Proposed ‘quiet crossings’ could change the sound of the West Bottoms

Union Street and Hickory Ave. intersection train crossing // Photo by Zoe Strohm

West Bottom’s business owners and residents may see a major change in the future due to the proposed “quiet train crossing.” According to the Federal Railroad Administration, a “quiet crossing” is “a section of a rail line at least one-half mile in length that contains one or more consecutive public highway-rail grade crossings at which locomotive horns are not routinely sounded when trains are approaching the crossings.”

These crossings require specific safety elements to be built due to the lack of train whistle noise to alert others of the oncoming train. 

In an April “quiet zone study,” the Union Avenue and Hickory Street intersection and the St. Louis Avenue and Mulberry Street intersection were studied to see if a quiet crossing would be feasible. Part of the study included a proposal for implementing these safety barriers, including potential permanent road closures, four-quadrant gates, and impermeable medians. 

Councilman Eric Bunch says, “This [change] has long been desired by people in the area.” 

Some business owners worry that implementing a quiet crossing and its necessary safety precautions will affect their business. 

“My father opened this business in 1962. If they decide to put a median, they will be removing all the parking and my driveway,” says business owner Edward Phillips. “This will put me out of business.” 

“No one has the intent of restricting someone’s access or shutting them down or shutting down the access for their customers or their deliveries or anything of that nature,” says Bunch. “Communities change and cities evolve. Ultimately, you have to make a decision that’s best in the best interest of the broader community.”

Historic West Bottoms Association President Tom Esselman says, “Consensus may not always agree, but if we do our job right, it will mean that nobody will feel like their voice wasn’t heard and that their points of view weren’t considered in whatever the final outcome is.”

The proposal is still in the early stages and has no finalized plans. If approved, construction is predicted to begin in three to five years.  

“Our main goal is public safety infrastructure improvements, and we really believe in achieving a balance of the new and the old because we have such a unique persona in Kansas City,” says Esselman. “I think it’s fair to say that whatever winds up happening, the goal is that it will be based on consensus so that the majority of all the opinions will be best accommodated by whatever the final decisions are.”

This would not be the first example of a quiet crossing in the Kansas City metro. Oak Grove, Blue Springs, and St. Joseph each have their own quiet crossing.