Bartone: Parking Noise Not an Issue

Talking to your neighbor about will be louder than the traffic coming out of the plaza itself, according to Anthony Bartone. The decibel level of traffic flowing in and out of the upcoming Bartone Plaza will be quieter than a two-person conversation, Bartone reported to the Monday night.

According to an analysis Bartone presented to the board, if the maximum amount of 172 cars left the facility's parking garage at the same time each hour, "the estimated Ldn is 58 decibels." This level falls under the US Department of Housing and Urban Development's accepted level of 65 Ldn for new housing constructions.

"The sound from the parking garage is not expected to have a significant impact on the residents across from the entrance on Elizabeth Street," Bartone read from the report. He specified that measurements in the report included noise from cars alone and did not take into account other sounds, like radios.

By comparison, if someone whispered to you in the from six feet away, it would be 30 Ldn, while a jackhammer rumbling 50 feet away is 95 Ldn, according to Galen Carol Audio's website. Long term noises do not become an issue for ear health until sounds are at jackhammer levels, said the website.

Bartone was originally scheduled to give a presentation to the board on how to alleviate noise issues from the traffic at . Given his findings however, the board gave their approval of the plan.

"It's a good report. I feel comfortable with it," said Farmingdale Village Board Trustee Thomas Ryan, as other board members nodded in agreement.

The at the May board meeting and is expected to break ground in August.