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Roseville Public Works, Environment and <br />Transportation Commission <br />Agenda Item <br />Date: May 27, 2014 Item No: 6 <br />Item Description: Train Noise Impacts Discussion <br />Background: <br />Over the past year or so city staff have been receiving an increasing number of complaints from <br />residents from the east side of Roseville regarding train horns, especially during nighttime hours. <br />The Canadian Pacific RR which does not have tracks in the City of Roseville but is just to our <br />east through Shoreview, Little Canada, Maplewood, and St. Paul is operating the trains all night <br />which are causing the noise issues. The increase in traffic is due to fracking sand and crude oil <br />being transported to and from North Dakota oil fields. The Minnesota Commercial Railroad <br />who operates trains on the east -west line in Roseville currently does not run trains during the <br />night time hours. Staff has been getting noise complaints from as far as 3/4 mile away from the <br />line in Little Canada, and Maplewood. Railroads are federally regulated and there is limited <br />things the cities can do. Quiet zones can be mandated by cities but require additional crossing <br />safety equipment installation at city expense and results in shift of liability for accidents in <br />certain circumstances. It is the city in which the crossings lie that can establish quiet zones. <br />Shoreview and Little Canada have studied the cost of doing so in their cities and are seeking <br />funding to upgrade the crossings to allow for quiet zone designation. Roseville staff has <br />participated in some of the meetings with the railroad on behalf of Roseville residents and <br />support the efforts of the neighboring cities to establish the quiet zones. The City Council is <br />receiving calls from residents on this issue and may be having some discussion as well in the <br />near future. <br />Attached is a map and the federal regulation requiring trains to blow their horn approaching at <br />grade crossings. Staff will present any additional information we can find regarding the Little <br />Canada and Shoreview studies and their plans to mitigate this issue at the meeting. There may <br />be several residents at the meeting who may wish to share with the Commission how the train <br />noise is impacting their quality of life. Staff has received over 15 complaints in the past month <br />regarding the noise issue. <br />Recommended Action: <br />Discuss train noise and its impact on the community. <br />Attachments: <br />A. Map <br />B. Federal regulation regarding required train horns <br />