Lake Worth is now a city with railroad quiet zones
Brightline, other trains will no longer sound horns at 14 crossings.
LAKE WORTH — The horn-blaring along the FEC line train tracks in Lake Worth went silent at 11:59 p.m. Monday.
Lake Worth issued a notice of intent for a quiet zone on Nov. 24, 2015, and Monday’s approval and announcement by Mayor Palm Triolo means that Brightline and other trains using the FEC tracks in the city will sound horns only to notify workers on the rail line, or in the case of an emergency.
Fourteen rail crossings will be affected by the quiet zones, according to the mayor.
“They actually have 32 trains that pass through our city limits each and every day, approximately, so it’s going to be some welcome relief for many of the homeowners living across the rail areas,” Triolo said.
Lake Worth joins West Palm Beach as the only two Palm Beach County cities to establish quiet zones along train routes. West
Palm implemented the zones May 15.
Though the silence puts an end to the consistent horn-blaring that became more prevalent when Brightline began running 79-mph passenger trains in January, the quiet zones do present a need for improved security measures. Without the horn signifying that a train is approaching the crossing, the city will rely on signage to alert those near the tracks to the oncoming train.
The city had visuals on display Monday to alert citizens of the new quiet zones and, while driving past crossings, residents can see signs alongside pedestrian walkways.
Lantana, Hypoluxo, Delray and Boca Raton are eligible to apply for quiet zone designations, which include a 21-day waiting process that requires a review of the city’s plan and a decision as to whether safety upgrades adequately account for the impending silence at the crossing.
“It’s only granted after significant risk assessments and upgrading of infrastructure,” said Triolo, who added she was appreciative of the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency’s involvement during the application process.
Among the upgrades made at railroad crossings in Lake Worth, which were funded by the TPA, was the installment of pedestrian gates as well as additional gates.
Since Brightline began testing along the Florida East Coast Railway tracks last year, five people have been killed by the company’s trains in Palm Beach County. Three deaths were accidental.
“Before we just had the regular gates that went across the actual street itself, but this is actually going across the sidewalks,” said Jamie Brown, Lake Worth’s director of public services. “Hopefully (pedestrians) will see those gates down and realize that they need to stop.”
Triolo echoes Brown’s hope. “People are going to have to take extra precautions, and they’re going to have to teach their kids about crossing safely,” Triolo said, “but I’m confident in the safety measures that we have.”