Mike Lindblom on Sound Transit’s Light Rail Noise: Straight Wheels vs. Curved Tracks

July 13th, 2009

Here is Mike Lindblom’s comment on the Seattle Times site re: Sound Transit’s noise levels exceeding the federal standard in Tukwila- hopefully this will NOT happen with ST2.          Click here for the link.

 July 10, 2009 at 7:59 PM

 Regarding track lubrication: I got more info late today from Sound Transit about their lube order, which we first reported this morning. They say the lube is meant for spots where straight wheels meet curving rails –

 so it would not prevent noise on the straight tracks next to Mr. Shumate and his neighbors.
– Mike Lindblom, Seattle Times reporter

 

Big Discrepancy Between 2008 Sound Transit Light Rail Noise Projections for Tukwila & Alleged Current Noise Reading

July 5th, 2009

In a Seattle Times article (click here), reporter Erika Schultz says that there appears to be a large discrepancy between what Sound Transit told impacted neighbors near the Tukwila light rail line their noise readings would be, and what the readings allegedly are now:

“David and Laurie Shumate, who moved into their remodeled 1920s home two years ago, take issue with Sound Transit’s November noise readings. David Shumate bought his own sound meter and says he has measured levels above 80 decibels, 10 decibels louder Ëœ that is, 10 times louder Ëœ than Sound Transit’s measurements from 2008. A rock concert is measured at 100 decibels, and levels higher than 80 decibels over continuous periods can result in hearing loss, according to a Sound Transit report.”

The difference is allegedly 80 decibels and above currently, whereas the noise levels measured by Sound Transit in 2008 were around 72.6. If accurate, the difference is enough to damage normal hearing in humans:

The test found no impact on the neighborhood. Records show the loudest reading was 72.6 decibels, and officials predicted the noise levels would decrease once the tracks smoothed out from use.

But now, residents say, the noise is getting louder.

“It’s much, much, much, much louder than it used to be,” Haynes said. “They said it would be the sound of a whooshing as it goes by. It’s definitely more than the whoosh of the wind.”

See the KOMO news piece on the same issue (click here).