City Council Meeting
Quiet Zone Study
Churchill Avenue, E Meadow Drive, & Charleston Road
November 10, 2025 www.PaloAlto.gov
1 AGENDA
Purpose
Draft and deliberative - For discussion purposes only
Recommendation & Next Steps
Background
Alternatives review
2 Purpose
Reduce Noise and Improve quality
of life through implementation of
measures such as a Quiet Zone in
Palo Alto
Approval of Four Quadrant Gate
System improvements for
implementation of Quiet Zone at
Churchill, Meadow, and Charleston
crossings
3 Background – Quiet Zone Implementation
Palo Alto Quiet Zone Implementation
Initiated through Community Input
Council Priority Setting
4 Phase I: Palo Alto Avenue Crossing
• Initiated in 2022
• Construction- In progress
• Anticipated Implementation in
Summer 2026
Phase II: Churchill Avenue, Meadow Drive,
and Charleston Road Crossings
• Consultant services procured (2024)
for Quiet Zone study
• Rail Committee recommendation in
September 2025
Background – Study Area
Churchill Avenue
East Meadow Drive
Charleston Road
This initiative is being
undertaken as an interim
measure separate from the
ongoing discussions about
rail grade separation.
5 Background – Train Horn Overview
Railroads are regulated by the Federal
Railroad Administration (FRA)
Train horns are required by the FRA
Decibel level requirements for horns
Advance notice (20 seconds)
6 Background – What is a Quiet Zone?
In a Quiet Zone, the train horn does not need to sound as it approaches a crossing.
To establish a Quiet Zone, the applicant needs to
demonstrate that the crossings with additional measures would lower the risk index if operated without horns
when compared to the existing condition.
Most crossings, as they exist today, do not meet the
safety thresholds to implement a Quiet Zone.
7 Alternatives Review – Wayside Horns
A Wayside Horn (WSH) is an alternative to
Supplementary Safety Measures (SSM) installations.
A WSH consists of a physical horn installed at the
crossing to warn motorists of oncoming trains.
WSH reduce the spread of sound of traditional train-
mounted horns, focusing the sound in the direction of
oncoming traffic.
https://www.sugarlandtx.gov/688/What-are-Wayside-Horns
8 Alternatives Review– Four Quadrant Gates (Recommended) New vehicle exit gate arms
Refreshed striping and signage to meet federal standards 9 Quiet Zone Study – Summary of Findings
10 Wayside Horns
Stationary horns @ crossings, directing sound toward the roadway.
Quad Gate System
Four-quadrant gates block all lanes
Cost ≈ $1.5M (lower upfront investment). ≈ $4.1M (higher upfront investment).
Maintenance specialized technical support & limited suppliers. Higher Ongoing Effort. Established vendors.
Noise Less noise spread than traditional train horn. Eliminates routine train horn noise.
Safety No added physical barrier. Provides physical deterrent to gate circumvention.
Community
Feedback:
Viewed as a “half measure”—less preferred. Strong Community support.
Use Case: Considered as Interim option Supports permanent Quiet Zone and future CA High- Speed Rail.
Construction Relatively simple installation. Smaller infrastructure footprint.
More complex installation. Larger Infrastructure
footprint.
Regulatory
Compliance
Not recognized as a FRA Quiet Zone. Recognized as one
for one substitute for train horns.
Recognized FRA Supplemental Safety Measure
(SSM); enables full Quiet Zone designation.
On September 16, 2025; Rail
Committee reviewed the Quiet Zone
Study and recommended to proceed
with
Quiet Zone Implementation
through Four Quadrant Gate
Systems
Rail Committee’s Review
11 Quiet Zone Study – Background - The Process
Agency Coordination
Conceptual Design / Safety Analysis
Public Outreach & Final Report
Select Safety Measures and
Recommend Improvements for
Council consideration
Council Approval
Study Phase (CURRENT)
Permitting/Agreements
(CPUC, Caltrain)
Final Design
Funding
Construction
FRA Certification
Implementation Phase (FUTURE)
12 Quiet Zone Implementation – Project Delivery Option
13 Prior Estimate Total Time:
36 Months – 60 Months
Estimated Cost $ 4.1 to 5.6 million
Consultant
Procurement
(4-6 months)
Project Design
& Reviews
(12-18 months)
Transition
Project to
Caltrain for
Construction
(4-6 months)
Project
Construction
(12-18 months)
Notice to FRA &
Request to
Caltrain
(2-4 months)
GO 88-B
approval from
CPUC
(2-4 Months)
City to Design & Caltrain to Construct
Quiet Zone Implementation – Project Delivery Option
14 Prior Estimate
Total Time:
32 Months – 50 Months
Estimated Cost $ 4.1 to 5.6 million
Caltrain Service
Agreement
(4-6 months)
Project Design &
Reviews
(12-18 months)
Construction
(12-18 months)
Notice to FRA &
Request to Caltrain
(2-4 Months)
GO 88-B approval
from CPUC
(2-4 Months)
Caltrain to Design & Construct
Recommendation & Next Steps
• City Council: Approval of Four Quadrant Gate
Systems safety measure to install at Churchill
Avenue, Meadow Drive, and Charleston Road for
Quiet Zone Implementation
• Procure Funding and coordinate with Caltrain to
initiate the project design.
15 Ripon Bhatia
Ria Lo
CITY OF PALO ALTO
16