By Jennifer Eisenbart
Staff Writer
Burlington City Administrator Kevin Lahner hasn’t had an easy week, but I hasn’t been quite as bad as anticipated.
“It’s really not as bad as I thought,” said Lahner about the number of complaints received as trains began sounding their horns again last week while coming through the city.
He stressed Tuesday that city staff is working diligently with not only the Federal Railroad Administration, but its U.S. and state representatives to try and return Burlington to a horn-free zone as soon as possible.
There are two petitions that have been filed, Lahner explained. The first will be heard next week at an FRA safety board meeting. But in the meantime, city staff has also requested an expedited hearing to resolve the issue before next week’s hearing.
That petition was filed in the beginning of June.
“We’ve been asking since then for them to hear our issue sooner,” Lahner said.
Meanwhile, it’s fair to say city residents aren’t shy about letting their voices be heard. The complaint volume at City Hall is high. Megan Watkins, Director of Administrative services, estimated that there are several calls an hour. The City’s Facebook page has also had several comments.
“I want to say we’ve had maybe six people walk in with complaints,” Watkins said.
Complaints are also numerous at the Boardwalk Apartments, which are located right across the Bridge Street from the train tracks – with nothing in between to block the noise.
“I tell them the same thing they told me,” Boardwalk Manager Vivian Brooker said about her complaining residents. “I’ve given them a petition to start. I don’t know what else to do.
“It is very difficult for them,” Brooker added. “It’s bothersome. They’re across the street.”
The manager at the Hampton Inn in Burlington – which had faced some controversy before it was built about the noise of trains going by the hotel – was not available for comment.
Meanwhile, the avenues of social media are also being used by both officials and residents who wish to weigh in on the issue. The city posted the following update on its Facebook page Monday:
“Please be assured city staff is taking the issue of the train horns very seriously and that the we have been working diligently on this issue since it first came our attention,” the post reads. “We have employed the help of U.S. Representative Paul Ryan, State Representative Robin Vos, and the State of Wisconsin Railroad Commissioner to assist us with this issue.
“We have been in constant contact with the Federal Railroad Administration and Wisconsin Central/Canadian National Railroad. The issue relates to the timing of the deadline and the timing of a hearing to consider our waiver request for more time to install the required improvements. We were hopeful that the FRA would not instruct the railroad to sound their horns until the hearing took place, but unfortunately that was not the case.
“Please take a moment to help us resolve the issue by submitting a comment in support of our waiver request with the Federal Railroad Administration. (It then advises readers to visit the following online link to submit a comment in support of the city’s petition: http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=FRA-2013-0039-0006) “Please also forward the link to as many people as possible and ask that they also submit a comment in support of our petition. Thank you!”
The responding comments were varied. While one person said that the horns were needed to keep people off the tracks and for safety issues, another argued the point.
“If you can’t tell a train is coming by the bells and flashing lights and striped bars coming down then perhaps Darwin was correct,” posted Jay Askin.
Others conceded the need for safety, but didn’t care for the timing.
“I understand the safety concern,” said James Smith. “But I don’t need to be warned a mile and a half away at 3 a.m. in my bedroom.”
William Person Jr. responded to that with, “It is not for you. They only honk at crossings.”
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WHAT DO YOU “MEAN” THAT THE “HORNS” ARE NOT AS BAD AS YOU THOUGHT? TRY “LIVING” ACROSS THE STREET FROM IT. IT’S “NOT” A LITTLE “TOOT”, SOME OF THEM “LAY” ON THE HORN LIKE THERE’RE A LITTLE KID SAYING HA, HA, I GET TO TOOT MY HORN NOW AND “IGNORE” THE QUIET ZONE SIGNS.
You need to think and read the article more closely Judith, the engineers are doing their job by blowing the horn. If they do not do it, they will lose their job. Make sense now? They are not ignoring the no train horn sign, they are doing what the federal law tells them to do. If you have a problem with what they are doing as required by federal law, maybe you should talk to you local elected officials at the state and federal level(like they care anyhow!!, they don’t live here) or maybe you should talk to our 6 figured salary City admin. and ask him why he and his co workers dropped the ball by not filing the proper paper work on time! The city ultimately is 100% to blame for this, not the railroad or the federal government! Hope this helps clear things up fo you Judith!
Please don’t tell me I have to “THINK”. I “realize” it’s a Federal law and “understand” they “have” to blow the horn and I “know” they are not ignoring the sign. The city “does” have the “no train horn” horn sign covered with plastic bags for now. We were just angry because some of the engineers “ARE” JUST “LAYING ON THE HORN” THE WHOLE WAY DOWN THE TRACK INSTEAD OF JUST BEFORE THE INTERSECTIONS. That’s the reason our whole residential area is in such an uproar
Trains or engines approaching public highway grade crossings shall sound the horn at least 15 seconds, but no more than 20 seconds before the lead engine enters the crossing. Trains or engines travelling at speeds greater than 45 mph shall begin sounding the horn at or about, but not more than, one-quarter mile (1,320 feet) in advance of the nearest public crossing. Even if the advance warning provided by the horn will be less than 15 seconds in duration. This signal is to be prolonged or repeated until the engine or train occupies the crossing; or, where multiple crossing are involved, until the last crossing is occupied.
Since we have 5 crossings in town it may seem like they are “LAYING ON THE HORN” because as soon as they leave one intersection they are approaching another.
Each intersection is supposed to get 4 horn signals. Two long, one short, followed by one long signal of the horn.
Just another reason of why I purchased a house outside of the city and it looks like a good decision now. Good luck to everyone in the city and I hope this issue is resolved very soon.
Can someone tell me what the City failed to file? Then I can trace it back to the person, or people, responsible.
Please see the following link to our original story on the issue: https://www.myracinecounty.com/?p=10174
The city missed a deadline for mandated safety upgrades at railroad crossings because staff mistakenly believed the deadline was in 2014, not 2013. The city administrator said the mistake was likely a typo that occurred when he — or another city staff member — entered the project in a planning spreadsheet.
And how much is our city administrator paid for his services? If he dropped the ball on this, what else is there waiting in the shadows to come and slap us city residents? If I screwed up like Kevin did at my job, I most likely would be looking for another job….. What kind of punishment is our administrator receiving for this screw up? I am sure I can guess what it is!!!
BINGO! Budget issues, filing errors…sounds like a bargain at 6 figures! One of the highest paid CA in Wisconsin! Keep up the great work!
“Not as bad a I thought”, sound like Kevin is covering his butt once again!