ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! STOP THE RAILROAD TRAIN HORNS!!

GET ON BOARD! SIGN THE PETITION! SPREAD THE WORD!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TO HELP SPREAD THE WORD, PUT UP LAWN SIGNS, ETC... PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO: StopTheTrainHornsNJ@gmail.com

Federal Railroad Administration ("FRA") rules require trains to sound horns at all crossing (regardless of time) unless a NO TRAIN HORN QUIET ZONE has been designated.

A designated Quiet Zone requires installing certain supplemental safety measures ("SSM") at crossings in the zone until a target NSRT safety rating is achieved.

Please sign this petition demanding that the Mayor of Piscataway and the Mayor of South Plainfield, as well as the respective governing Council Members of The Township of Piscataway New Jersey and The Borough of South Plainfield New Jersey immediately take the necessary steps to establish the NO TRAIN HORNS- QUIET ZONES at Grade Level Crossings.

The proposed Quiet Zone at issue are at the follow locations: (CLICK LINK BELOW FOR MAP)

1. NEW BRUNSWICK AVENUE (Near New Market Ave)
   
2. CLINTON AVENUE (Clinton Avenue Extension near New Market Ave)
   
3. FRONT STREET/METUCHEN ROAD (Near Sherban’s Diner)

CLICK LINK BELOW FOR MAPS AND PHOTOS: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZSbHEfrSxx35PzPY8

The 24 hour use of Railroad train horns continue ALL DAY and THROUGH the night and into the early morning hours in the Township of Piscataway NJ and the Borough of South Plainfield, NJ.

Changes to the Federal Rules governing the mandatory use of Railroad Train Horns at and approaching Grade Level Crossings have drastically deteriorated the quality of living anywhere within a mile of these crossings. Right now, the FRA requires that engineers sound their horns for a minimum of 15 seconds while approaching a street intersection. Horns must blow at a minimum of 96 decibels — imagine a power mower — and a maximum of 110 decibels — the average threshold at which a sound provokes human pain.

Remarkably, the freight trains currently run through the area 8-14 times a day (including at least 5-7 times during the late night/early morning hours). The train horns are extraordinarily loud and disruptive to sleep, outdoor activities and general enjoyment of homes and businesses in the area.

Fortunately, The Federal Railroad Administration has established a program to create NO HORN QUIET ZONES at these grade level railroad crossings.

The Railroad Industry lobbied Congress and the Federal Railroad Administration(FRA) for unprecedented protections for the Railroad Companies to be completely exempt from being held responsible to contribute any funds to the creation of the federally regulated NO TRAIN HORN-QUIET ZONES which can actually be more safe, because of the rigorous infrastructure upgrades required. To qualify, authorities have to work with a diagnostic team composed of representatives from the state, FRA and railroad owner to come up with ways to mitigate risk in the absence of horns. These supplemental safety measures could include improved gates that block traffic in all directions, road channelization or medians that prevent cars from driving around gates.

Unfortunately, only the Local Municipality that governs the roads that intersect the Grade Level Crossings can make an application to request NO TRAIN HORN QUIET ZONES. In order to establish a quiet zone, a written Notice of Intent must be sent to the Federal Railroad Administration and the railroad carrier operating over the impacted right-of-way. The Notice of Intent has a 60-day comment period. If there is a private and/or pedestrian grade crossing in the proposed quiet zone, a diagnostic team (composed of representatives of the impacted railroad carrier and the Federal Railroad Administration) must evaluate whether or not the quiet zone meets the above stated criteria. After expiration of the 60-day comment period (or after completion of diagnostic team recommendations, if any) a Notice of Quiet Zone Establishment with a minimum 21-day notice period. The quiet zone is established upon expiration of the 21-day notice period. Thereafter, the routine sounding of horns at the quiet zone crossing is prohibited.

Please sign this petition demanding that Mayors and the governing Council Members of The Township of Piscataway New Jersey and The Borough of South Plainfield New Jersey immediately take the necessary steps to establish the NO TRAIN HORNS- QUIET ZONES at any Grade Level Crossing at the follow locations:

The proposed Quiet Zone at issue are at the follow locations: (CLICK LINK BELOW FOR MAP)

1. NEW BRUNSWICK AVENUE (Near New Market Ave)
2. CLINTON AVENUE (Clinton Avenue Extension near New Market Ave)
3. FRONT STREET/METUCHEN ROAD (Near Sherban’s Diner)

CLICK LINK BELOW FOR MAPS AND PHOTOS:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZSbHEfrSxx35PzPY8

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TO HELP SPREAD THE WORD, PUT UP LAWN SIGNS, ETC... PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO: StopTheTrainHornsNJ@gmail.com

Read about NO TRAIN HORN-QUIET ZONES at Federal Railroad Administration website: http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Details/L04781