Once-quiet neighborhoods that were used to the occasional hum of passing trains have been bombarded with noise since the start of October. Even areas designated as “no train horn” zones – some of which have been in place for up to 16 years – are now experiencing the blare of horns. The reason? A recent inspection by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) revealed several crossings in need of maintenance.

According to a joint statement from the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) and Union Pacific, the two entities managing the tracks running through Utah’s metro regions, several pedestrian and vehicle crossings were found “out of FRA compliance, pending maintenance.”

The crossings, located in Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, and Utah counties, fell short of FRA standards on multiple fronts. The issues flagged included inadequate road markings, outdated signage, misplaced curbs, and other missing “enhanced safety measures.” The FRA’s inspection followed requests from two “sponsor cities” asking to implement or maintain quiet zones along the tracks.

Woods Cross and Lehi, the sponsor cities, submitted applications on behalf of various cities in their regions, as outlined in the statement. It is ultimately the responsibility of each individual city to ensure its grade crossings meet the necessary standards for quiet zone approval. 

Woods Cross City released a statement about the quiet zone and what they are doing to amend it. The statement stated that Woods Cross City cannot submit a letter confirming compliance with the regulations until 100% of the deficiencies comply or have been given authorized waivers. 

“When the current Woods Cross staff learned of the Quiet Zone responsibilities in 2021 through a letter from the FRA, we immediately engaged with the cities/agencies to ensure compliance of the crossings,” the statement read. 

A waiver request can take up to two or three months for the FRA to review and decide to approve or deny the application. 

“We understand this safety requirement will cause disruptions in communities,” the statement read, “and UTA and Union Pacific are committed to supporting cities in bringing these crossings back into FRA compliance.”

While the statement didn’t identify which specific cities or crossings were non-compliant, nor did it clarify if any of the infractions posed immediate safety risks, it left no doubt that the train horns will continue until the situation is resolved. A timeline for how long the horns will sound depends on when the last city makes the necessary upgrades.

While the zone is called the “Woods Cross Quiet Zone,” extending from Ogden to Salt Lake City, Woods Cross City cannot impose fines or legally compel any city or agency to correct the deficiencies. 

“The conditions are not in Woods Cross City,” said Woods Cross City Administrator Bryce Haderlie in the statement. “There are no noted deficiencies at any of the crossings in Woods Cross that are the responsibility of the city. Because Woods Cross is the agency that manages the Quiet Zone, we are responsible for coordinating with all of the cities and agencies that have crossings between Ogden and Salt Lake City.”

As cities begin responding to the FRA’s findings, UTA and Union Pacific said they have no choice but to direct operators to sound their horns at every crossing. Once the cities regain FRA compliance, trains will return to quiet zone protocols. λ