Longmont may have to endure airplane noise for a while longer, but train noise, on the other hand, is nearing a major reduction.
The City of Longmont announced crews have completed the construction of safety improvements at the first group of railroads in the city’s Railroad Quiet Zones Project. Improvements were made at crossings on 3rd Avenue, 9th Avenue, 17th Avenue, and Longs Peak Avenue.
The upgrades pave the way for each area to be designated as a “quiet zone.” This means trains can pass a crossing without using a horn, allowing them to skirt federal rules requiring trains to sounds their horns at all public railroad crossings. Required safety improvements vary but can include upgraded crossing gates, raised medians, enhanced pedestrian crossings, new fencing, and roadway modifications.
Big picture:
Since May 2025, the city has been working to institute quiet zones at 17 railroad crossings across Longmont. 14 of these are funded by a $4 million grant from the Federal Rail Administration. The city opted to divide each into four groups, and complete construction one group at a time.
With Group 1’s improvements now done, work begins on Group 2. This includes the crossings on 4th Avenue, 5th Avenue, 6th Avenue, 21st Avenue and Terry Street. Work should be completed by early 2027. So, when will horns actually stop sounding? Even though construction was completed on the first group, crossings still need the final stamp of approval from the FRA. But, here’s an expected timeline from the city:
Fall 2026: 17th Avenue
Winter 2026: 5th Avenue/Atwood Street (crossing closure) and Terry Street/1st Avenue (crossing closure)
Summer 2027: 3rd Avenue/Atwood St., 4th Avenue/Atwood St., 6th Avenue/Atwood St., Longs Peak Avenue, 9th Avenue and 21st Avenue
Spring 2028: Main Street/1st Avenue, Coffman Street/1st Avenue, Emery Street/1st Avenue, and Mountain View Avenue
Summer 2028: State Highway 66 and Hover Street
Learn more about the project here.