The City of Appleton is one step closer to creating quiet zones next to railroad crossings downtown.
Tuesday night the Municipal Services Committe voted 3-0 to recommend approval.
The committee also decided they want to close the crossing on Locus Street.
The decision now goes to the city council for vote on September 7.
For years neighbors have been complaining about the blaring horns that go off nearly every time a train passes through town.
During the day it's not so bad living next to one of the 23 railroad crossings in downtown Appleton. But many who live downtown say that a daily reminder about the train’s presence in the form of horns comes just about every day at 5:30 in the morning.
"It's so loud when I am watching TV you have to stop. You cannot hear it. If you're having a conversation in the house you can't talk. You have to stop talking and wait for the trains to get through the area," says Les Wester of Appleton just a couple blocks from the tracks.
To eliminate the horns, road construction would have to be done at most of the crossings in downtown Appleton.
They would have to install center medians at many of the crossings to add an element of safety.
A few years back that work was estimated to cost nearly $3 million, but they think they can do it for as little as $600,000 to $800,000 instead.
