As Decatur considers installing railroad “quiet zones” at the Candler and McDonough road crossings, Alvin points to this AJC article which reported yesterday that two teen boys were hit by a train in a “quiet zone” in Kennesaw.

It’s very important to note that police have not yet determined whether the quiet zone had anything to due with both boys being hit by a freight train, resulting in one death.  Both were reportedly sitting on the tracks when the accident took place, but it’s not clear whether they heard/saw the train.

A while back, I read a bit into the NY Times in-depth, 2004-05 investigation entitled “Death on the Tracks” – a great read in its own right – and while it was quite clear that investigations conducted by the railroad companies were often incomplete and suspicious, I could find no solid evidence either way about the safety of “quiet zones”.

Fa la la la la, la la la la!  (Yes, the long-rumored missing seventh verse of Deck The Halls now applies to the efforts of Decatur city government.)

After a few months hiatus, Decatur’s Open City Hall is once again a happening place.

On the heels of asking questions about the city’s pending Cultural Arts Master Plan, the city has posted a question about railroad crossing improvements.

How would you redesign the existing railroad crossings at Candler and McDonough Streets to improve the safety and health of Decatur residents and visitors?

Already this question is bringing in the comments, with 18 responses and counting.  Jump over and let your voice be heard!

And we’re not talking about anonymous blog input either.

Patti Garrett reminds us of two upcoming Imput Sessions at City Hall in the next 8 days…

Railroad Crossing Improvements at Candler and McDonough Streets – Thursday November 12

A community workshop to discuss the railroad crossing improvements will be held on Thursday, November 12, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the City Commission meeting room of Decatur City Hall, 509 North McDonough Street, in downtown Decatur. We hope you will be able to join us to learn more about this project.

As part of its capital improvements program, the City of Decatur is considering options for improvements to the railroad crossings at Candler and McDonough Streets in downtown Decatur. The purpose of the work is to improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians, bicyclists and others using these facilities. Measures required to implement a quiet zone in the railroad corridor will also be considered.

The project is based on Decatur’s 2008 Community Transportation Plan. A major goal of the Community Transportation Plan is to encourage healthy lifestyles and active living in Decatur.

The City has retained URS Corporation of Atlanta, a planning and engineering design firm, to help plan the project. The project will be partially funded through a grant from the Georgia Department of Transportation.

Cultural Arts Master Plan Public Input Meeting – Wednesday November 18

The community is invited to a public input meeting for the Cultural Arts Master Plan on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009 from 7 – 8:30 p.m. in the City Commission Room, Decatur City Hall, 509 N. McDonough Street, Decatur, GA 30030.

This is the first public meeting to introduce the Cultural Arts Master Plan process and begin to get public input regarding the arts in our community. The Master Plan also includes an inventory of existing cultural arts facilities, programs and public art located throughout the city, identification of program and facility needs and recommendations for partnerships to meet these needs.

Please plan to join in the conversation! For more information email Linda Harris or call 404-371-8386.