If you’ve noticed more train horns lately, you’re not imagining it. Since mid-September, trains have been sounding their horns at all 187 railroad crossings in the city of St. Louis, after the Federal Railroad Administration suspended the city’s quiet zones.
What happened
The FRA suspended the quiet zones on September 10, saying the city was out of compliance with required safety upgrades and paperwork. Mayor Cara Spencer said notices from the agency had been going to the email address of a former director of operations who left city government about 16 months earlier, so her office did not know about the problem until the suspension arrived.
Who is affected
Residents say the noise interrupts sleep, especially now that cooler weather has people opening their windows. Ward 9 Alderman Michael Browning has described it as a major quality-of-life issue and called for a special session to discuss it. Webster Groves was also affected after the FRA said its quiet zone was lifted inadvertently as part of the order.
What the city is doing
City officials say the work includes new crossing signs and new stop bar road markings. Old pavement markings have been removed, and new stop bars were expected to be finished this week. Signs should start going up within about two weeks, according to city leaders.
Relief could come in stages
On September 30, the FRA agreed to reinstate quiet zones corridor by corridor as updates are completed, rather than waiting for all 187 crossings. The city says it is prioritizing corridors with high residential density first. Mayor Spencer has said her administration aims to upgrade all crossings in residential areas by mid-December.
What residents can do
- Follow updates from the Board of Aldermen and the city’s traffic office for corridor timelines.
- Contact your alderperson with specific crossings that affect you.
- Expect the horns to continue in some neighborhoods for weeks or longer.
For many residents, the fix can’t come soon enough, but the staged approach at least gives some neighborhoods a path to relief before the full project is done.
