My husband and I lived for ten months within one block of the railroad tracks. We lived there while our home was being built and we both became very discouraged with the public disturbance the train causes. We believe the blowing of the horn at each crossing is an unnecessary breach of community peace. My husband has a hearing loss based on military service and requires hearing aids. He used industrial ear plugs to sleep and he still heard the extremely loud blaring of the train horns. Yet, it is my granddaughter that I am most concerned for.

She spends six hours a day in the intermediate school right next to the tracks. I encourage anyone opposed to the Quiet Zone to go spend a few hours by the intermediate school to see what our children and grandchildren are subjected to. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn their hearing is being permanently damaged, not to mention their cognitive performance due to the constant distraction. A Quiet Zone is a lot less expensive than a new school, though I think it would be ideal to move the school away from the tracks entirely. This should never have been allowed to happen. Our great uncle George met the first train that arrived in Baker and I am sure he and the community leadership of that time never intended this. Now, as his descendants, we want a safer, better future for our grandchildren.

I am asking the City Council to move forward with making this community safer and quieter. We think this is a good use of city funds, and we also support the fundraising by community members. We urge the City Council to approve the Quiet Zone so the residents of Baker City can enjoy an improved quality of life, our children can grow up safe and healthy, and grandparents can know this community cares about them and future generations.

Joan and Randolph Tracy

Baker City