The city is continuing construction on train intersections throughout San Marcos to reinstate quiet zones. The next project, set to begin March 31, will focus on the Hopkins Street intersection between Walgreens and H-E-B, according to a March 25 news release.
The work is scheduled from March 21 to April 4, between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., weather permitting. During construction, the inner lanes adjacent to the center turn lane will be closed, while the outer lanes closest to the right-of-way will remain open for traffic.
Current situation
In February, San Marcos staff received a permit from Union Pacific Railroad, or UPPR, to complete construction at the Hopkins intersection to address deficiencies identified during previous inspections.
Minor repairs were completed on 18 intersections in November. However, more significant repairs, including curb and median replacements, are still required at six remaining intersections, including the Hopkins intersection, according to the release.
The city hopes to receive the necessary permits for the five major crossings, excluding the Hopkins intersection, by the end of March, with repairs potentially completed by June.
Once repairs are completed, and UPPR confirms all necessary improvements have been made, quiet zones will be reinstated.
“We are committed to maintaining and improving the quiet zones to minimize disruptions in our community,” San Marcos Senior Engineer Rey Garcia said in the release. “We are taking steps to prevent future compliance issues, including implementing a new curb design standard to discourage contractors from overlaying next to the curb and reducing curb height.”
The catalyst
City staff have been working on railroad crossing improvements following an inspection by UPPR and the Federal Railroad Administration, which identified quiet zone deficiencies at several crossings. This led to trains sounding their horns for the first time since 2015 in May 2024, according to the city’s website.
To reinstate quiet zones, the city must address maintenance issues at railroad crossings in compliance with FRA requirements. These measures include installing automatic warning devices, such as flashing lights and gates, and constructing medians based on traffic volume analysis, according to the website.
The city website states that inspections of San Marcos crossings identified deficiencies, including medians below the minimum height requirement and violations of signage and striping standards.
