Downtown San Diego Quiet Zone Update

It sounds like we’re getting closer to the much-anticipated Quiet Zone for downtown San Diego.  But I’ll believe it when I don’t hear it.  (See what I did there?)  According to Civic San Diego, a programming glitch delayed implementation but those isues have been resolved.  The final configurations will be be performed the week of Sept 10-14.

The city, Civic San Diego, MTS, and North County Transit District are with working with the California Public Utilities Commission and the FRA for solutions to the sound of the Pedestrian/Bicycle warning bells away from adjacent residences.  They are in the process of requesting a variance from the current standards for the warning bells that are utilized at each of the at-grade crossings.

After the Quiet Zone improvements are complete, the City Engineer will certify that the improvements have been completed, submit updated crossing inventory sheets to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), notify all parties, and after the 21-day notice period, the Quiet Zone will be established.  The establishment date is currently estimated to happen before the end of the year.

Originally, the improvements were scheduled to be completed in October, but those dates have come and gone. Not to mention that this all was first promised in 2007. Sleep tight, Marina District, and enjoy higher property values once the horns are silenced once and for all.