50 dB traffic noise on Sunday ~3pm

So here we are- little gusts of wind, mostly overcast day.  Over a mile from one expressway I-55 and just under 1 mile to the other expressway I-294.  When we bought our house in 2003- it was quiet.  I study bird song for a living and yes, it was quiet at and around our house.  I cannot speak for those who live near the park as we didn't have children at the time.  We are outdoor people- lots of bicycle riding, hiking, gardening, ice skating, cross country skiing, etc...  To think we would not notice 50 dB traffic noise any day of the week- let alone a weekend is a joke.  To imply that it has always been that way is a bigger joke because I find it hard to sleep with the windows closed at 50 dB let alone when we have our windows open at night which is most of the spring and summer (a good chunk of fall too).

We noticed a few years ago now that the traffic noise had increased dramatically.  Considering an increase of 10 decibels gives the impression of the sound level doubling by most people- yes, studies have been done and I will try to find those and cite them.  I contacted public works and the current mayor.  The response from public works was that an incredible number of ash trees had been removed leading to the increase.  The mayor, on the other hand said he has been living in the village for 15+ years and had no sense of an increase in sound.  In fact it turns out he live only a few block away from me.  His response in no way was rude- he just pointed out he did not sense any increase in noise.


So- I started an experiment 1 year ago on March 1st 2015. I've been using a Bruel & Kjaer 2209 sound meter to check the sound levels in the morning.  I started measuring sound levels as I leave for work near 73rd and Oak Grove Ave. The link below is the doc I've been compiling.  In most cases the sound from I-294 direction is greater.


To give you some background, at 38 dB the road noise is very quiet and takes some effort to pick out.  At 42 dB the road noise is very tolerable, at 45 dB it starts to drowned out everything else, at ~48 dB it sounds louder than the birds singing and can be heard through double pane windows if the house is quiet (e.g. sleeping at night).  No recordings are done while local traffic can be seen or heard and no trains/planes.


Oh, and for the brick I found on my lawn that was written "STOP" on; here is your one word answer "NO".  I didn't feel obliged to answer via brick-



Follow me logging the traffic noise levels here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IpXXYpW4u5Ey7fHMUo721Wq45kjGIL8gQCU0Kuw-36I/edit?usp=sharing

So, I emailed Mark Kirk and Daniel Lipinski.....

Hello,
I have a major concern.  I am a classically trained biologist and have been the manager of acoustic behavioral lab at the University of Chicago for 17 years now.  I have a major concern right now that has to do with the Village I live in, Justice (Near I-55 and I-294).  We have been living in this community for almost 15 years now and love our small plot of land (we have a small house on half an acre).  We try our best to live green, be great neighbors and teach our young son where his food comes from.  Our yard has honey bees, a few chickens and incredible flower and vegetable gardens. We bought this house in terrible condition because it was close to the city, quiet and had a large plot of land.  However, we have noticed a change in the noise levels and we are not talking about a couple of decibles.  In the past five years it has been getting louder, I know acoustics -noise and how to manage it as it is part of my job, and it is troubling.  I contacted the mayor, who has been responsive, but feel as though I have been brushed aside by saying it has always been this loud.  The problem is- It hasn't always been this loud.  We have had neighbors move or hang windchimes to cope but this is our village and I believe we should expect change but should not let change hurt our community.  As a scientist I have been recording the traffic levels in a spreadsheet every morning for almost a year using a highly accurate piece of equipment see here- https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IpXXYpW4u5Ey7fHMUo721Wq45kjGIL8gQCU0Kuw-36I/edit?usp=sharing   I have also been writing about this on my blog- http://dbaleckaitis.blogspot.com  I would hope you would look into this matter and please let me know if you have any questions about this and the theory of sound doubling or even ways that could help us curb this traffic noise.

Thank you for your time





In case you want a direct link:
I have the recorded stats for the past 300+ days!
Check the stats:
Village of Justice Traffic noise stats

Calm before the Storm in the Village of Justice IL?

So Friday morning was quiet in the morning- 38 dB and truly made me remember when we moved to the area.  When I got home later in the day I could tell it was gonna be bad.  You see, if you measure how loud it is around 10pm +/- 2 dB that is how loud it will be the following morning.......   Sounds weird?  Yes it does, but why?  I believe it is not the factor of how much traffic, because lets face it, the  traffic at 10pm is almost never as bad as the traffic at 5pm.  So one has to suspect that it is the combination of the speed and the materials used in the pavement.....

Noise-reducing pavements get loud acclaim in US and Europe

This is a very interesting read......

Asphalt Pavements Mitigate Tire/Pavement Noise

Now, with well over 6,000 views to this blog since I started posting traffic noise issues in the Village of Justice IL, I hope someone of power would read this and say...... Yes, we can make some of these changes.  I'm not even posting about how to curtail current noise levels- I have lots of info on that subject since that is part of my job.  I have even designed and built sound chambers myself that rival and beat some of the major builders in terms of wall thickness and weight and sound attenuation.

Can't forget a link to my project of recording traffic noise in the Village of Justice IL.

traffic noise levels in the Village of Justice