Village, Saia Continue to Talk Noise Abatement

Village officials continue to talk about noise abatement programs at the facility as part of the ongoing annexation agreement between the village and the trucking company.

Burr Ridge residents who live near the trucking operation have expressed concerns about noise at the site, including the beeping sound made by trucks in reverse. As part of the annexation agreement , the company agreed to eliminate the back-up sound at the site. It will also erect a 16-foot tall fence to help provide a sound buffer between the operation and nearby homes. A $25,000 annexation fee was also required by the village before the annexation can be finalized.

Saia attorney Scott Hargadon told the board the company disabled the back-up beepers, paid the annexation fee and instituted a training program for tractor drivers to avoid noisy trailer drops. He said the company is also looking into coating metal dock plates with a synthetic material to help muffle the sound of them bring dropped or driven over by fork lifts.

Hargadon said the sound barrier required by the village has been completed, although he added there is still some fine-tuning to be done to help seal gaps in the fencing. The newly constructed sound barrier, which curves along the truck yard’s Frontage Road entrance, ranges in height from eight-feet to 16 feet. The wall meets up with another 16-feet high wall separating the business from neighboring Chestnut Hills. An overlap between the two walls created a 12-foot wide opening for maintenance purposes.

That opening remains an issue with some residents. Steve Less, who lives approximately 200 feet from the wall, said he can still hear plenty of noise despite the new construction. 

He and other residents of neighboring Chestnut Hills said the barrier blocks the unsightly view of the truck yard, yet does little to muffle noise made by the loading and unloading of freight. Appearing before the board Monday night, Less said he was glad the wall was up, but he was still awakened Sunday night by the sound of metal plates being dropped from fork lifts.

Less urged the village to conduct a sound test to see if the barrier was actually doing any good. He said if the company implemented a noise-reduction training policy it has yet to work.

“We need to put this to bed,” Less said.

The Saia saga began in 2008 when Saia took over the trucking depot once home to K&R Trucking. The truck yard was located in unincorporated DuPage County, but bordered on three sides by Burr Ridge. Because of its location, the trucking company was not subject to village noise ordinances. The village and company have been working together to come to an agreement to reduce noise, including the construction of the wall. 

Trustee John Manieri said he appreciates the landscaping done around the new sound wall, but was hoping the company would plant some trees alongside to improve the aestheticsl, which he said is currently a “stark view.” Steve Stricker the village administrator said the company was not required to plant trees along the fence line, but Hargadon said the company would meet that request.

Before the annexation is finalized, Stricker told the Saia representatives they should revisit the annexation in February following the implementation of the new training to reduce noise, as well as the impact of the synthetic material on the dock plates. 

Once the annexation is complete the village will be allowed to conduct noise testing, but agreed not to prosecute any noise ordinance violations for two years.