Airport Noise Article

Homes in Richfield, Eagan, Bloomington are ready for airport noise mitigation improvements
 
BY GRANT BOELTER - SUN NEWSPAPERS
(Created: Thursday, February 5, 2009 7:03 AM CST)
 
Prepare for Phase II of Extreme Home Makeover - airport edition.

This show won't be televised, but the most intense phase of soundproofing of homes near the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is nearing completion. Homeowners, in Eagan, Richfield and Bloomington, in the second phase are now being contacted to choose from a number of options for soundproofing their homes.

The improvements come as part of a $130 million settlement reached in 2007 between the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) and the cities of Eagan, Richfield, Bloomington and Minneapolis. The settlement provides sound insulation to homes in the 60 to 64 day/night level (DNL) decibel range.

 
 
The first phase of the noise mitigation project began in April on homes in the 63 to 64 DNL range and must be completed by December. That phase requires MAC to pay for improvements that would lead to at least a five-decibel reduction in noise and the average construction cost for each home is $25,000. The phase involves 454 homes in Bloomington, Richfield and Minneapolis.

Eagan will be coming aboard for the second phase. MAC began notifying homeowners in the 60 to 62 DNL range who don't have central air conditioning in their homes that it was time for their improvements near the beginning of the year.

A substantially larger portion in the next phase - it involves 2,833 homes in the four cities - homes without central air receive an air conditioning system to suit their homes as well as $4,000 for other soundproofing improvements, such as new windows or insulation. This portion includes nine homes in Bloomington, 62 in Eagan and 142 in Richfield.

The next part of Phase II, which will begin a year from now is even larger in the three suburbs. This portion is for homes in the same DNL range that already have central air and includes $14,000 in improvements. This phase includes 70 homes in Bloomington, 418 in Eagan and 571 in Richfield and 2,528 homes total.

Residents in both phases of this program will continue to be cycled through the program until it is completed in 2012.

"With the number of homes that are involved, it's simply going to take time," said John Nelson, the program manager for MAC.

While MAC and the cities have been working to get out the word to residents about the project, the complexity of the process makes it difficult for residents to understand just how the process works, officials say.

"We still have many residents in our community who aren't sure how this program works," said Pam Dmytrenko, assistant to the city manager in Richfield.

"We just want residents to know that the time has come to start the program," said Eagan Assistant City Administrator Dianne Miller, who is overseeing the communications efforts for the city.

Residents who are still unsure about whether or not they are included in the program can visit www.macnoise.com and click on "Home Mitigation Program" in the left margin. There, residents can find detailed maps that identify areas of mitigation, as well as information on how the program works.

Those without Internet access can call the MAC offices at 612-726-8100.

Homeowners in the program will get a letter from MAC notifying them about three weeks in advance of a workshop that will explain to them their options.

"It's going to be about an hour and 15 minutes of direct counsel and advice," said Nelson.

If residents don't respond to the letter, MAC will make two more attempts to contact the homeowner and if the homeowner is not heard from after those attempts and doesn't show up to the workshop, the homeowner effectively declines to participate in the improvements.

"I think we go to extraordinary lengths to invite them," said Nelson.

So far, 45 out of 367 homeowners have declined participation, with 25 those of not issuing a response to the letter.

The workshops are being conducted at the MAC offices in south Minneapolis, but as the project ramps up and more people are involved, MAC is looking for a larger meeting place in the Richfield area.

Officials are encouraging residents who know they'll be participating in the program to visit a showroom of the materials that are available at the Center for Energy and the Environment (CEE) at 6517 Nicollet Ave., Richfield.

There, residents can look at a variety of air conditioning units, windows, doors and insulation options and get quotes on how much they might cost. They can also get advice from experts on what might provide the most benefit to their homes.

"They should try to go to the areas where they get the most benefit," said Bob Kepple, chief design manager for CEE.

Bill Kilian is now able to turn the speaker phone on and not have to worry about a roaring interruption.

He's also noticed not only a decrease in airplane noise, but noise from cars at his home near the roundabout at 66th Street and 17th Avenue, just a few blocks from the airport in Richfield.

The former Richfield City Council member fought for the improvements for residents during his time on the council and is now reaping the benefits of the five-decibel improvement to his own home, which was finished just after Thanksgiving.

A furnace with a direct ventilation system was installed to lessen outside noise. He also received new windows and soundproofing improvements were made to his insulation system and windows.

"I could always hear traffic in the roundabout, now I don't," said Kilian. "Unless [the planes] are really close, we don't notice them anymore."

Kilian and his wife made a trip to the showroom in Richfield to consult with an expert on the improvements and ended up adding about $1,000 of their own money to do a desired upgrade on their windows. They were impressed with the way MAC officials and contractors conducted the renovations.

"The MAC people were more critical than I was," he said. "They wanted everything to be exactly right. The scheduling actually worked out reasonably well."

Kilian said the improvements have made a world of difference in the amount of noise that enters his home.

"We may get used to this and start hearing noise again, but for now we can't hear anything," he said.

(You are invited to comment about this story on our website at www.mnsun.com and/or write a letter to the editor at suncurrentsouth@acnpapers.com.)
 

http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2009/02/06/news/fw29noise.txt