SANDPOINT — Bonner County commissioners unanimously approved a new framework that would allow community members to pursue railroad quiet zone requests at their own expense.  

For most of Tuesday’s business meeting, county commissioners discussed updates to the county’s the railroad quiet zone policy, which would remove much of the workload and cost of implementing the quiet zone from the Road and Bridge Department and place it on the residents seeking the designation.  

Railroad quiet zones are areas where trains do not blow their horns at every railroad crossing in an effort to improve quality of life for nearby residents and reduce noise pollution. The Federal Railroad Administration typically requires safety upgrades before a zone can be established.  

Commissioners Asia Williams and Brian Domke approved the framework, further directing the Road and Bridge Department to select the most qualified consultant engineer to act as the county’s quiet zone proponent. Both commissioners shared their hesitation of adding more expenses to the county’s budget but said they would support it if future projects were funded by community members requesting the quiet zone.  

“I'm only willing to move forward with it if it is fully funded by the community members,” said Domke.  

Matt Mulder, staff engineer for Road and Bridge, presented the new framework to the board, which was established through the work of local community members. Mulder shared that the new framework would require a contract with a consult engineer as the county's quiet zone proponent for a “relatively small fee.”  

Residents or homeowner groups interested in creating a quiet zone would then hire that same consultant — at a higher rate and on a site-specific retainer — to complete studies, design upgrades, facilitate construction, and handle ongoing maintenance and recertifications. 

According to a memorandum submitted to commissioners, if the community failed to fund the ongoing expenses of maintenance, or the work of the consultant engineer, the final portion of the retainer funds would be used to cancel the quiet zone, returning it to a normal train-horn crossing.  

A checklist included in the framework requires that a community group first demonstrate local interest before approaching the Board of County Commissioners. 

Groups will be required to form a legal entity, such as an LLC or 501.3c, to legally raise and manage funds, in addition to entering into contracts with engineers, contractors, etc.  

The proposed alternative to establishing railroad quiet zones came after the county established its first quiet zone in 2020 at the Kootenai Bay Road crossing. According to Mulder, the community raised $15,000 to fund improvements necessary for the zone. While the zone implementation was successful, Mulder said that the true cost of ongoing maintenance, upgrades, staff and crew time has amounted to an estimated $50,000 — far more than projected.   

Understanding the true cost and effort involved, the department has since opposed the establishment of other quiet zones in the county due to the staffing, effort and costs involved.  

The proposed framework would, if ultimately approved, allow community members the opportunity to create a quiet zone in their area without the exhaustion of county resources and funds.  

Currently, the framework has been approved to move forward in finding a qualified consultant engineer.