Construction wrapped up on the last week of June on three major train routes in San Marcos, reinstating most quiet zones across the city.
According to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), cities and counties can establish quiet zones, where trains do not sound their horns if crossing a specified section that follows specific safety regulations.
In 2024, San Marcos heard the train horn for the first time since quiet zones were first established in 2015. The FRA found a handful of train crossings that were no longer up to code.
Senior Project Engineer Rey Garcia wrote that on the Hopkins intersection, the medians were replaced with 6-inch-high curbs and medians, and on McCarty, Centerpoint and Posey was replaced with 8-inch curbs.
“Each intersection is evaluated for safety and used in a calculation to verify quiet zone compliance,” Garcia wrote. “Annual inspections with an associated checklist will be implemented to ensure all intersections are compliant.”
According to the press release from San Marcos, the city has 28 train crossings being designated as quiet zones, all situated along four main train routes: Austin Mainline 1, Austin Mainline 2, Lockhart and Bobcat Drive/Uhland Road. However, Bobcat Drive/Uhland Road was not a part of this construction update.
“The Bobcat Drive and Uhland Road intersections were not included due to the upcoming construction of the LP 82 overpass during the time of quiet zone establishment,” Garcia wrote.
Garcia wrote that another project is underway that will continue the quiet zone up to the Uhland Road intersection.
Along with the new raised medians, all updated crossings include signage such as “No Train Horn” signs and striping that indicates stopping.
The median replacement project was inspected on June 26 and was covered under a public improvement project. Garcia wrote that a punch list, which includes the completed updates such as minor signage, striping, and median work, has been created and is currently being installed.
The press release said the extended work was due to the complex permit process, however, San Marcos addressed the permit issue in an older press release.
“The city had planned to submit a single Maintenance Consent Letter (MCL) permit for construction, but Union Pacific required the City to submit two separate permits to complete the necessary work,” according to the older press release.
According to Garcia, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds were used to build the median, signage and striping phase of work, and city funds will be used to continue the quiet zone toward the Uhland Road intersection.
The FRA required other public safety measures, like raised medians, gate systems and signs, to be implemented to make a quiet zone; however, conductors are allowed to sound the horn in cases of emergencies.
Rachael Rowly has lived two miles from the Hunter Road and McCarty train crossing for 19 years and said that the train horn is a constant in the background noise.
“The construction has been aggravating…but I’m grateful that they only have one section closed at a time,” Rowly said.
Rowly said that she always found the train horn comforting; however, she can understand how it can be intrusive to the houses right next to the train crossing. She said that without the train horn, her neighborhood would go back to hearing the highway and the breeze.
