New State Funding Could Deafen Downtown Columbia Trains Soon

Columbia’s downtown district will soon echo with less noise thanks to the state’s new funding push aimed at integrating quiet zones in the railroad system. The incessant, loud horn blasts are often a cause of complaint among habitants and students who live close to the rail lines.

Quiet Zone Project

The quiet zone funding project is touted to kick off later this year, aimed specifically at reducing the pervasive noise from the trains that traverse through the downtown Columbia region. The project plans to equip specific intersections from Whaley Street to Colonial Avenue with advanced safety mechanisms in lieu of the typical loud horns.

“It is quite startling to hear in the middle of the night,” said a University of South Carolina student, expressing his displeasure at the current situation.

In lieu of the eardrum-shattering train horns, modern safety mechanisms, such as double arms, are used in quiet zones. These equipment enhancements will allow for safer railroad crossings.

The Investment

The quiet zone project, estimated to cost around $5 million, recently saw an allocation of $1.5 million in the newly approved state budget. This is in addition to the previous allocation of nearly $2 million. Sen. Dick Harpootlian proudly acknowledges having secured $400,000 from the state initially, with the city matching that amount—totaling the fund to $800,000. The University also contributed a significant sum of $1.8 million, acknowledging the train’s pass-thru impact on its campus.

While additional funding is expected, construction is slated to commence in the fall. City Councilman Will Brennan stresses that the extra financial cushion will come from the Richland County Penny tax, provided its approval by voters in November.

Making Strides Towards Peaceful City Living

Senator Harpootlian, a fervent supporter of the project, is optimistic about the progress, stating, “We are a city with a number of very vibrant downtown neighborhoods. My goal as a state senator and as a resident is to make those neighborhoods as livable as possible and part of the problem is noise and we can do something about that with this.” Being a resident himself, he has personal stakes in seeing this project to success.

As things move forward, it will be interesting to see how this project changes the downtown landscape and impacts the residents’ daily life. Downtown Columbia is on track to a quieter and much more peaceful day-to-day existence.