Florida DOT awards Tampa $1.35 million grant to create quiet zone

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) on Tuesday awarded the city of Tampa a $1.35 million grant to establish a quiet zone along CSX Corp. tracks running through downtown Tampa. The total cost for the project is estimated at $2.7 million.

Quiet zones prohibit trains from sounding their horns at grade crossings as long as municipalities meet the Federal Railroad Administration’s mandated safety standards for crossings, such as by adding gates, street medians and signage.

Tampa officials aim to upgrade nine crossings throughout the city through the quiet zone effort.

“The train horns are a nuisance. As our urban core continues to densify, the horns are bouncing off the buildings throughout downtown, bothering residents and impacting our economic opportunity," said Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn in a statement. "Downtown residents and businesses can coexist with the trains, and a quiet zone allows us to strike that balance."