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Read the press release here.

Angry About Jet Noise? Take Anti-O'Hare Noise Group's Survey

 A plan soars over the Northwest Side, where noise complaints were up this weekend.
A plan soars over the Northwest Side, where noise complaints were up this weekend.
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DNAinfo/Heather Cherone

O'HARE — Northwest Side residents fed up with the constant roar of planes over their houses can fill out a survey to give city officials an idea of what living in the flight path is like, leaders of an anti-O'Hare Noise group said Wednesday.

Members of the Fair Allocation in Runways Coalition are gearing up to meet with city officials three times in the coming weeks to discuss ways to reduce the jet noise that the group contends has lowered property values and made it impossible for Northwest Side residents to watch television, sleep or enjoy their yards.

"We want to represent all of the voices," said Jac Charlier, a member of the group's leadership team and a co-founder of the organization.

The three meetings — arranged by several state lawmakers and ratified by a joint resolution adopted by the Illinois House and Senate — have yet to be scheduled, Charlier said.

The coalition has been pressing city officials to change the flight paths to and from O'Hare Airport that have sent hundreds of flights over parts of the Northwest Side that heard little or no jet noise before October 2013, when a new east-west runway opened.

Until the meetings are complete, city aviation officials have promised to hold off on dismantling the diagonal runway set to be taken out of service Aug. 20 to make way for another east-west runway scheduled to open Oct. 15.

That runway could send even more air traffic over Edison Park, Norwood Park, Jefferson Park, North Park and Sauganash, according to the coalition.

Many residents see keeping the diagonal runway in service as the last chance to spread out the air traffic — and reduce the racket over the Northwest Side.

In April, 408,468 complaints were filed with city officials — an all-time record and a more than 15 percent increase from the number of jet noise complaints filed in March, according to data released by the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission.

To fill out the survey, click here.

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