Ken Larsen's web site - Charlotte's ROMF (Rail Operations and Maintenance Facility)

 

The ROMF for the proposed Durham-Orange County Light Rail system will be on Farrington Road in southwest Durham County ... just across the street from Culp Arbor retirement community and only 400 yards away from Creekside Elementary School.  Nearby residents and parents of Creekside students are livid about noise that the DOLRT ROMF will create.

 

How much noise will the DOLRT actually generate and will it exceed Durham noise ordinances at Culp Arbor and Creekside?  I assert that the best way to answer those questions is to take sound measurements near the Charlotte ROMF ... and also along the Charlotte light rail route ... particularly where it has at-grade crossings.

 

Charlotte's light rail operations and Maintenance facility (ROMF) is located at 3305 Pelton Street.  

 

Next door are the Fountains Southend Apartments.  They are located at 126 New Bern Street.  Their phone number is 844-723-5469. I called them on December 6, 2018 and learned that the ROMF is quiet.  Trains slow down as they go into the ROMF.  They're not blowing their horns.  There is hardly any noise.

 

However, what does cause noise is a nearby at-grade crossing.  The lowering/raising of barriers is accompanied by an annoying ding-ding alarm.  

 

[Sidebar:  Rents at the Fountains Southend Apartments rents range from $ 1215/month for a 528 square foot studio apartment to over $ 2000/month.  This is not affordable housing.  Ideally, property along a light rail route should be reserved for low income people.  However, it looks like gentrification has occurred in Charlotte, and I suspect that gentrification will occur along the DOLRT route, as well.  'We missed a major opportunity.'  Affordable housing lags near new Charlotte light rail.]

 

Less than half a mile away is a school.  The school is located at 3354 Griffith Street.

 

 

(Jeff Prather, retired environmental engineer)  The Charlotte ROMF cannot be compared to the DOLRT ROMF.  The Charlotte ROMF has straight-in/straight-out tracks.  The DOLRT ROMF will have many curved sections and wheel squeal will generate lots of noise.  Studies must be done to properly evaluate the impact of the DOLRT ROMF.