Thursday, November 19, 2015

Airplane noise pollution


Image result for San Francisco airport picture
Good morning, Jim and Pacifica!
Pacifica Tribune/Letter to the Editor, Jim Wagner. 11/18/15.  "SFO super Highway" by Jim Wagner

"That’s right! Pacifica has a new super highway. It’s right above us. Gone, it seems, are the days of pristine quiet in Park Pacifica. We have been invaded by an incessant stream of jets flying directly overhead. The FAA has a new navigation system called NextGen. It directs planes to fly the most direct route to their destination with no regard to what is below. That “below” is our town.

I have been lulled to wide awake at all hours of the night and morning. The real ruckus starts around 5:45 a.m. It almost seems like the jets are connected in one long chain, flying over every couple of minutes until I lose count of the number of jets. Unbelievable!

Noise is pollution. It damages the environment. Noise disrupts our daily lives and keeps us on edge. How can a government agency make a decision that affects so many in such a negative way without some notice or opportunity for input? Caltrans had to get an EIR done for highway one. The public had input. Did the FHA have to do an EIR for their new highway in the sky?"

Note photograph by Kim White from Bloomberg.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

7 comments:

todd bray said...

The General Manager of SFO meets with city officials regularly to address this issue. Like Manetta in SJ, SFO agreesively helps property owners that are in a defined corridor with sound abatement, unlike Caltrans along highway One.

Anonymous said...

FHA is the Federal Housing Administration

FAA is the Federal Aviation Administration

Anonymous said...

9:03

Aggressively - The Free Dictionary
www.thefreedictionary.com/aggressively
Inclined to behave in an actively hostile fashion: an aggressive regime. 3. Assertive, bold, and energetic: an aggressive sales campaign. 4. Of or relating to an ...

Kathy Meeh said...

I appreciate the first part of Todd's 903 comment, and vaguely remember in the past SFO had a window replacement program (possibly other programs) in Millbrae, (possibly other cities), providing some noise abatement.
Of course that might not help when the windows are open.

Park Pacifica valley currently seems to be capturing intrusive airplane noise more than Sun Valley or Linda Mar districts. Interesting how noise travels.

Anonymous said...

Lower San Bruno from El Camino to Highway 101 had a program for free windows, doors and weather striping(sound blocking)

So Did parts of SSF

Anonymous said...

Many houses in the Fairmont subdivision of Pacifica received windows, doors, and other sound insulation because they were directly under the flight path of planes leaving SFO. Recently the FAA changed the approved flight path so that planes that used to go out over the ocean before turning left and heading south now turn sooner and fly directly over Pacifica neighborhoods - Vallemar, Rockaway, Park Pacifica.

Anonymous said...

Many houses in Fairmont had bad window seals that leaked and water permeating through aluminum frames.Window manufacturer out of state and local contractor installer blaming each for leaks.California Contractor License Board can not suspend license because it is part of program and not to individual.Have to sue them before now shortened warranty expires.Get a judgement against a general contactor or installer and they will pay up or be suspended.