May 21, 2026

Construction starts next week on a project designed to create whistle-reduction railroad crossings in downtown Sioux Falls.

Work begins Tuesday at the Eighth Street and Weber Avenue railroad crossing, which will close to traffic through late July.

The overall whistle-reduction project involves improvements to key railroad crossings downtown that meet federal requirements that will allow the city to request certification from BNSF Railway for future quiet zone designation.

The designation would allow train engineers to stop routinely sounding horns at public crossings, reducing noise pollution for area residents, visitors and businesses.

“The downtown whistle-reduction project is an important investment in both public safety and quality of life downtown,” Mark Cotter, the city’s public works director, said in a statement. “We have been working for several years to bring this project to fruition, and we are excited to begin this critical next step.”

Construction includes upgrades to railroad warning systems, installation of crossing gates and signal equipment, roadway modifications and median improvements designed to meet federal quiet zone safety requirements. The project budget is $1.6 million.

Once designated as a quiet zone, train horns may still be used in emergency situations or to comply with federal regulations and railroad operating rules.

After work at Eighth and Weber is completed, construction will move to the Third Street and Weber intersection. That crossing will be closed to traffic during construction through early October.

For the Eighth and Weber closure, vehicle traffic will detour to Sixth Street, and pedestrian access will be maintained on Eighth. Pedestrian traffic on Weber will be detoured along Seventh Street to Nesmith Avenue before reconnecting with Eighth.

The project also includes work already completed just west of Sixth and Weber.