Sauk Rapids' Broadway Ave. will stay open
by Jim Maurice, WJON.com

SAUK RAPIDS -- The Sauk Rapids city council has voted to keep the Broadway Avenue railroad crossing open, and create a quiet zone there.

During last (Monday) night's meeting the council decided that they didn't want two of their railroad crossings to be closed. The 1st Street South crossing was closed when the new Sauk Rapids bridge opened.

Earlier this year the city temporarily closed the crossing for a month to see if other railroad crossings in the city could handle the additional traffic.  Even though the report indicated those crossings would be okay, the council still felt it was important to keep Broadway open.

At their next meeting, the council is expected to approve the designs for a four-quadrant gate system that will be installed on Broadway Avenue.

City Administrator Ross Olson says construction on the north end quiet zone should begin in a few weeks, and construction on the south end -- which includes Broadway, 9th Avenue, and 2nd Avenue -- will start later this year.

However, the train whistles on the city's southside probably won't go silent until sometime this winter or next spring.