Noise levels in some College Township areas exceed the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's threshold for noise mitigation, according to the Centre County Regional Traffic Study.

The Centre Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Coordinating Committee (CRMPO) is examining how to handle the situation, but will not be able to get federal funding to fix the problem.

The noise level is 71 decibels in Boalsburg and 72 decibels in the Dalevue Development. PennDOT's standard is 67 decibels.

In comparison, the sound from a loud radio is 70 decibels, said Gary H. Koopmann, director of the Center for Acoustics and Vibrations. The noise at a construction site with a pneumatic drill is 90 decibels.

In addition to PennDOT's standards, the unacceptable noise level in some municipalities is 55 decibels, said Paul Weener, Centre Regional Planning Commission member, during the meeting last night.

PennDOT has received complaints from residents, said Tom Zilla, Centre Region Transportation planner.

Although the noise would not be physically damaging, it would have psychological effects, Koopmann said.

"Well, if that's a residential area, it would be an annoyance. It's probably going to disrupt their private lives. It's an intrusion into the quietness they would normally have," he said.

Charles Brueggebors, also a commission member, lived in an apartment in Toftrees for a year and a half where he could not sleep with the windows open at night because of traffic noise.

"For me it was too much. I find it hard to believe those (study) findings are accurate. For personal comfort, it doesn't work," he said during the meeting.

The Federal Highway Administration will not give the region money to correct the problem because it does not give funds for retroactive noise mitigation. Officials cannot correct the noise problem in Boalsburg and the Dalevue Development with federal funds because the residences there were built after the roadways, Zilla said.

Region officials are examining possibilities which include applying to a 12-year-program for state funds or doing nothing at all, Zilla said.

PennDOT formed a task force to study the problem.

The traffic study is an informational document to help officials and the public evaluate proposed highway projects.

PennDOT is considering current highway system maintenance, a U.S. Route 220 alternative, state Route 26 relocation, state Route 144 improvement, U.S. Route 322 improvement and various project combinations.

The Planning Commission Coordinating Committee will ask PennDOT to extend the public comment period for the U.S. Route 220/322 project for 30 more days. The public comment period is scheduled to end Feb. 20.

The CRMPO also supported theq extension.