Town Of Wakefield: Broadway Crossing To Close So Quiet-Zone Status Can Be Reinstated

Wakefield MA

28 September, 2021

2:30 PM

Description

Press release from the Town of Wakefield: September 28, 2021 - 10:39am At their September 27, 2021, meeting, the Town Council reevaluated and ultimately reversed their September 13 decision to open the Broadway crossing with train horns sounding on a temporary basis. The Council heard from many residents at the meeting and noted about 20 public comment forms were received expressing concern about the noise. Speakers indicated that the horns' noise level, especially during the overnight hours, affected their sleep, health, and ability to focus at school and work. After completing safety-improvement work at the Broadway and Greenwood crossings, the Town was granted an exception from Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to allow the Town to maintain its Pre-Rule Quiet Zone status and open the Broadway crossing with the provision that the train horns will sound temporarily until all FRA paperwork is processed. That time period was estimated at five-to-six weeks, though that is an approximation based on the FRA's speed throughout the project. The Town has been notified that we have completed all the items requested and are waiting for the official written signoff. Several Council members stated that the level of noise was far louder than they anticipated when they voted to open the crossing. This was affirmed by local FRA Grade Crossing Specialist Lou Frangella, who indicated that horns lessen in their decibel level over time and, in previous years when Wakefield was not a quiet-zone community, were not always upgraded as they aged. A recent regulation now requires that horns are replaced when they drop below 96 dB to ensure a consistent 96-110 dB level. Questions were asked whether any alternatives could be considered, including closing a different crossing, closing Broadway only during evening hours, or temporarily making it a one-way street. It was noted that any of these measures would require an additional application and approval by the FRA, which would further delay the opening of Broadway when compared to the current permitting status. Several Councilors noted the traffic benefit the reopening has produced, but ultimately determined the negative impact of the horns outweighed the benefits of the crossing being open. They voted 6-0 for its temporary closure. The Broadway crossing will close later this week with notification to the MBTA and other track users to cease the horns. Once the FRA's approval process is complete, the Town can open the crossing with Pre-Rule Quiet Zone status. The votes to reopen and close the Broadway crossing do not impact this timeline. This press release was produced by the Town of Wakefield.The views expressed here are the author's own.