Good evening,
I am a condo owner residing at 1155 Merrill St, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (Menlo Square). My condo building faces the parking lot of the Caltrain station, close to Oak Grove Ave. I am writing to request that the City find the will and resources to resolve the ever-increasing problem of noise from Caltrain traffic.
I have lived in the area, first on Noel Drive and then at Menlo Square, for more than a decade. As you are aware, the number of trains has increased during that time. There are now numerous trains, including during late evening and at night. Each one of them honks the horn several times in the short distance between Ravenswood and Oak Grove Avenues. That noise is so loud that it requires closing the windows if open; a person with average hearing can barely tolerate it, especially multiple times an hour. At night, it is so disruptive that it frequently wakes me up despite all windows being closed and makes it impossible to leave any window open. Needless to say, waking up at night, startled by that sharp noise, is hugely detrimental to the quality of ones sleep and, over time, has significant impact over ones health.
The noise is an addition to the building shaking from train traffic, particularly freight trains at night, which often makes me think there is an earthquake. (I would hope that the City has conducted a building safety review before authorizing the travel of freight trains through our city, so close to numerous buildings. If not, it should do it asap. And if this is not within the Citys authority, the City should demand that Caltrain conduct that review.)
In sum, Caltrain traffic has become a major nuisance and danger to the quality of life to all of us who cannot afford the prices for single-family homes in this town and must live in the high-density corridor along Caltrain tracks. I have no doubt that if the noise would impact the same number of residents, but living in multi-million houses, a solution would be promptly found. I request that the City does the same for its less affluent residents.
Thank you,
Carmen Smarandoiu, 1155 Meriill St., Apt. 309, Menlo Park
