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Tomball consultant outlines FRA quiet‑zone process; council opts to pause active pursuit
Summary
A consultant briefed Tomball council on the Federal Railroad Administration's quiet‑zone process, potential safety measures and multi‑million‑dollar costs; after questions about ownership, safety data and funding, council reached an informal consensus to pause active pursuit and asked staff to prioritize repairs at local crossing approaches.
Frank Twinavides, a multimodal engineer with Ardura Group, told the Tomball City Council on Oct. 6 that establishing a railroad quiet zone is a federally regulated, multi‑step process administered by the Federal Railroad Administration under 49 CFR part 222.
Twinavides said a quiet zone requires a minimum half‑mile segment of rail where horns are not routinely sounded and that cities must perform a diagnostic review with police, fire, TxDOT and rail operators before submitting a notice of intent to FRA. He described supplemental safety measures — such as median islands and four‑quadrant gates — intended to prevent vehicles from going around gates and said those measures are reviewed…
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