STUART, Fla. — It's been a year since Brightline started train service to Orlando, blowing its horn through several cities and counties along the way.
For safety reasons, Martin County decided it would wait a year before revisiting the possibility of "quiet zones" where the train would not blow its horn on a regular basis.
The year has passed, and officials are moving full steam ahead with the plan.
Garry Yoder hears the train horns outside his house daily. He lives across from the tracks.
"I would say less than 200 feet," Yoder said. "It's annoying."
Last September, Brightline started blowing through Martin County on its way to Orlando.
"The only downside that I have living here is 26 times a day those horns go by," Yoder said.
He just learned the county is looking to establish a "quiet zone" near his home.
"That's when they don't sound their horns except when they feel that they need to," Martin County Public Works Director Jim Gorton said. "We waited a year because we wanted our residents to acclimate to the high-speed rail."
It's a game changer for many residents.
"There should be limits put on the time of day that these horns are blown," Stuart resident Patricia Hoesten said.
The county is reviewing all 27 of its crossings to figure out what safety improvements need to be made to qualify for a "quiet zone."
"If we're asking them to no longer use those train horns then we have to create supplemental measures to make up the difference between the safest thing, which is train horns," explained Gorton.
In the last 10 years, there's been a total of nine train incidents — two of which involved a Brightline train.
"If a gate doesn't stop them, a horn isn’t going to stop them," Hoesten reasoned.
The county plans to bring the item before the board of county commissioners early next year.
Yoder and other residents are holding on to hope that "quiet zones" get approved.
"I don't know how that doesn't work and how that isn't a benefit for everyone," Yoder said.
Read more of WPTV's Brightline coverage below:
Region Martin County
Back on track? Martin Co. commissioners move forward with Brightline plan
Travel
What Martin Co. just did to 'salvage' future Brightline station
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What's the latest on possible Stuart Brightline station?
Stuart
CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC: Stuart wants Brightline, county frustrated with dealings
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SAVE OUR STATION: Dozens rally for Brightline before city meeting
Treasure Coast
'BRING IT ON': If Stuart says no, Fort Pierce says yes to a Brightline station
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