Pleasanton Council To Consider Quiet Zone Along Train Corridor

PLEASANTON, CA — The Pleasanton City Council will consider launching a new Capital Improvement Project to study the feasibility of establishing a Quiet Zone along the city's train corridor.

Quiet Zones are federally approved areas where trains are no longer required to routinely sound their horns at crossings. According to a city staff report, Pleasanton has long considered establishing a Quiet Zone, but it was previously estimated to cost around $2 million. In order to establish such a zone, the city will need to assess the rail crossings, conduct site diagnostics, and determine if safety improvements like gates or barriers are required in order to meet federal standards.

However, people living along the train corridor have long complained to the city about noise pollution, sleep disruption, and quality of life related to loud train horns. Castlewood Road in Alameda County recently enacted a Quiet Zone that cost only $40,000, which helped reignite conversation about the possibility.

If the city council gives the green light, consultants will spend the next two years conducting a study to determine the necessary improvements and costs. The study will also include preliminary designs, which will be submitted to agencies like Union Pacific, the Federal Railroad Administration, and the Altamont Corridor Express.

See here to learn more, and here for Tuesday's full agenda.