RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — On March 12, Riviera Beach plans to establish "quiet zones" along the city’s 2.5-mile section of the Florida East Coast corridor that includes freight and Brightline trains.
A "quiet zone" is a section of rail at least one-half mile in length that contains one or more consecutive public highway-rail grade crossings at which locomotive horns are not routinely sounded when trains are approaching the crossings.
They must be equipped with active warning devices: flashing lights, gates, constant warning time devices (except in rare circumstances) and power out indicators. The locomotive engineer may sound the horn for emergencies, safety reasons or to comply with federal rules at any time.
The city applied for the "quiet zone" to the Federal Railway Administration after northward expansion of Brightline service to Orlando last year.
Rail crossings are at Silver Beach Road, West Blue Heron Boulevard, West 13th Street and Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
“The City of Riviera Beach’s proposed quiet zone is designed to enhance the quality of life for residents, while maintaining a safe, efficient transportation network,” Riviera Beach City Manager Jonathan Evans said in a news release. We thank the Federal Railway Administration for their consideration of our proposed quiet zone.”
Public Works Director. Roberto Trevieso said: "Once established, the quiet zone will greatly benefit our community by reducing noise pollution and improving safety, We are pleased to bring forth this quality of life enhancement for Riviera Beach residents and visitors.”
In 2018, several Palm Beach County cities instituted quiet zones, including West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Lake Worth Beach, Boynton Beach.
Earlier this month Indian River County commissioners unanimously agreed not to pursue a "quiet zone."
Brightline established service from Miami to West Palm Beach in 2018 and up to Orlando last September.