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Public Works

San Diego Completes Work Needed to Restore Railroad Quiet Zone Downtown

updated street with new paint and street signs

The City of San Diego has completed the required work and submitted documentation to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for the improvements at 12 Downtown intersections in order to reinstate the Quiet Zone.

Without the Quiet Zone designation, trains have been required to sound their horns when approaching highway-rail grade crossings through Downtown.

As of Friday, the City created and installed more than 120 railroad crossing signs and completed all required improvements to road markings at Laurel Street, Grape Street, Cedar Street, Beech Street, Ash Street, Broadway, Kettner and G streets, Hawthorn Street, Market Street, Front Street, First Avenue and Fifth Avenue crossings. Field inspections of the improvements were completed by the FRA yesterday.

The City also completed the required traffic survey, or Average Daily Trip Count, to determine the number of vehicles entering the crossings daily. These data and other required documentation were part of the response that was submitted to the FRA for review today.

In order for the Quiet Zone to be restored, the FRA must review and approve the improvements completed by the City and provide a notice of the reinstatement. City staff are communicating with FRA about timelines and will provide updates as they become available.