Quiet Zone

The City of Grand Forks will be getting a little bit quieter as several railroad intersections in town are going to become Quiet Zones. A Quiet Zone means that a train will not be required to blow its whistle when approaching a Quiet Zone intersection. A total of 10 railroad crossings in Grand Forks have had safety measures added to qualify as a Quiet Zone.

Please be aware when approaching a railroad intersection to use extra caution and look both ways as a train may be coming and not blowing its whistle.


Safety First

With the Quiet Zones going into effect, the City of Grand Forks urges residents to use extra caution when approaching a railroad crossing.

Just because you don't hear a train whistle doesn't mean a train isn't coming. Be sure to look both ways when entering a railroad crossing and please adhere to the safety measures that are in place.



Which intersections will be Quiet Zones?

Not all railroad crossings in Grand Forks will be Quiet Zones. The rail line that goes to the state mill along N. Washington St. will NOT be Quiet Zones.

The Quiet Zones will be...
  • Downtown (S. 3rd St., S. 4th St., and S. 5th St.)
  • Demers Ave. (42nd St., 55th St. and the two crossings by the Amtrak Station west of town)
  • N. 42nd St. (University Ave., 6th Ave. N., and Gateway Dr.)



How do intersections become Quiet Zones?

Each railroad crossing is given a rating by the Federal Railroad Administration. This rating helps determine if a train is required to blow its whistle when approaching an intersection.

The city was able to use this rating to see what safety improvements had to be made at each intersection in order to be a Quiet Zone.



Why didn't the city do this sooner?

This process started several years ago with many different plans, but it was never financially feasible.

The railroad then changed some of its requirements for Quiet Zones and the North Dakota State Legislature made some funds available. These 2 things helped the city move forward with Quiet Zone construction.




City of Grand Forks
255 N 4th Street * Grand Forks, ND 58203 * Phone (701) 746-INFO