Longmont’s Quiet Zone Project, Crossing by Crossing
A train will be able to travel through Longmont without making a peep come 2028.
For decades, train horns have been a defining sound of life in Longmont. But over the next two years, that familiar soundtrack is expected to become much quieter.
The City of Longmont is in the middle of a multi-year effort to establish federally approved railroad quiet zones along the BNSF corridor running through the city. Once completed, trains will be able to travel from Hover Street in southwest Longmont to State Highway 66 in northeast Longmont without routinely sounding their horns at public crossings.
Train crews will still be permitted to use horns when necessary for safety, but the routine horn blasts required today would largely disappear.
To help visualize the timeline, Thompsorado created a crossing-by-crossing schematic showing each railroad crossing from southwest to northeast. The crossings are color-coded based on when they are expected to enter quiet-zone status, while construction completion dates are listed beneath each crossing. The diagram highlights how the project will come online in stages rather than all at once.
The first major milestone is expected in Fall 2026, when the crossing at 17th Avenue becomes the first crossing in Longmont to enter quiet-zone status. Two additional crossings—Terry Street and 5th Avenue—are expected to follow in Winter 2026. Both Terry Street and 5th Avenue are scheduled for permanent closure to vehicle traffic as part of the safety improvements required for quiet-zone approval.
The largest group of crossings is scheduled to enter quiet-zone status during Summer 2027. That phase includes 3rd Avenue, 4th Avenue, 6th Avenue, Longs Peak Avenue, 9th Avenue, and 21st Avenue. Several of those crossings already have construction completion dates of July 2026, while others are expected to finish construction during Winter 2027.
A third wave is scheduled for Spring 2028. Main Street, Coffman Street, and Mountain View Avenue are all expected to become quiet-zone crossings at that time after construction work is completed and federal approvals are secured.
The final phase arrives in Summer 2028, when the crossings at Hover Street and State Highway 66 are expected to enter quiet-zone status. Once those crossings are activated, the city’s planned quiet-zone route will stretch continuously across Longmont from one end of the community to the other.
Not every railroad crossing in Longmont is included in the city’s quiet-zone project. Three crossings—Boston Avenue, Sunset Street, and Emery Street—are not part of the city’s quiet-zone implementation schedule. Emery Street improvements have already been completed as part of separate railroad safety work, while the other crossings are outside the scope of the current project.
According to the city, the project is being funded through Longmont’s voter-approved Street Fund. The work includes crossing upgrades, safety improvements, and other infrastructure required by federal regulations. After construction is completed, the Federal Railroad Administration reviews and approves the quiet-zone designation before routine horn use can cease.
AI Disclosure: The crossing schematic accompanying this article was created with assistance from ChatGPT using project schedules and crossing information published by the City of Longmont. Thompsorado independently reviewed the underlying city documents and verified all dates before publication. Thompsorado will always disclose when artificial intelligence is used to assist or advance the reporting process.
LEGEND
🟦 Fall 2026 Quiet Zone
🟨 Winter 2026 Quiet Zone
🟩 Summer 2027 Quiet Zone
🟧 Spring 2028 Quiet Zone
🟥 Summer 2028 Quiet Zone
- = Crossing permanently closed to vehicle traffic
SOUTHWEST
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🟥 Hover St
Construction Complete: Winter 2027
Quiet Zone: Summer 2028
🟧 Coffman St
Construction Complete: Fall 2027
Quiet Zone: Spring 2028
🟨 Terry St*
Construction Complete: Fall 2027
Quiet Zone: Winter 2026
🟧 Main St
Construction Complete: Fall 2027
Quiet Zone: Spring 2028
🟩 3rd Ave
Construction Complete: July 2026
Quiet Zone: Summer 2027
🟩 4th Ave
Construction Complete: Winter 2027
Quiet Zone: Summer 2027
🟨 5th Ave*
Construction Complete: Winter 2027
Quiet Zone: Winter 2026
🟩 6th Ave
Construction Complete: Winter 2027
Quiet Zone: Summer 2027
🟩 Longs Peak Ave
Construction Complete: July 2026
Quiet Zone: Summer 2027
🟩 9th Ave
Construction Complete: July 2026
Quiet Zone: Summer 2027
🟧 Mountain View Ave
Construction Complete: Winter 2027
Quiet Zone: Spring 2028
⭐🟦 17th Ave ⭐
Construction Complete: July 2026
QUIET ZONE: FALL 2026
🟩 21st Ave
Construction Complete: Winter 2027
Quiet Zone: Summer 2027
🟥 State Highway 66
Construction Complete: Winter 2027
Quiet Zone: Summer 2028
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│
NORTHEAST
