FREEPORT – With the Amtrak Downeaster due to come to Freeport this fall, there is some concern about the sound of train whistles interrupting the sleep of some residents.

On Tuesday, Aug. 7, the Freeport Town Council will hold a public hearing regarding the establishment of “quiet zones,” which would block trains from blowing their whistles when approaching intersections in town.

Under Federal Railroad Administration regulations, all trains are required to sound their whistles when approaching railroad crossings. But those regulations also allow for the establishment of quiet zones, where the trains would be prohibited from sounding their horns, provided the crossing had the proper safety measures installed to prevent collisions between cars and trains.

The council is considering two options for quiet zones. One is a so-called “quad gate,” where the intersection has four gates blocking the crossing instead of two, which would prevent any traffic from getting on the tracks while the train passes. The downside of this measure is the cost – about $100,000 per intersection – that the town would have to pay.

A second option, called “channelization,” would involve installing soft barriers in the middle of the road approaching the crossing, blocking traffic from going into the other lane in an attempt to skirt the barrier blocking the crossing. The cost for this option would be about $15,000.

The public hearing will be held in the Town Council chambers at Freeport Town Hall at 6:30 p.m.