Letter: Noise-reduction project falls short

It is heartening the city of Vancouver is acting to silence train horns at four crossings affecting 467 residents. It is dispiriting the private crossing at the south end of Chelsea Avenue, affecting about 200 residents, is not addressed.

In 2010 Vancouver conducted an acoustic study of train horns at the Chelsea crossing and an automated horn system test demonstrating the tremendous reduction in noise as one alternative to quieting that crossing.

The Riverview Neighborhood Association was told the $155,000 cost of an AHS must be borne by them. I was encouraged to collect it. I failed (though only 5 percent of us pledged 18 percent needed).

The remaining 95 percent contributed bombast, hollow promises, and otherwise evinced confidence in a free lunch. So …

Cheers to the city for initiating action on local improvement districts to silence four Vancouver crossings.

Jeers to the city for not including the private Chelsea Avenue crossing and to the Riverview Neighborhood Association for expending its resources to build a walking trail far to the east of the neighborhood’s core rather than attacking the obnoxious BNSF cancer in the midst of hundreds of our residents, adversely affecting their peace and property values.

George Grill

Vancouver