1 From:
Sent: Friday, January 19, 2024 12:37 PM
To: City Council
Subject: Comment re: Caltrain Grade Separation Projects CAUTION: EXTERNAL EMAIL - Ensure you trust this email before clicking on any links or attachments.
Dea
r City Councilmembers,
Yesterday I received a noƟce that city staff will provide some updates on the Caltrain grade separaƟon projects at the City Council meeƟng on Tuesday, 1/24. The noƟce advised that we could email the council with comments/quesƟons in advance of the meeƟng, hence my email now.
The issue I want to raise regards the noise from the train horns. I realize that this is more the purview of Caltrain, not the City Council, but it is an important component of the overall project nontheless, and it is a concern that I want to make sure has the aƩenƟon of all involved in decisions regrading the project.
Some years ago, I aƩended one of the early community kick-off meeƟngs regarding the project (grade separaƟon, transit center upgrades, etc.), held at the Historic Adobe Building. I asked at that Ɵme whether the eliminaƟon of the at-grade crossing would obviate the need for the trains sounding horns when approaching or leaving the transit center. The answer I got was yes, that the horns would no longer be needed. Unfortunately I can’t remember the gentleman who responded to my quesƟon, nor his affiliaƟon, but he was involved in the project planning in some capacity.
At any rate, I am very keen to see that the use of the train horns goes the way of the passenger pidgeon once the at- grade crossings have been eliminated. The horns have become FAR louder than they were when I first moved into my Old Mountain View home, close to the downtown transit center, in the late 1990s. Remarkably, some of the horns are so loud now, I can hear them from Cuest Park. When one is actually at the train staƟon, the sound is ear-spliƫng. The noise is highly obtrusive inside my home, so much so that I upgraded all the doors and windows in my house (which were already double pane windows), at considerable expense, to new windows that provide beƩer sound control. They help, but the noise is sƟll unpleasant, and so much worse when we are outside.
So, in brief, my quesƟon is whether the eliminaƟon of the use of the train horns is in fact planned for, once the at-grade crossings are gone.
I’m happy to raise the quesƟon with Caltrain directly, if that is your recommendaƟon, but in that case, I would appreciate a good contact there.
Many thanks,
Steve Harris