CALDWELL, Idaho — Caldwell residents and business owners packed City Hall on Wednesday night, voicing sharp disagreement over a proposal to create a railroad quiet zone that would silence train horns at seven crossings throughout the city.
The meeting was one of two public town halls hosted by the City of Caldwell as officials gathered input on the proposal, which has divided the community for months.
Watch: Packed Caldwell Town Hall Draws Emotional Testimony Over Quiet Zone
"Right now we are more divided than ever — much of it is fueled by social media," longtime community member and business owner Bob Jenkins said.
Safety concerns dominated much of the discussion. One community member warned of potential legal consequences if the quiet zone moves forward.
"The first time a person gets dragged through Caldwell mangled, a total mess, a bloody mess — a great attorney will find negligence," claimed one Caldwell Community member.
Longtime resident Cindy Foster echoed those concerns, pointing to the city's history of litigation.
"When someone gets hit by a train, it's not if, but when the City of Caldwell is going to be liable — and we've already had lots of lawsuits in the City of Caldwell," Foster said.
Jeanne Pitze questioned the timing of the proposal, saying the process feels out of order.
“This whole scenario is backwards. Why are we even discussing a quiet zone if there is no development plan moving forward?” Pitze said. “In formulating the Roger Brooks plan, there has been no formal public outreach feedback within a workshop or online survey. We need a plan first — not a quiet zone.”
To address operational concerns, the city invited a former Union Pacific engineer with 38 years of experience, who spoke against the proposal and cited five railroad-related accidents in Caldwell over the past five years.
Even city leaders acknowledged the complexity of the decision.
"I still have some safety concerns," Council Member Diana Register said.
Not everyone opposed the change. Supporters argued the quiet zone is necessary for the community's quality of life and the vitality of downtown businesses.
Longtime former downtown business owner Bob Carpenter said the quiet zone could help fuel future development.
“What has happened in the meantime is that we’ve had a few rough years in Caldwell with parking meters and hotels and a little bit of wobbly action on the government’s part, quite frankly,” Carpenter said. “So there’s a lot of pent-up resentment for what’s next, but in reality, we’ve created a wonderful opportunity for the future. In doing so, this is the next step, because the quiet zone will increase the ability to live here or develop commercial business here.”
"Growth is inevitable. The question is not whether Caldwell will grow — the question is, will we shape it, or will it shape us?" Jenkins asked.
Creating the quiet zone would require safety upgrades at all 7 crossings at a cost of about $230,000 — lower than the $400,000 previously allocated and approved by the city for the project. Other alternatives discussed included pedestrian crossing gates, which can cost up to $200,000 per crossing— funding not currently included in the city's budget.
City leaders also discussed a compromise that would limit the quiet zone to overnight hours, when fewer drivers and pedestrians are on the roads.
Following the public input sessions, the Caldwell City Council will decide whether to place the railroad quiet zone proposal on a future agenda for a vote.
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