Central Texas town on cusp of launching long-planned quiet zone work
2/23/2026
By Jeff Stagl, Managing Editor
Nearly a decade ago, the city of Waco, Texas, commissioned a feasibility study on a quiet zone in a vital downtown area. Now, the project is poised to enter the construction phase.
Waco leaders recently approved a contract to establish a quiet zone involving 10 grade crossings between Peach and 13th streets. In a quiet zone, locomotive horns aren’t routinely sounded when trains approach a crossing. A zone can be established if certain Federal Railroad Administration-required safety measures are implemented at all associated crossings.
The city has been developing the project with Union Pacific Railroad for some time. The feasibility study — which was launched in July 2017 — led to the city and UP reaching an agreement in July 2018 for the railroad to complete preliminary design work.
UP’s Waco Subdivision serves as a central hub for its traffic in the region, connecting surrounding areas.
UP will install all signal gates, signal houses and concrete crossing panels, and provide $6.6 million for the project.Union Pacific RailroadFor the quiet zone, the city and UP will provide $11.1 million and $6.6 million, respectively. The Class I will install new signal gates, signal houses and concrete crossing panels at the crossings, while the city will handle the work involving concrete curbs, gutters and sidewalks, raised concrete medians, signage and pavement markings.
The quiet zone will create a more pleasant and inviting downtown environment, and provide significant safety enhancements for both pedestrians and drivers, says Waco Director of Infrastructure Services Charles Leist.
“Additionally, these improvements will enhance the quality of life and overall residential experience for those living in the downtown area,” he says.
The quiet zone will help improve tourism, too. For example, Hotel Herringbone — which is located near a crossing on 4th Street — continues to experience unpredictable train noise at all hours, according to city officials. Hotel managers had asked city leaders to establish the quiet zone to help prevent further business losses in downtown Waco.
Shown: A crossing on 13th Street. City workers will install concrete curbs, gutters and sidewalks, raised concrete medians and pavement markings for the quiet zone.City of WacoThe city had approved the quiet zone work in 2021, but a series of events stalled the project for several years. During that time, estimated city construction costs rose from the original $4.2 million to $6.55 million and then to the current $11.1 million.
In May 2021, the city awarded a design contract to Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. to prepare plans and specifications for improvements adjacent to the UP easement. Then in November 2022, UP sought a $100,000 supplemental design agreement from the city and extended design completion to May 2023, with construction anticipated to be finished in January 2024.
But that didn’t happen because something else occurred within the city’s organization, says Leist.
“Public works management changed in July 2024. The new director sought to evaluate the quiet zone project and update the Waco improvements to include additional utility, sidewalk, street and drainage work,” he says.
The changes led to the higher project costs for both the city and UP.
Now, after all the delays and machinations, work is finally set to start. The project is scheduled to begin in March and is expected to take about two years to complete, says Leist.
“Our staff continues to coordinate with UP to accommodate both project schedules, Waco’s and the railroad’s,” he says.
