) ~
~~~~EQJ
Ea:ro2~c
t w 03 u ..... QJ
rou'';; C'I~-;;
c...=.u c VI '+-
~ U w:~ Qj 0
QJ..~roros~
~~~~8.8
~'"
'0 a; 0 . Q)..c:
C,et
.!!!......c: ~ g;: _ 0
E~slllQ)==z
Q) E =. ~ III ~ .....
EQ)ro>.o~~
t: ~::r:..Q....... Q) i:: .
rc..c >. 0..""0 t: Q) III
C. :::: E Q) ro > Q)
Q) Q) U Q) C ::J';:.!::
-c'5 III"'C C'lC"oc..
~c ~ c'~-g Q)~
'9:;0: ~"C ~~.~
Q)Q)Q).....Q) ...JU
~rou~i:t:scc
..c: ..c .=.- a. (Ii 0'-
+-' U:t:VlC+-,"C
Q) S Q) 0 It] Q) == It]
~ g-E~.!::~.E~
.11t: LULU
military
) die in'
)TA
IES
'gott, 20,
ed July
,ershot
ide the
Bagh-
mann,
f
6,
n Bagh-
anchot'.
. killed
3mbush
dad,
:er
1neapo-
5, 2004,
:rashed.
" killed
)04, in
'est of
rst,19,
" killed
2004,
ell,20,
led
:ket-
:tack in
28,
al
rks,
)04, in
ont
vi lie,
a vehi-
far, 45
lorth-
uesday
n
uen vt::u lrum nousenOlQ
garbage. Both projects would
face an extensive state review
process.
Rock-Tenn is scrambling for
power because the firm will lose
its cheap source of energy when
Xcel Energy converts its river-
front High Bridge electricity
plant from coal to gas in 2008.
For
20 years, Rock-Tenn has met its
considerable electricity needs
by generating power from
steam produced at High Bridge.
Currently, the high-pressure
steam is delivered through a
five-mile pipeline, which was
built in 1983. But when Xcel
begins shutting down High
Bridge sometime in 2007, the
steam production will cease,
forcing Rock-Tenn to look else-
where for power.
The company intends to seek
$500,000 in government aid to
study its power options and
complete the engineering and
permitting.
The city and the St. Paul Port
Authority are working with the
company on the issue. The firm
plans to seek state aid during
next year's legislative session.
Rock-Tenn General Manag-
er Jack Greenshields told a City
Council committee Wednesday
that the St. Paul plant needs
affordable power to remain eco-
nomically viable.
The company employs about
550 people in St. Paul, even after
recent job cuts related to the
closure of a carton-folding oper-
ating are taken into account.
like the downtown District
Energy facility, or "refuse.
derived fuel," a solid material
made from garbage.
Council Member Jay
Benanav, whose 4th Ward
includes the Rock-Tenn plant,
said he would strongly support
the company's bid for state and
city aid.
"The bottom line is we can't
afford to lose this," Benanav
said. "You can't replace 550
jobs."
Rock - Tenn converts about
1,000 tons a day of recycled
paper into corrugated packing
matenal at its complex along
Vandalla Street.
the service wer
Andersen, I
governor and a
elected to a t
1960, defeatir
Farmer-Labor (
man. Two year
bid for re-electi
Rolvaag by 91 v
After ieavin
sen distinguisl
chairman of tl
Minnesota B01
president of thl
torical Society,
to create parks
ural resources, '
preneur, philar
man and civic IE
The last Min
state was fom
Stassen, who di.
There was a I
for former Gov.
at the Capitol af
year. Although
Minnesota Histe
of those who ha~
was cremated a
not present at th
The honor of
reserved for dig
list is short - a I
nors, U.S. senato
bly longer, to meet the new stan-
dards before their bans lapse.
The interim rule doesn't grant
such leeway to cities with newer
bans, although Flatau hinted
the final rules might do that.
