Rich Newlands is a Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) project manager. He is overseeing the quiet zone planned for the River District.
Plans call for intersections to be changed so that drivers can't drive around the crossing guard arms as the reckless currently do. Barriers will be added to prevent them from doing so. As a result of such changes, the train engineers won't need to blow their horns to warn vehicles of their approach, as is required by federal law.
"If all goes as planned work will begin in the fall," says Newlands. There are caveats, of course. Several geographic constraints could slow things down at points along the way. At some of the intersections in question, PBOT has applied for design exceptions.The final OK must come from the Feds.
Newlands hopes to know soon if there are any problems that could cause delay.
"We hope to begin street improvements in the fall, but most realistically it will be end of this year. If the Feds say that we need to do something differently, it may take more time."
There are five street intersections at play, all located within the River District urban renewal zone: Northwest 17th Avenue, Northwest 15th Avenue, Northwest 9th Avenue, Northwest Naito Parkway, and a pedestrian/bike path that crosses the tracks underneath the Steel Bridge. This last crossing presents the biggest challenge of all, says Newlands. Because it's located on Union Pacific land, they have to do the work on it, he says.
The crossings at 17th, 15th and 9th Avenues will be done first, and the trickier intersections resolved subsequently.
"Barriers are the main form of mitigation that the feds want," says Newlands. "To preclude a driver stupid enough to drive around the gates from doing so."
Along with the quiet zone come improvements that pedestrians will also enjoy. The Oregon Department of Transportation's Rail Division will make sure that the rest of the improvements are up to standard, says Newlands. There are pieces of missing sidewalk at some of the crossings and curb ramps and crosswalks will be added where needed. The south side of Northwest 15th Avenue will get additional sidewalk. And the sidewalk at 17th Avenue will be built out and completed.
Let me state. I would like to live in the Pearl. That being said. All these people that bitch about the train noise are idiots. They are truely the problem with society today. They move into an area that they know has trains and they want the trains to change for them. These same people move near the airport or PIR and bitch.
Now don't get me wrong. Improving the crossings for safety. That is a good thing. Decreasing noise polution. Also a good thing. But that isn't what this is about.
Next they will put in schools and then say that this is not a safe areas for trains to be. Then they will work towards banning the trains.
There is already a school right there, and nobody complains. The trains can continue their duties, but we dont have to hear them all of the time. As someone who works next to the tracks, there is nothing more annoying than an overzealous train engineer that LOVES to blare his horn far more than necessary. I for one am extremely happy for the quiet zone.
Shane, you wish you lived in the Pearl but you use the train thing to justify why you don't live here, claiming we're idiots. I'm sure you have done things where you live to improve the area. How would you like it people said, "Oh, now you expect the trees not to grow into the power lines? Next you'll want to install lights because it gets dark in the suburbs. You knew that when you moved in." Nobody wants to move the trains. WE LIKE THE TRAINS. We want a quiet zone which is a legal and usual occurrence in residential areas.
Monster: In all fairness to Shane, I don't think he used the train as a reason to justify why he doesn't live here. I think?please correct me if I'm wrong, Shane?that he was simply trying to say that he likes the neighborhood, but isn't a fan of folks [not just in the Pearl, but anywhere in the city] who move into an area and then complain about a known issue.
The complaints I've heard about the train have only been noise-related. I agree that most residents like the trains, just not the whistle. When the quiet zone was proposed initially, it received a lot of backlash from neighbors, because they thought this was a move to rid the neighborhood of trains. Over time, neighbors have thrown their support to those affected by the noise. I think that's downright neighborly.
i live in the pearl. i wish to be reminded of my safety at 3 AM. and for me, nothing less than 110 dB will do. it's quite romantic, really. thank you.