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Mr. Rod Attebery <br /> Neumiller& Beardslee <br /> - September 1, 2011 <br /> Page 7 <br /> Prior to BAC developing an optimized approach to heavy truck operations for the purposes of <br /> minimizing pass-by noise, single-event noise levels of Munn & Perkins aggregate trucks <br /> averaged 85 dB SEL at a reference distance of 50 feet from the roadway centerline. BAC's <br /> optimized approach of trucks travelling at slower speeds and utilizing specific combinations of <br /> gears, engine rpm, and truck speed, resulted in a 4 dB reduction in measured SEL values, or 81 <br /> dB SEL at a reference distance of 50 feet from the centerline. <br /> During the recently completed noise survey, the average SEL measured of all 1,928 single <br /> events was computed to be 83 dB, which is 2 dB lower than the non-optimized passby data. <br /> Keep in mind that the dataset includes non Munn & Perkins vehicles, which could have <br /> increased the average. In fact, BAC staff observed non-Munn & Perkins vehicles generating <br /> pass-by SEL's of 86 dB (Jeep with loud tires), 86 dB (pick-up with loud tires), 99 dB (highway <br /> patrol passby with siren), 82 dB (car driving very fast), 84 dB (non aggregate heavy truck), etc. <br /> - These observations indicate that loud vehicle pass-bys that are not related to Munn & Perkins <br /> operations occur regularly, and that many of the observed non-Munn & Perkins vehicles <br /> generated higher pass-by noise levels than those generated by Munn & Perkins aggregate <br /> trucks. <br /> During BAC observations (which were occurring without the knowledge of the truck drivers), in <br /> no case did a Munn & Perkins truck exceed 86 dB SEL. When the events which registered SEL <br /> values in excess of 86 dB were removed from the dataset, the mean SEL value decreased to 82 <br /> dB SEL, which is 3 dB lower than the non-optimized heavy truck passby noise level. The <br /> significance of this finding is that a 3 dB reduction in sound energy is equivalent to removal of <br /> half of the Munn & Perkins heavy trucks from the road. <br /> It can be concluded from the single-event noise measurement results, those both with and <br /> without BAC staff observations, that the use of the optimized heavy truck operating procedures <br /> is a viable noise mitigation option for this and any other project requiring nighttime deliveries of <br /> aggregate products. Although BAC observations noted that the majority of heavy truck pass- <br /> - by's appeared to be operating in accordance with the recommended optimized procedure, <br /> several of the returning (empty) trucks were observed to be travelling at speeds above those <br /> recommended in the optimized procedure. As a result, additional reductions in pass-by noise <br /> can be expected as operators become more familiar with the optimized procedures. <br /> The end result of the use of the optimized procedures as a noise mitigation measure is an <br /> indisputable numeric decrease in the percentages of persons potentially awakened by nighttime <br /> heavy aggregate truck pass-bys on East River Road. In summary, the results of the recent <br /> nighttime noise monitoring program fully support the conclusions of the BAC August 18, 2010 <br /> analysis of potential noise impacts associated with increased Munn & Perkins nighttime <br /> operations. <br />