Sugar Grove Railroad Crossings
Are Whistle Free

In mid August the sounds of train whistles were no longer heard at the Main Street and Dugan Road crossings in the Village of Sugar Grove. 

Long time resident, Mrs. Carla Peterson, stated, “I have lived next to the railroad tracks for almost 25 years.  It is true that you get used to the noise of the trains and I didn’t think being whistle free would make a difference.  However, it did it.  It is nice to not hear them in the middle of the night.  Additionally, since I work out of my home I no longer have to stop in the middle of a phone conversation when a train goes by.  Sugar Grove did a great thing, enacting the quiet zone.”
Mrs. Mandi Grotto, resident and mother of three stated, “Having three small children it is extremely nice not to have train whistles interrupting their sleep.  I love it! (Sugar Grove being whistle free) It is wonderful to be able to sit in the yard and have an uninterrupted conversation”.

Mr. Gary Parrino, in an email to the Village wrote, “I just wanted to say thank you to the Village for making the Main Street railroad crossing a quite zone. It’s nice to be able to have the windows open and not be awakened by a train in the middle of the night.  A job well done!”.

Village President, P. Sean Michels, stated, “Although the process was long and the paperwork extensive, the Federal Railroad Administration was helpful and cooperative in assisting the Village to achieve the quiet zones.  Bringing a project to completion that improves a resident’s quality of life makes all the time and effort worth it.” 
Sugar Grove began working in 2006 to achieve railroad quiet zones.  At that time the Village filed the paperwork needed for the Local Rail-Highway Crossing Safety Program.  The Local Rail-Highway Program was needed to construct the required barrier curbs on Main Street to insure the safety of motorists.  No changes were needed to the Dugan Road crossing as when this crossing was upgraded in 1996 curb barriers were installed.  The Quiet Zone agreement between the Village and Burlington Northern was signed in June of 2008.

(Sugar Grove, IL) -
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