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Letters
Falun Gong proclamation human rights statement
In response to the letter from City Councilman and former Mayor Stan Bogosian in the January 10 issue of the Saratoga News, it was a great pleasure to read of Stan's proclamation recognizing Falun Gong in China on behalf of the people of Saratoga!
Saratoga has an international presence, in a sense, with its sister city relationship with Muko-shi, Japan. However, I hadn't imagined a way for our city to make a statement on an international human rights issue before now. Stan has done just that, and I applaud him for doing so.
His action is an example of a way to "think globally, act locally." Our right to freedom of speech as guaranteed by the First Amendment is indeed something we must cherish.
Brian Berg
Lexington Court
Asphalt resurfacing is most cost-effective
The article in the Jan. 3 issue of the Saratoga News reporting progress on mitigating Highway 85 noise was welcome news for the hundreds of residents who daily tolerate its obnoxious presence. Yet it missed the fact that resurfacing with asphalt is the most cost-effective solution.
Since November 1994, I have carefully measured traffic noise from various freeway pavements in the lower Bay Area, and recently summarized the findings in a video designed for all. The Saratoga News briefly described the work, but overlooked several very important points.
Since the dba, the measure of sound loudness, means nothing to most, the video contains views of traffic with sound, at four freeway locations with differing pavements: Highway 85, a six-lane road and no heavy trucks; I-680, a six-lane road with heavy trucks, grooved cement with ground-off ridges; Highway17, a nine-lane road with heavy trucks and older asphalt; I-880, a six-lane road with heavy trucks and 6-year-old asphalt.
Four-second clips with measured vehicle flow of 110-136 per minute are shown in random order. Soft background music facilitates comparison of the noise level and quality, which are supported by a sound-level meter showing the loudness in dBA. The video clearly shows that I-680, with pavement like Highway 85 that has been ground to remove groove ridges, is as loud and irritating as Highway 85. What's more, quality asphalt pavement as on I-880 produces a lower noise volume that is more pleasant--even with heavy trucks.
Traffic noise from I-880 was 6 dBA less than either Highway 85 or I-680 (one-fourth as loud) and it has a more tolerable lower pitch. Highway 17 is quieter and lower in pitch, also, but less than I-880. The loudness data is supported by an Oregon DOT study also showing asphalt pavement is one-fourth as noisy as cement.
The video compares 24-hour noise data from a Saratoga garden next to Highway 85 with that from a San Jose garden next to nine-lane, truck-carrying, asphalt-paved Highway17. The peak one-hour average next to Highway 85 was 6 dBA higher (four times as loud) than the peak measured next to Highway 17.
Mike Evanhoe of the SCVTA claims asphalt becomes noisier with age. Yet the outstanding the performance of I-880 is on six-year-old pavement! He states also that asphalt separates from the Portland cement, but the video shows portions of a report by the Wisconsin DOT describing the excellent results of asphalt-on-cement. Caltrans routinely resurfaces cement with asphalt as done recently on I-5 near Coalinga. Most Bay Area freeways are paved with asphalt.
After 6 years, it is time that our city officials rise to community needs and insist that Caltrans and SCVTA spend wisely the $9 million project allocation. Joe Browne, former chief executive for Caltrans District 4, in 1995, quoted in writing the cost of resurfacing Highway 85 with asphalt at $250,000 per mile. Assuming two-fold inflation, the entire eight-mile cement pavement from Almaden to Stevens Creek could be resurfaced for less than half of the allocation and the balance could be used for repairs.
The video is available for lending to all interested persons by phoning the author at 408.252.5287.
R.F.Karlak
Anza Drive
Overlayment on 85 is best is way to go
Bob Karlak has done a nice job since 1994, on trying to get people in responsible positions to help us reduce the noise generated by the traffic on Highway 85. When I was first asked to go to the city council, we did, along with many other people, and predicted what was going to happen prior to 85 being opened.
One of the things that I'd observed over many years of driving, many of those in the Bay Area, was how relatively quiet it was where I-880 had the overlayment. I talked to Bob Karlak about how we should take some measurements--after 85 opened.
We did and found that the old overlayment was up to 11 db quieter then what we were getting on Highway 85. We recorded all lanes of Highway 85. I apologize for only having two summers of highway construction with McCrea Construction and about two more with the Minnesota Highway Department doing maintenance and some construction. Minnesota used to lay and test various surfaces before committing to what material would be used where.
Discussions with a Caltrans engineer, who will remain nameless to protect any possible repercussions, resulted in my learning that the grooves were first tried in Southern California to increase breaking during the seasons first rains when the oil was raised.
What resulted was the two-wheelers having many spills from the grooved pavement.
As Bob suggests, most of us engineers all know what is best to lower the sound intensity. The $100,000 that was done a few years ago only wasted more of our taxpayer money. The unnamed engineer and I had several telephone conversations and he was receptive to planning the "Test Section" that we discussed, which could be done through Cupertino, Saratoga, Campbell and Los Gatos. Later, when he found out that I was now working with the noise group, he thought, and I concurred with him that it would be best to drop our plans.
Now that there is some money available--$9 million--we should only determine what the best overlayment is at this time and proceed with our test section. I would like to suggest that it be named after a neighbor who used to work for Caltrans and who lived in his house that was up against the 85 Freeway on Anza Court, George Korbay. Thanks for letting me express my views.
William H. R. "Bill" Clark
Shubert Drive
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
