Second bridge will only add to train cacophony

Every night I experience the cacophony of musical compositions from railroad engineers who are apparently oblivious to the fact that most people are trying to sleep. Every. Single. Night. I have counted train whistles blowing up to 32 times for one train.

Recently, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, stated, (paraphrasing) “The people have a sovereign right to benefit from the land and all it has to offer without big business or corporations plundering it for profit.”

In other words, we have a right to clean air, clean water and the absence of noise pollution.

If the proponents of the second railroad bridge over Lake Pend Oreille think it will be good for the community – they are sadly mistaken. Why should we have to sacrifice our environment so Canada can ship coal to China?

A recent Bee article stated that a second bridge will increase railroad traffic through Sandpoint to 79 trains per day! The railroad currently does not observe the law with regard to blocking crossings, noise pollution or other regulations as a good neighbor should. What makes anyone think that with a SECOND bridge and more railroad traffic through town, they will conduct themselves any differently?

Stay tuned.

MAUREEN TILLBERG

Sandpoint