ST. LUCIE COUNTY — Beginning Monday, Sept. 1, three railroad crossings in southern St. Lucie County will become quiet zones, where train horns will no longer routinely sound for approaching passenger or freight trains.
The crossings at Midway Road, Walton Road and Riverview Drive were selected based on federal criteria, including limited pedestrian use, the presence of four-quadrant gates, and the absence of nearby intersections or vehicle stacking issues. Safety records at the locations also factored into the designation.
“The increase of 32 passenger trains per day, in addition to the increase in freight, most of which run at night, has negatively impacted the quality of life for residents who live along the railroad and in proximity to highway rail grade crossings,” St. Lucie County Public Works Director Patrick Dayan said in the release. “We hope these new quiet zones help residents rest easier.”
The designation follows the start of Brightline’s high-speed passenger rail service in September 2023, which added dozens of daily trains through St. Lucie County. Ahead of the expansion, Brightline installed safety upgrades at many county-maintained crossings, including four-quadrant gates.
Although train horns will no longer be routinely used at the quiet zones, engineers may still sound them in cases such as vehicles, pedestrians or animals on or near the tracks, construction workers within 25 feet of a live track, or other emergencies. Federal regulations also require additional signage warning drivers of the lack of train horns.
Residents and motorists are urged to use caution near the crossings, as the absence of horns marks a change for the community.
More information about quiet zones is available from the Federal Railroad Administration at railroads.dot.gov