Dear Editor:
Re: Plans on track for train silence, The Record, July 16.
I suppose we should be encouraged, after more than 11 years of waiting, that now city hall is finally trying to do something about “whistle cessation,” especially downtown. However, until all the “W” (whistle) signs are removed along the railway tracks we will continue to be “blasted” awake by train whistles/horns – like this morning at 6:31 a.m. – at least three very long blasts.
But there are other big noise problems downtown that city hall has total control over eliminating.
The engineering department leaf blowers, with virtually no real mufflers, at least weekly cleaning the steps beside the courthouse. Surely louder than 100 decibels!
Then the motorcycles racing up Sixth Street with outrageously loud, obviously illegal mufflers/straight pipes. Surely louder than 100 decibels.
Then cars with obviously illegal muffler systems with large diameter exhaust outlets. Surely over 100 decibels! Even this evening, as usual, several times a week, for more than the past year, a car roaring out of the 600-block of Victoria Street.
A noise/sound level over 100 decibels is more than 200 times the sound level of the SkyTrain at 75 decibels, which is more than 100 times louder than the 55 decibels recommended by CMHC for residential areas.
Too much noise over 85 decibels is not only a serious distraction but detrimental to people’s health, especially children and seniors.
Of course, there is also fire trucks, buses, garbage trucks, ambulances etc. to live with downtown.
Allan and Iris Solie, New Westminster
