Martin County commissioners are scheduled to revisit residents’ calls for train quiet zones Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., with a review of safety requirements and potential crossing improvements along the Florida East Coast Railway. Quiet zones would eliminate the requirement for trains to routinely sound their horns at designated crossings that meet federal safety requirements. Engineers could still sound their horns when necessary for safety.
Public Works staff will present an update on the Railroad Safety Capital Improvement Program and the county’s evaluation of establishing one or more quiet zones. The presentation will outline potential benefits and risks, along with the safety requirements and improvements needed to establish quiet zones in Martin County. Commissioners are expected to discuss the findings and give staff direction on how to proceed.
The review follows two earlier commission discussions. At a March 11, 2025, meeting, commissioners decided not to pursue quiet zones after reviewing options presented by county staff. Continued concerns from residents brought the issue back before commissioners in May 2026, when they directed staff to continue evaluating the possibility.
Brightline began commercial operations along the Florida East Coast Railway through the Treasure Coast in September 2023, adding approximately 32 daily train trips through the corridor. The increased traffic prompted residents to press county leaders to explore quiet zones. Hobe Sound resident Glenn Malone supports reducing horn use while preserving engineers’ ability to sound warnings for safety.
Fellow Hobe Sound resident Jeffry Aderman raised concerns about the noise: “We don’t have a problem with that. We just don’t want the inherent noise all day and night long,” he said.