NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas – Construction began Monday to increase the safety at railroad crossings for "quiet zones" in New Braunfels.
"The train and the whistle from the train have been very bad for a long time," said Henri Farmer, who sees trains pass right in front of the New Braunfels landmark, Brauntex Performing Arts Theater, every day.
Farmer said actors have had to deal with the noise over the years during performance.
"They have to just continue what they are doing, so for a period of time, you just don't hear what's going on," Farmer said.
Now, after years of loud interruptions, crossings across the city, including in front of Brauntex Performing Arts Theater, will see trains pass by horn-free.
"By sometime in July or August of this year, we will silence about 17 or 18 crossings," said New Braunfels City Manager Michael Morrison.
Construction to create the much anticipated "quiet zones" began Monday on select intersections throughout New Braunfels. At an intersection near Landa Park, crews worked on the road around the railroad crossing. Plans call for curbs to be installed to prevent cars from going around gates in order to make the railroad crossings safer intersections.
"With the silent crossings, then you have to put some physical improvements at the crossings to be sure that you're not giving up on your safety considerations," Morrison said.
Once those considerations are met, intersections in Phase One of the project, which includes most of downtown, will become silent after approval by the Federal Railroad Association in July, with Phase Two to follow.
Seeing progress has left residents, like Farmer, thrilled.
"It makes us very happy," said Farmer, with a big smile on her face.