[Greens-Media] Roozendaal requires Ripple Strip Reports

[Scott Hickie]

Roozendaal requires Ripple Strip Reports  
 
Media Release: 4 April 2008

Ocean Shore residents living near the Brunswick to Yelgun section of
the Pacific Highway will continue to be subjected to excessive road
noise while the Minister for Roads undertakes another report. 
 
The Minister has scored a precedent with ripple strips in a residential
area. The section of road in question was treated with a special low
noise road surface only to have any noise mitigation totally undermined
by audible edge lines, commonly known as ripple strips. 
 
“It would seem contradictory to most to put ripple strip devices that
causes maximum noise, similar to a machine gun burst, when struck by the
tyres to a special low noise road surface,” said Upper House Greens MP
Ian Cohen in a parliamentary question to the Minister.
 
“The logic of acknowledging an area as highly noise sensitive then
installing these ripple strips to create maximum noise is revealing. The
Minister for Roads, Eric Roozendaal isn’t convinced and requires
report after report to be told the obvious,” said Mr Cohen 
 
The RTA were directed back in October 2007 to establish a noise
monitoring program to evaluate the noise levels at the site. Six months
later the Minister is still floundering with promises of reports and
more reports.  
 
“What is most concerning is that the Minister failed to commit to
noise mitigation works even if the report demonstrates that the audible
edge lines are causing noise exceeding the approved criteria for the
project,” said Mr Cohen.
 
“Merely considering noise mitigation works as the Minister stated he
would do, translates to burying an adverse report evidencing excessive
noise levels into the archives. The Minister needs to make a firm
commitment to the Ocean Shore residents that the RTA will comply with
the noise levels approved for the project”