TESTIMONY
Arline Bronzaft, Professor Emeritus at the City University of New York and Board Member of GrowNYC, on the Impacts of Noise from Transportation on Learning and Public Health
3:46:18
·
144 sec
Bronzaft discusses her landmark studies revealing that children in schools adjacent to elevated train tracks were nearly a year behind in reading by 6th grade compared to those on the quieter side, until noise abatement measures like rubber rail pads and acoustical ceilings were implemented. Her research prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to spend $400 million quieting schools near airports. She has also studied the effects of aircraft noise on health and well-being in New York City. Bronzaft highlights the importance of quiet environments and offers to assist with research on noise impacts in parks.
- Conducted seminal studies on train noise impacts on children's learning near tracks
- Found reading scores improved after measures like rubber pads and acoustical ceilings
- FAA used her research to spend $400 million quieting schools near airports
- Has also studied aircraft noise effects on health and well-being in NYC
- Emphasizes significance of quiet environments for mental and physical health
- Offers to help with research on noise impacts in parks
Arline Bronzaft
3:46:18
Okay.
3:46:19
Allie Brunsaf, Professor Emeritus of the City University of New York and member the Board of Grow NYC.
3:46:28
I am a researcher writer on the effects of noise on people's mental and physical health.
3:46:34
My first two studies, which are considered the landmark studies in the field, were done to explore the impact of elevated train noise on children's learning when their school was adjacent to the train track.
3:46:48
And when I compare the read scores of children adjacent to the train track to the children on the quiet side of the building, They were nearly a year behind in reading, and that is by the 6th grade.
3:47:01
That is considerable.
3:47:03
Fortunately, the Trenton Authority shows the size of the school to test out a program on a baiting noise on the tracks by installing rubber resilient paths and the Board of Ed put acoustical ceilings in the classroom.
3:47:18
I was then asked by a public official to go back to the school and see if this made a difference.
3:47:24
Well, it certainly did.
3:47:25
When I compared the reading scores of children next to the elevator train track that it was al Qaeda, with children on the quiet side of the building, they were both reading at the same level.
3:47:39
The FAA has used these two studies plus studies confirming these results that followed, and they have spent nearly $400,000,000 to quiet schools adjacent to to their aircraft.
3:47:55
I've also done 2 studies in New York City on the effects of aircraft noise on people's health and well-being.
3:48:02
And should you be interested, I can give you their citations.
3:48:07
I heard that at the introduction that you were interested in exploring the impact of noise on people and parks.
3:48:15
Because I also do write about the importance of quiet in people's lives, and I can assist you with that.
3:48:22
And president White.
3:48:24
Thank you.
3:48:25
I'm working at Columbia on a noise study.
3:48:28
Thank you.
Amanda Farías
3:48:29
Thank you so much for testifying today, and I would love to read anything you'd send over even though we okay you right now and found something.
Arline Bronzaft
3:48:37
You'd like to read okay.
3:48:38
It's readable.
3:48:40
It's readable.
Amanda Farías
3:48:41
Great.
Arline Bronzaft
3:48:42
Thank you.