Fargo–Moorhead Quiet Zone Assessment and Implementation

SRF partnered with the Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Council of Governments to implement a train whistle quiet zone in the Fargo, ND/Moorhead, MN area. This project was nationally significant, as it was only the fourth Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)-approved quiet zone in the country at the time and remains one of the longest and most complex quiet zones in the U.S.

Notably, it is one of the only bi-state, multi-jurisdictional quiet zones approved to date.

Comprehensive Planning, Design, and Coordination

SRF led a wide range of services to make this quiet zone possible. The project team:

• Conducted on-site diagnostic field work
• Coordinated with FRA, FHWA, MnDOT, and NDDOT
• Developed conceptual layouts for safety measures at 20 crossings
• Created context-sensitive urban and landscape designs to enhance pedestrian safety and rail aesthetics
• Incorporated historic interpretation elements into the rail corridor
• Estimated project costs and negotiated with BNSF Railway
• Completed and submitted the formal FRA Quiet Zone application
• Secured state and federal construction funding

Proven Safety Enhancements and Quiet Zone Activation

As part of final design, SRF integrated a mix of supplemental and alternative safety measures, including:

• Three-quadrant gates with medians
• Four-quadrant gates
• Crossing closures and additional medians

These measures, applied across a two-mile corridor, met FRA approval and ensured public safety while eliminating train whistles in residential areas.

Final design was completed by SRF, and the quiet zone has been enhancing livability, mobility, and safety across Fargo and Moorhead for more than 15 years.

Resource Links:
Federal Railroad Administration – Train Horns & Quiet Zones
Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Council of Governments (Metro COG)
City of Fargo
City of Moorhead
NDDOT – North Dakota Department of Transportation
MnDOT – Minnesota Department of Transportation
FHWA – Federal Highway Administration

Internal Category:
Traffic & Technology
Funding & Grants

More from:
Fargo, ND
Minneapolis, MN