Our Readers Write

New fence looks good, is hazard

Flintridge Prep’s new fence around the parking lot at the corner of Hampton and Foothill is certainly an improvement over the old chain link fence, at least aesthetically. But now it’s next to impossible for southbound Hampton Road drivers to see the westbound Foothill traffic without pulling nearly out on to Foothill. There’s going to be an accident.

Moving the fence back a few feet would solve the problem.

Trent Sanders

La Cañada Flintridge

Sound walls not only option for 210

I just read in the La Cañada Valley Sun (Aug. 12) that the sound wall design funds are on the way. In an e-mail to the city in June 2007, I suggested asphalt-rubber (A-R) pavement of the sections of the freeways passing through La Cañada.

This suggestion will require less money to initiate and even though in the long run it may have more maintenance cost, its cost is expanded and deferred to the future. A-R pavement has been used in other cities and states.

A-R pavement will certainly reduce the sound for ALL La Cañada neighborhoods (not just the few receiving more than 66 decibels of sound).

On the other hand, how can you guarantee that adding a wall that mainly reflects the sound (rather than absorbing it) will not have a constructive interface effect where, as a result, other residents will even receive more freeway sound?

Politics aside, given the options, A-R pavement is by far a better choice than the sound wall. Of course, a combination of both may even be better.

Another thing to consider: Every year as newer cars are being manufactured, their engine noise are reduced. As we are now really moving towards hybrid and electric cars, in the next 10 years, the engine noise will be significantly lower.

Ali Ghaneh

La Cañada