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Sioux City staff update council on three railroad quiet-zone corridors; estimates cost and timeline for gates and signal work
Summary
Public works staff detailed progress and obstacles on three proposed quiet-zone corridors — Leeds, Riverside and downtown phase 2 — and said final agreements with railroads and a Federal Railroad Administration review will determine timing and costs; staff estimated multi-year timelines and roughly $1.5 million for remaining Leeds corridor work.
Senior civil engineer Britney Anderson presented an update to the Sioux City Council on March 25 about three railroad quiet-zone corridors the city is pursuing: the Leeds corridor, the Riverside corridor and downtown phase 2.
Anderson said the Leeds corridor has six crossings (three Union Pacific and three BNSF) and that the city completed a diagnostic with railroads and the Federal Railroad Administration in 2023. An April 2024 accident at the Fun Place crossing required the FRA to re-evaluate corridor risk, and Anderson said the city now expects additional upgrades at 40 Sixth Street and Fun Place — including four-quadrant gates and interconnection — before the FRA can approve horn-silencing. "Estimate on that is 4 years and estimating remaining cost 1 and a half million," Anderson told the council.
Riverside corridor: Anderson said Riverside has four crossings and that the principal outstanding action is the Bruner Avenue crossing. Options discussed include closing the crossing and acquiring two adjacent properties, closing with alternate access, or signalizing Bruner and adding gates and lights. Anderson said prior outreach found property owners were not willing to sell and that staff will reopen conversations and gauge current costs before identifying a preferred option. Staff put a five-year estimate on that corridor to allow time for property discussions and the FRA review.
Downtown phase 2: Anderson said the city is closest to implementing quiet-zone protections there. The city already added medians and other improvements; Iowa Street will be signalized this summer and the city has had a Notice of Intent with the FRA since February 2023. Anderson said once Iowa Street’s signal work is finished the city expects to receive FRA approval and implement the expanded quiet zone covering seven crossings.
Why it matters: Anderson emphasized that quiet zones require three elements that are outside city control — negotiated agreements with railroads, completion of capital improvements, and federal approval — which can produce multi-year timelines. She also described how proximity of crossings can require interconnection and additional gate installation to satisfy FRA risk scoring.
Next steps: staff will continue negotiations with UP and BNSF to place agreed improvements in the railroads’ work plans, finalize design and submit the notice of intent to the FRA. The presentation did not include a formal council vote; it was an informational update.
