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Council told quiet zone with Norfolk Southern will be a multiyear process; safety upgrades required
Summary
A resident asked for an update on a proposed quiet zone at Depot Street; borough staff said a preliminary engineering agreement with Norfolk Southern is in place but creating a quiet zone is a multiyear effort that likely requires safety upgrades and coordination with federal regulators.
A resident asked the Bridgeport Borough Council for an update on the Norfolk Southern railroad crossing improvement and the proposed quiet zone; borough staff said the effort is in the very early stages and likely will take years.
“We're in the very infant stages,” a borough staff member said, noting a preliminary engineering agreement had been executed for review services with Norfolk Southern. “I don't think… this is gonna be a multiyear process,” the staff member added.
The staff member explained that a quiet zone removes a primary early-warning tool—train horns—so municipalities must compensate with additional safety measures at grade crossings. The required work can include upgraded gates and lights, enhanced pedestrian markings and other technology. “That's a significant expenditure, and it's a significant process to get through, with the varying agencies that oversee it,” the staff member said.
A councilmember summarized the jurisdictional challenge for residents unfamiliar with railroad regulation: federal statutes largely govern rail operations, and railroads typically coordinate with federal regulators rather than local authorities, which limits municipal leverage.
The council did not set a timeline or take formal action. Staff said they would check with the engineering firm and report back; council members cautioned residents to expect a slow, multi-agency effort.
