SALT LAKE CITY — Two Utah cities are considering employing 24-hour-a-day flaggers at grade crossings to restore a quiet zone on a stretch of Union Pacific track also used by Utah Transit Authority commuter trains.
Two quiet zones, stretching from Ogden to Provo and in place for up to 16 years, were suspended last Sept. 30 by the Federal Railroad Administration, which found deficiencies at some crossings. The portion from Provo to Salt Lake City has been restored following an FRA inspection last week, but the northern portion remains suspended, to the dismay of those living near the tracks.
KMYU-TV reports that one crossing in Salt Lake City and one in North Salt Lake will require crossing gates to correct the issues, but those repairs could take 18 months or longer. As interim solutions, the FRA has suggested closing the roads or hiring flaggers. Salt Lake City and North Salt Lake are currently assessing the latter option, which could cost up to $300,000 annually. They have also asked the FRA to issue a waiver that would require trains to sound their horns only at those two crossings, rather than throughout the entire quiet zone; that request is pending.
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