As with all Government projects, timelines always seem to drag on. This even becomes more prevalent on a project like the Downtown San Diego “Quiet Zone” because it requires the cooperation and agreement of the Metropolitain Transit System (MTS), North County Transit District (NCTD) and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF). You add all of these bureacracies together and it can be a logistical nightmare, but it looks like we are at the final step in the process before construction can begin.

Downtown Quiet Zone construction & Funding Recommended by Board

 On May 26, 2010 the Board recommended in a 6-0 vote that the Redevelopment Agency and City Council approve construction of the Downtown Quiet Zone to improve pedestrian and vehicular safety at 12 downtown crossings. This would also greatly reduce locomotive horn noise for residents, hotels and businesses. 

The $20.9 million project would add safety improvements including the installation of medians, pedestrian curb ramps, new traffic signals, quadrant gates at various crossings and sidewalk improvements. The railway intersections include First and Fifth avenues, Front Street, Kettner Boulevard and G Street, Market Street, Broadway and Ash Street, Beech, Cedar, Grape, Hawthorn and Laurel streets.  The residents of Little Italy are really going to love the improvements because they get more traffic from the Coaster than Marina District and East Village Residents.

If the city council approves the plan as it is, construction could start as early as this summer. There will be some minor delays and temporary detours, but this will be a wonderful change for downtown residents. There is nothing worse than getting a 4:00am wake-up from an inconsiderate locomotive operator that is way too addicted to his horn.

Downtown San Diego Community Plan

The proposed Quiet Zone Project advances the Visions and Goals of the Downtown San Diego Community Plan and the Objectives of the Centre City Redevelopment Project by:

• Providing safe, efficient transportation systems
• Improving the railroad and street right-of-way grade crossings to the latest standards to maximize public and train safety
• Increasing the quality of life for downtown residents and businesses by reducing the noise associated with train horns
• Minimizing the conflict between pedestrians, vehicles and trains.

Do you think this is city money well spent?