Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re(2): Fwd: Next to the highway

[Evan A.C. Hunt (evanh]

> Alas, trees and hedges provide very poor acoustic isolation.
> I dearly wish it were otherwise.
> I'd go for the berm if there's room, else it's walls or noise.

I think you're being overly pessimistic--they may not provide
"isolation", but "insulation" they can do.  I'm certain it depends
on a lot of variables--species, density of planting, distance
between the row of trees and the houses themselves, spectral
characteristics of the sounds being blocked, I don't know--but I
do know that I've spent time in a neighborhood very close to a
freeway which was only acoustically insulated by vegetation, and
while the freeway was not inaudible, it was definitely tolerable.
I currently live thirty yards from a fairly busy street with lots
of trees and hedges, and the only audible vehicles are the
occasional soon-to-be-dead motorcycle rider, or truck downshifting
to get up the hill.

Also, while I don't have personal experience with the neighborhood
where this happened, I do know that a few years ago my town had a
major cold snap, and it killed a thick row of evergreens alongside
Highway 1, and the people living nearby immediately started
clamouring for a soundwall.  I remember seeing someone on the
evening news saying, "It was fine when the trees were there, but
now that they're gone the noise is intolerable."

Admittedly this is all anecdotal; but I'm pretty confident that
while trees and hedges may not be _as_ effective as a wall or a
berm, they _can_ provide enough insulation to make a place livable
if they're used right.  _And_ they're nice to look at and improve
air quality.  I wouldn't reject them out of hand until I was sure
they weren't going to suffice.

                                        eh