The new rule uses a complex
formula to assess nsk based on
train speed, vehicle traffic vol-
ume and speed, and previous
accidents at a crossing. Cities
that want to keep a ban or enact
a new one must boost safety
measures at high-risk crossings
by installing flashing lights and
longer cross arms or road medi-
ans to prevent motonsts from
skirting shorter cross anns.
According to the federal
agency, about 300 Minnesota
crossings are affected by exist-
ing bans, including about 60 in
St. Paul and 90 in Minneapolis.
But according to the agency's
online calculator, St. Paul has
only three crossings that
require extra measures, said
Rick Person, a program admin-
istrator for the city's public
works department. All three
have the required safety devices
or will have them within five
years, he said.
All the city must do is to sub-
Robert Ingrassia can be reached
at ringrassia@pioneerpress.com
or 651-292-1892.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE lB
Train
whistles
(continued)
effect - possibly Jan. 10 but
perhaps later --' the federal
agency won't process Vadnais
Heights' request, said Warren
Flatau, an agency spokesman in
Washington, D.C.
The federal rule, in the
works since 1996, will require
train engineers to sound their
horns at all crossings, supersed-
ing state laws, local ordinances
and railroad company rules that
now govern such whistle blasts.
The rule was intended to
counter a spike in crossing fatal-
ities brought on, railroad com-
panies argued, by municipal
whistle bans. The bans were an
unintended consequence of the
North Amencan Free Trade
Act, which boosted freight traf-
fic throughout the United
States.
Cities with bans in place
before the end of 1996 will be
given up to five years, and possi-
11 December ~ I, 200.
'nace and register to win...
paid by Anderson Heating" for
V, February, & March 2005
,IGNI"G.IBON"'S~ )
You ehoose...
n vPo;:lr n::.rtc: Jt l::Ihnr \AI::.rr~nt\1 III.
mit a request to continue its
horn restnctions by Jan. 10. But
Person offers a caveat: "We
seem to be in very good shape
- if this calculator is giving us
the nght numbers."
The calculator has been
error-prone since it launched,
he said, and it's been offline
since August. St. Paul faces mil-
lions of dollars in upgrades if
the calculator is off; Person said.
Fortunately, Vadnais Heights
also had just three crossings to
address. All already had flash-
ing lights and cross arms
installed by Canadian Pacific. In
addition to County Road F, the
city installed a median on
McMenemy Street, and Ramsey
County installed one on County
Road 96.
Hexom estimates that with
consulting fees, the city has
spent several hundred thousand
dollars making the crossings
safer so residents can get a
decent night's sleep. "The peo-
ple in our area have been wait-
ing years for this," he said.
CAPITOL
Previous Minnes
lain in state at tt
1905 - Col. Wil
Civil War veterar
Minnesota Volur
1909 - Gov. Jot
who died at age
fourth round of
intestinal ailmen
50,000 mourners
casket when he I
1923 - U.S. Sen
a former govern!
near Baltimore 0
on his way home
from Washingtol
1935 - U.S. Sen
Schall, who was I
while ~rossing a ~
ington, D.C.
1936 - Gov. Flo'
who died of pant
An estimated 20C
paid their respec:
1937 - Frank B.
mer U.S. senator,
of state and Nobl
winner.
1965 - State Sel
1978 - Former 'v
and U.S. Sen. Hub
Humphrey, who d
After having lain
U.s. Capitol, his b,
in the Minnesota
An estimated 40,(
turned out in free
to pay their final t
Mary Bauer can be reached at
mbauer@pioneerpress.com or
651-228-5311.
TWIN CITIES
Salvation Army's bell ringing kicks off
The Salvation Army kicks off
its bell-ringing season today
with a host of festivities in
downtown St. Paul and high
hopes of a good holiday season,
despite starting with a $2 mil-
lion deficit and the loss of Tar-
get stores as a bell-rtnging site.
. ':It'~ going to be a ~ day,"
Chrtstmas, St. Paul firefighters
and Minnesota Wild staff,
among others, ringing the bell
Salvation Army officials are
hoping for a banner season
after last year's disappointment
of failing to meet the goal of $6.3
million from the kettle cam-
paign, which raised $6.1 million.