Quiet-zone brings hip-hip hoorays

by Dennis Dalman

editor@thenewsleaders.com

It took them two years of putting up with bumps and swerves and detours, but several residents and their supporters stayed decidedly on track and just wouldn’t let their plans be detoured.

And their determination paid off. The railroad crossing at CR 55 and Benton Drive has finally been designated a “Quiet Zone,” meaning trains will not be allowed to blast their whistles unless there is an obvious danger on the tracks ahead. The train whistles will stop by the end of June.

When they heard the news, it was a “hip-hip hooray” moment for two residents who live near that crossing – Laurie Bloom and Ann Popp. They cheered for the long-overdue success. For the past two years, both women, along with many supporters pushed for a quiet zone at that intersection.

Both Popp and Bloom live in Sauk Rapids Township, which is just across the river from Sartell and about a mile north of the paper-mill site. The two women live in the wooded neighborhood on the hill just east of Benton Drive.

Impetus

The impetus to initiate a quiet zone started with a drowned-out conversation in the spring of 2015. Bloom, who lives in the Thousand Oaks Addition, was visiting a neighbor’s home with other friends. They were sitting on the patio enjoying a conversation when suddenly the long blast of a train whistle put an abrupt halt to the conversation. It wasn’t the first time a train whistle had pierced the quiet of the neighborhoods. It had been happening many dozens of times day and night, and it became more intrusive because of a big increase in oil-train traffic due to production in the oil fields of North Dakota.

That day on the patio, Bloom and the others agreed it would be good to check into the possibility of getting that intersection designated as a quiet zone. Later, Bloom called friend Ann Popp, and they both decided to rally residents to attend a Sauk Rapids Township meeting. They were stunned at the good turnout and all the support their effort received.

They all realized it would take money to make a quiet zone become a reality. They made many contacts to find out how much. The estimates by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad were in the $60,000 range.

The two women and their supporters met with officials of Benton County, Sauk Rapids Township, the City of Sartell and other entities to find out if they could secure enough funding for the project. The Sartell City Council agreed to contribute $42,500. Sauk Rapids Township agreed to chip in $10,000 and another $5,000 if the quiet-zone advocates could raise a matching $5,000.

A letter-writing and solicitation effort began, and neighbors and other supporters succeeded in raising that amount. Once funding had been locked in, the construction changes required for a quiet zone were scheduled to begin by Landwehr Construction in September 2015. However, inclement weather put a halt to the project. It had to be delayed until spring of 2016.

But then, in January 2016, Bloom and Popp found out about the curve ball – a great big expensive curve ball. They received from Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railroad a written estimate that included $90,200 more than the money they’d already secured. That’s because a quiet zone at that intersection, so they were informed, would require installation of a “Constant Warning Circuitry” system. It would have to be installed on the third track at that intersection, the one leading to the paper-mill property. The circuitry system is an electronic method of alerting any coming trains if there is a problem up ahead. The other two tracks there already had that kind of emergency circuitry system installed.

Popp and Bloom were extremely disappointed because they had understood such circuitry could be added for $2,500, and that amount was part of the money they’d helped raise.

So it was back to the drawing board – more research, more questions, more contacts.

“Aside from winning a $92,000 lottery, there were not a lot of choices,” Popp recalled.

The letter

In their research, Bloom and Popp discovered constant-warning circuitry must be installed on tracks of quiet zones “where reasonably appropriate.” The two women mentally pounced on those three words: where reasonably appropriate.

Once again, the women made a flurry of phone calls about the shocking new estimate. They were told by BNSF that the original $2,500 for the circuitry system was inaccurate and should never have been sent to them.

Then, the women’s attention refocused on the Federal Railroad Administration, and they remembered reading about an option in FRA rules. That option was to ask the FRA if a warning-circuitry system would be absolutely necessary on the third rail of the intersection. Was it, in fact, “reasonably appropriate?” With Benton County’s blessing, the women hired the help of a consultant to write the rather technical letter. The letter was sent in October 2016. They knew it would be six to nine months before an answer would arrive.

And the long, suspenseful wait began . . .

Then, one day last March, a consultant called them with the good news: the FRA had determined that warning circuitry on the third track is not “reasonably appropriate,” meaning it would not have to be installed, especially since the third track in question no longer leads to the once-thriving paper mill.

The good news meant nobody would have to “raise” the $92,000 by winning a lottery and the money wouldn’t have to fall from trees. The women were elated by the news. It was what Popp called their “hip-hip hooray” moment. Five minutes after their cheers subsided, they called Benton County Engineer Chris Byrd. When could construction start? Byrd, also elated by the decision, agreed to consult with Landwehr Construction to determine a time frame. Later, it was set to begin on May 22 and to end on May 26. After the construction alterations are completed, there is a 21-day notification period before the crossing becomes an official “Quiet Zone” – on or about June 16.

Strong support

“We are so grateful to the people who lifted our spirits,” Bloom said.

“Without all of the pieces that fit, this could never have happened,” Popp added.

The women praised all of those pieces: friends and neighbors who helped organize and raise funds through mailings, the City of Sartell, Sauk Rapids Township, Watab Township, Benton County Engineer Chris Byrd and Dan Landwehr of Landwehr Construction.

In a quiet zone, a train conductor will still be able to use the train whistle if there is a clear danger on the tracks/crossing ahead or if the train goes from a complete stop to a start prior to a crossing.

Lessons

Throughout their long process, Popp and Bloom absorbed many lessons.

“It has taught us great patience, determination and perseverance,” Popp wrote. “We have learned when a roadblock is put up in front of you, don’t quit. Find another way. Find another path, another route. Become educated. Do your research. Make contacts and don’t be afraid to speak up. Many prayers were sent up through this process. We are the supporting cast members in a much bigger picture. All thanks goes to God. This outcome will provide a better quality of life for those affected. What better ending is there?”

Goodbye, Quiet Zone

In what is an irony of timing, Laurie Bloom and her husband, Maury, will move out of their Thousand Oaks Addition on just about the day the quiet zone will go into effect.

That is because they had long planned to retire at their cabin on Lake Edward near Nisswa. But even though she won’t be in Thousand Oaks to enjoy the new quiet, she is happy she was able to help so all the others there and the Sartell residents across the river can have lots of peace and quiet.

“We will miss Laurie,” Popp said.

Bloom worked for a food broker based in Eden Prairie before retiring. Popp has worked for years as a Montessori substitute teacher for pre-school through sixth grade.