City officials anticipate construction for its final round of MBTA Quiet Zone safety improvements to begin fall 2025 or spring 2026, marking a major milestone in the city’s efforts to regain its MBTA Quiet Zone status – a designation that would end the routine use of train horns throughout Chelsea.
Because the sound of the horns severely impact the quality of life for its residents, particularly those who live close to the commuter rail, the City has been working diligently since 2021 to reinstate Chelsea as a Quiet Zone. To accelerate this work, which has faced delays and technical challenges, Chelsea’s State Representative, Judith Garcia, recently asked the General Manager of the MBTA for a Quiet Zone update, and, in June, the City met with Keolis, the MBTA, the MA Department of Public Utilities, and the Federal Railroad Administration to review and discuss Chelsea’s Quiet Zone project.
During the discussion, it was determined that the City’s Quiet Zone project design needed to be altered due to the MBTA’s recent infrastructure improvements along its Newburyport/Rockport commuter rail line. In response, the City immediately began to incorporate these changes into its project plan.
“We’re working hard to complete safety upgrades at rail crossings that are in compliance with state and federal standards and will keep our residents safe,” said Chelsea City Manager Fidel Maltez. “Once these upgrades are implemented, we’ll be one step closer to achieving our Quiet Zone designation and ultimately end the routine use of train horns in our city.”
City officials expect the updated project design to be completed and submitted to the appropriate state and federal agencies for review and approval by July 2025.
They anticipate the construction required to achieve the Quiet Zone designation could begin in late fall 2025 or spring 2026. Construction is projected to take approximately six months from the time it receives approval to proceed.