DART to activate quiet zones along Silver Line

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is set to begin passenger operations on the Silver Line commuter-rail route before the end of the year. To prepare for that, the transit agency is activating quiet zones along most of the line.

During testing, trains are required to sound their horns as they approach all grade crossings. However, DART has partnered with the Federal Railroad Administration and six of the seven cities along the Silver Line to establish a quiet zone ordinance that covers most of the 26-mile line, DART officials said in a press release.

The Silver Line crosses seven northern Texas cities between the Dallas Fort Worth Airport and Shiloh Road in Plano. Quiet zone activation was set to begin in Coppell yesterday; Addison and Dallas plan to activate quiet zones tomorrow; and Carrollton, Richardson and Plano intend to activate quiet zones on Aug. 22.

In order to activate quiet zones, DART needed to implement additional safety measures to ensure the public is aware of oncoming trains that do not sound horns. Safety additions along the Silver Line include fencing, crossing gates and unmountable curbs to keep drivers from going around gates at crossings, DART officials said.