Railroad Crossing Improvements

09/21/2021 Update

One at a time, two downtown railroad crossings will temporarily close for safety improvements as a part of the City of Greeley’s quiet-zone project.

The first crossing, 8^th Street between 6^th and 7^th avenues, will close Thursday, Sept. 23, through Monday, Sept. 27.

Then the 10^th Street railroad crossing, between 6^th and 7^th avenues, will briefly close Oct. 5 through 8.

During these temporary closures, construction crews will maintain local and business access. Drivers and pedestrians crossing the railroad during construction will need to use the marked detours.

To create a quiet zone along the Union Pacific Railroad in eastern Greeley, the city needs certain enhanced safety features at each railroad crossing to ensure drivers stay off the tracks when trains are nearby. Then city officials go through a process involving an application to the Public Utility Commission, approval from the Federal Railroad Administration, and notice to the railroad operator. Officials expect the 8^th and 10^th Street crossings to finish that process in early 2023.

Quiet Zones Start Soon

Several railroad crossing in east Greeley will reach the end of the quiet zone process soon. In about two months, quiet-zone rules will go into effect on these east Greeley railroad crossings:

• 16^th Street
• 18^th Street
• 22^nd Street

Project Background

The City of Greeley is working to improve safety at local railroad crossings along the north and east railroad corridors— and implement a Quiet zone along the city’s eastern railroad corridor.

Officials are working to improve railroad crossings along Great Western’s railroad on the north side of Greeley at 11th, 14th, 35th, and 59th avenues and O Street.

And on the east side of Greeley officials are working to create a Quiet Zone along the Union Pacific Railroad. To create that Quiet Zone, the City needs to make improvements at each railroad crossing.

To obtain a quiet zone designation, Greeley must first make several changes and improvements to railroad crossings in that area to ensure drivers stay off the tracks when trains are nearby.

By default, trains are required by law to sound their horn at all crossings to alert nearby drivers and pedestrians — even if no one is around. However, with a quiet zone designation, trains are only required to sound their horns in the case of an emergency — such as a person or car on the tracks.