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• 24-hour quiet zones. <br />• Nighttime only quiet zones (must be 10 PM — 7 AM). <br />A quiet zone must be at least %2 mile in length and must include every crossing within the <br />designated area. <br />As part of the settlement agreement between Brightline and Indian River County, Brightline <br />constructed quad gates last year at 25 crossings in the County. The remaining 7 crossings are <br />either one-way (five crossings) or have a combination of exit gates and medians (two hybrid <br />crossings). Federal regulations contain a maximum risk index for the establishment of a quiet <br />zone. The 30 crossings consisting either of quad gates or one-way streets are designated by the <br />Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) as "Supplemental Safety Measures" (SSMs) and <br />automatically qualify for a quiet zone. The remaining two crossings, which are a hybrid of <br />approved safety features, do not automatically qualify. The quiet zone regulations utilize an <br />average risk index of all crossings in the quiet zone. Utilizing the risk reduction for the 2 hybrid <br />crossings would require a formal application and approval by the FRA, would lengthen the time <br />to implement a quiet zone, and require more frequent reporting to FRA. A review of the <br />regulations and discussions with FRA staff concluded that a risk analysis utilizing all 32 crossings <br />that neglects the risk reduction from the hybrid safety features at the 2 crossings would be the <br />most efficient route to obtain a quiet zone as the risk index of neglecting the safety features at <br />the two hybrid crossings would be averaged into the overall risk index score for all 32 crossings. <br />A County wide quiet zone risk index score would be low enough to allow the County to self - <br />designate the quiet zone which would avoid a lengthy formal application and approval by the <br />FRA. Based on this level of safety improvements at crossings, County staff has received <br />preliminary information that the only additional improvements needed to establish a County <br />wide quiet zone will be the placement of signs at all crossings notifying the public that a train <br />horn will not be sounded. <br />The 32 crossings in Indian River County consist of 22 County roads, 5 City of Vero Beach roads, 3 <br />City of Sebastian roads, and 2 state roads. County staff have also discussed quiet zones with City <br />staff in Vero Beach and Sebastian, and both have indicated a preference to participate in a County <br />wide quiet zone. In such a case, County staff will need to coordinate with City staff and FDOT to <br />prepare interlocal agreements regarding maintenance responsibilities for railroad crossing signs <br />and future reporting to FRA. The process to establish a quiet zone in Indian River County could <br />take up to six months. During that time, County staff would need to prepare a Notice of Intent <br />(NOI), respond to comments from the NOI, update the rail crossing inventory forms for all 32 <br />crossings, collect traffic counts at all crossings, run the quiet zone risk calculator, prepare a Notice <br />of Establishment, and install signs at all crossings. Should the County decide not to implement a <br />County wide quiet zone, the City of Vero Beach and City of Sebastian could establish their own <br />quiet zone within their municipal boundary. Florida Statutes and Federal regulations allow a <br />municipal quiet zone to include the County crossings that are located within the municipal <br />boundaries. <br />2 <br />