The City of Glendale will be creating its first ever railroad quiet zone. The zone will be along Metrolink Antelope Valley Line, Valley Subdivision, at the Flower Street, Grandview Avenue, and Sonora Avenue crossings. A railroad quiet zone eliminates the need for trains to sound their horns as they approach the crossings. Once the Quiet Zone is in effect, it will be on a continuous 24-hour daily basis. The Metrolink Antelope Valley Line is operated by the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) and is utilized by Metrolink and Amtrak for passenger rail service and by Union Pacific Railroad for freight service.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) mandated in June 2005 that locomotive horns be sounded at all public crossings to warn motorists. However, the FRA does provide the opportunity for localities to mitigate the effects of train horn noise by establishing quiet zones. For Glendale to be eligible for a quiet zone, various safety improvements were installed at the three public crossings to reduce the risk of collisions due to the lack of train horns. Most importantly, four quadrant gates and raised median islands were installed to prevent drivers from circumventing the entrance gates when they are lowered. Other improvements to enhance the overall traffic safety for trains, vehicles, and pedestrians include, but are not limited to, additional signage and striping, traffic signal system installations and modifications, railroad signal, train detection, and track circuitry upgrades, as well as, pedestrian gates and channelization installations.