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Council pauses further action on railroad quiet-zone study after city engineer outlines potential costs and Union Pacific review fee
Summary
City staff updated council on a feasibility study for a railroad quiet zone estimating about $250,000 to implement safety measures at three crossings and reporting that Union Pacific would require a review agreement with an estimated $75,000 cost before discussing amendments; council declined to proceed immediately.
The Lockhart City Council was updated on a feasibility study for a railroad quiet zone and declined to authorize a formal agreement with Union Pacific Railroad that city staff said is required before Union Pacific would review a formal quiet-zone application.
What staff presented City engineers completed traffic counts, established quiet-zone limits for six at-grade crossings, and calculated a risk-index average method that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) confirmed was acceptable for the study. Staff recommended three crossings as the most economical locations to pursue with supplementary safety measures and developed an initial implementation estimate of about $250,000 for those three sites.
Union Pacific review fee and uncertainties Union Pacific told city staff that it will not enter into substantive discussions or review an application until the railroad and the city sign a review agreement; staff reported that Union Pacific estimated a review-related expense of about $75,000, payable by the city to Union Pacific for costs the railroad incurs during its review. Staff emphasized the estimate is a preliminary figure and that actual costs could differ; if Union Pacific requires improvements at all six crossings or different treatments, the implementation cost could rise substantially.
Council reaction and direction Council members raised concerns about the scale of possible costs, the open-ended nature of the railroad's review expenses and the absence of guaranteed FRA approval even after paying review fees. Several council members suggested the city wait to see how nearby Seguin's process and experience unfold before committing funds. Staff recommended, and council agreed, to hold further action on the Union Pacific agreement at this time and monitor peer-city developments before deciding whether to proceed.
Ending: Council asked staff to follow Seguin and other nearby projects and deferred any payment or agreement with Union Pacific pending further information.
