New Quiet Zone Raises Concerns With Local Businesses

Many residents and community members are rejoicing over the addition of a quiet zone for trains traveling near the Hough Street Canadian National Railway crossing. However, some business owners are upset over traffic modifications implemented due to the change.

When the quiet zone goes into effect later this month, trains no longer will be required to sound their horns at Hough Street. This is the last railroad crossing in town to implement a quiet zone, which means trains will not have to blast their horns anywhere in the village of Barrington.

The final quiet zone "should be a huge improvement to the vast majority of the community,” Village President Karen Darch said at the Aug. 15 Board of Trustees meeting.

With the addition of the quiet zone, the Illinois Department of Transportation required that there be no left turn from Hough Street to James Street.

“We have been told that is a hard-and-fast requirement for getting the quiet zone put in place,” Darch said.

Some business owners along James Street are not happy about the change. Many say the prohibited left turn reduces traffic down the street and is negatively affecting their businesses. 

“I feel strongly that an unnecessary hardship has been imposed on businesses and residents alike,” Dr. Richard Hogan said. Hogan’s dental office is located on James Street. “This ill-advised change from the previous situation, which allowed such turns, is now impacting the logical flow of traffic.”

Hogan proposed that a left-turn lane from southbound Hough Street to James Street be reinstated.

“Just as a turn lane has been provided for northbound Hough Street into the Staples Center, I would respectfully implore the Village Board to do whatever is in its power, including petitioning IDOT for a variance if necessary, to provide the same opportunity for the southbound employees, clients, customers and residents of those entities along James Street,” Hogan said.

The  is planning a move from the Harris Bank building on Hough Street to another space on 190 James Street.

“After over a decade of being on the third floor of the Harris Bank building … the move to 190 James St., was picked to provide visibility and access to residents and the general public. Now we feel a good portion of that has been taken away,” said Eric Zitron, director of business development for the .

President Darch and village trustees listened to both Hogan and Zitron’s concerns about the left-turn issue.

“I’m sure there is no harm in taking the comments that were made tonight and looking at that and seeing if there is a way to go back and present that to IDOT to see if there is any give there,” Darch said.

Trustee Steve Miller also commented on the issue.

“With the good comes another pain,” he said. “It’s a difficult tradeoff (implementing a quiet zone and sacrificing a left turn at James Street), but it’s one that we thought made sense at this point,” Miller said.