Some downtown Phoenix residents woken up by loud train horns in the middle of the night
PHOENIX - Many residents in downtown Phoenix say they're losing sleep because the loud sounds of a train horn keep waking them up throughout the night.
Federal railroad officials say a quiet zone downtown did not pass an annual inspection, and trains are now allowed to blare loudly in the area for now.
"The normal noise that was happening, you got used to," said resident Greg Axelrod. "You got used to that, it's acceptable. But the horns, that's crazy, you can't sleep through that."
Axelrod shared a recording of the train blaring at 1 a.m. from inside his apartment.
The Federal Railroad Administraton (FRA) said it temporarily suspended the downtown Phoenix quiet zone after the latest inspection showed it was not in compliance with federal regulations.
""In February, the FRA discovered that the City of Phoenix had some flaws in its quiet zone grade crossing safety treatments during an annual inspection," read a statement from the Federal Railroad Administration. "The City was provided 30 days notice to remedy the situation, and as of sixty days later there was no action from the City."
Some Phoenix residents complain about loud train noises
Residents in parts of Downtown Phoenix are complaining about loud train noises that some say are waking them up in the middle of the night. The freight trains are reportedly blaring their horns in what had originally been a quiet zone. FOX 10's Nicole Garcia reports.
The city had been granted a Quiet Zone in 2009 for the area near the Phoenix Union Pacific rail crossings between the 7th Avenue and 7th Street bridges.
Phoenix officials say they lost the Quiet Zone designation after further development in the area, which involved converting 3rd Street to two-way traffic near the train tracks.
As a result, train conductors are using their horns, warning people near the crossing of an incoming train.
Until the city resolves the quiet zone issues, Axelrod said he and his neighbors will be losing sleep.
"If you care about building downtown, and you care about the residents living down here... get our quiet zone back," Axelrod said. "That's all we ask."
Residents say they plan to attend the next city council meeting and bring up the issue.
The city released the following statement:
The City of Phoenix Street Transportation Department is proactively working to restore the Quiet Zone. As recently as today, the department installed new signage and will be installing recommended flexible delineators next week. These expedited changes are intended to increase the safety of people and vehicles in the area and should meet the FRA requirements to restore Quiet Zone.
Officials did not address why the changes reportedly took more than 60 days after the FRA gave notice.