[Source: Jahna Berry, Arizona Republic, June 16, 2008] — Some homeowners get used to the nostalgia inspired by train whistles, but sleep-deprived hotel guests see things differently. At least that’s the worry of developers who want to silence nearly all train horns on a stretch of tracks on the southern end of downtown Phoenix. If they are successful, it would create Phoenix’s first railroad quiet zone. Phoenix joins several Arizona communities, including Flagstaff, Tempe, Gilbert, Sun City West, and Sun City Grand, that have grappled with train noise.
In Phoenix, the proposed quiet zone would impact Union Pacific trains that travel along Harrison Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Street. Several developers have plans to build hotels nearby. “Obviously, if people aren’t going to get a good night sleep, it’s going to cause people to complain,” said Dharmesh Patel, of Hansji Urban, which is affiliated with a California firm that has long-term plans to build a hotel near the historic Luhrs buildings downtown. “This is something that would concern any developer that’s building a hotel or selling a residential space.” [Note: To read the full article, click here.]
Downtown Voices Coalition 