Three people have died in rail-related events in the county in the past 10 years, according to a presentation to the Martin County Commission.

Thousands of Martin County residents who live close to the Brightline tracks will not get any relief from the sound of train horns after county commissioners voted unanimously this week against implementing “quiet zones".

After a year of study, Martin County commissioners unanimously decided not to enact "quiet zones" around the county's 27 railroad crossings, citing potential safety impacts.

A new quiet zone in Fairhaven went into effect Monday, March 10. The zone is the result of two decades of planning and safety upgrades at five rail crossings along 1.25 miles of track, according to a city news release.

The City of Bellingham and Port of Bellingham have officially started their “quiet zone” for trains moving through the area. It took the city close to 20 years in planning and safety measures for the city to implement rules regarding when a train horn can be used.