Brooklyn Bridge Construction Noise from Gothamist on Vimeo.

Noisy Brooklyn Bridge Renovation Keeps at Least One Brooklyn Heights Resident Awake

By on April 22, 2012 2:24 pm in News

A Cadman Plaza West resident tells Gothamist that they are losing sleep due to overnight work on the Brooklyn Bridge. An email exchange between the sleepless reader and outreach coordinator for the Brooklyn Bridge Rehabilitation project, Sabrina Lau basically nets out with something like – there are rules in place to curb noise but there’s no specific hours mentioned when things should quiet down so there’s nothing to be done right now.

Watch video of the late night construction and judge for yourself after the jump.

The project, which is aimed at improving traffic flow around Cadman Plaza, is slated to continue until 2014.

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  • Mike

    I lived in Concord Village on Adams St when the city replaced the decks on the bridge in the late 90s. I learned to live with windows closed and a fan on to block out the extra noise. It wasn’t that bad.

  • WillowSt.Neighbor

    I am super sensitive to noise. I have a fan in the window, a pedestal fan on the floor and ear plugs if I need them.

  • fit43rd

    this is NYC. you did notice that big bridge when you rented the apartment right? move to the suburbs, it is much quieter. you just cant have it both ways.

  • David on Middagh

    Hey, it’s a New York blog post with “noisy” in the title! I’m sure you noticed that *before* reading the entry. If the subject bothered you, you could always have gone somewhere else for your edification and entertainment, instead of reading further. But you can’t have it both ways…

  • http://n/a Barbara Shernoff

    i am also very sensitive to noise. i agree with WillowSt.Neighbor.
    Use ear plugs-the right kind work great–and the sound of a good sized fan, and soon, an air-conditioner, will definitely do alot to drown out the noise.

  • EHinBH

    HOMER: What do you mean by ‘improving traffic flow around Cadman Plaza’?? I have heard nothing about this and would be very interested to hear what they are doing that would affect Cadman Plaza in any way.

    Already, Cadman has become like a highway when the transportation department added a sign at the end of Clinton noting you should turn left onto Cadman Plaza for the Brooklyn Bridge rather than go straight to Tillary like everyone did for years. Now taxis race doen Cadman to try and beat the lights and then go to the Bridge that way.

    Is there anywhere I can find out more information? I sure hope they are not trying to direct MORE traffic to Cadman. All the co-ops there would have come out and fought — its already getting very dangerous — especially because Cadman Plaza Park has become so popular and people are always crossing the street.

    I wont even start with the ridiculious tour buses that get to park on Cadman Plaza and residents are just out of luck…

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/13189502@N02/ Eddyenergizer

    The sign directing drivers to make the left onto Cadman was put there because you can no longer make the left onto the Brooklyn Bridge from Tillary.

  • EHinBH

    But there is still a way to the bridge that way — it’s one block after the left you used to make. That is the way the traffic should be directed because it’s not a residential street like CPW.

  • resident

    @EHinBH: You know that the left on Jay street takes you down a residential street to get to the brooklyn bridge, right? One that doesn’t have a median separating the traffic from the residential buidings? One that has a school on the same street?

  • EHinBH

    Many hudreds of more people live on Cadman Plaza West than on that street… In any event, they should bring back the left onto the Bridge right from Tillary. It was never that bad, so I dont get why they changed it.

  • resident

    And all those “many hundreds” more people are separated by a median from bridge traffic. Tillary is a mess even without the extra traffic that left would bring, not to mention how it would create a backup (either from cars waiting to make a left, or from adding a light cycle). From an engineering design aspect, the current setup makes much more sense.

  • resident

    Anyway, having just read the project description at the DOT, it sounds like the ramp work is aimed at improving traffic from manhattan to brooklyn. Expanding the southbound FDR exit ramp onto the bridge to two lanes (much needed) and making the cadmen plaza exit off the bridge two lanes (it is in essence two lanes already).

  • EHinBH

    It’s not much of a median… besides, it’s very dangerous to send traffic where all those people are crossing all day to go to the Park — including gym class from P.S. 8… besides, Tillary is made for traffic – I think it’s 6 lanes or more in total. Rather that be a mess than a residential street. Cadman should be for local Brooklyn traffic — not a quick pass through to get to a bridge.

    I love that two lane exit. only place in NY whent is looks like you are cutting everyone off, but you really arent…

  • Raisincat

    I live in Concord Village and sleep with a loud fan and ear plugs because of all the noise from the rerouted cars during construction.

    I have found Sabrina Lau to be very nice and helpful to work with.

  • BHBS

    Homer, the project has it backwards (what else is new). They’re supposed to be doing anything necessary to make life for the automobile WORSE and life for the people in the buildings BETTER. Oy, will they ever get it right?

  • Andrew Porter

    EH in BH: There were several posts on such places as Brownstoner and Curbed about the work scheduled for the off-ramps from the Bridge onto Cadman Plaza in recent years. I suggest a Google search for information.

    About noise from the construction: it could be far worse: you could live along Second Avenue, be exposed to noise and dust from the construction of the Second Avenue Subway.

    I lived through five years of construction on the St. George Tower and 60 Pineapple Street (1973-78) and after a while, the sound of an empty dumpster being put onto the street at 4am fails to wake you up.

  • hicks st guy

    @BHBS, if you haven’t noticed, automobile drivers pay taxes too!
    I believe you’re a little over the top.

  • She’s Crafty

    EHinBH, PS 8 kids do not go to Cadman for gym. I think those are St. Ann’s kids.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/13189502@N02/ Eddyenergizer

    When they first made the change, eliminating the left from Tillary onto the bridge, I thought it was idiotic. But after getting used to it, I realized it was a brilliant solution as it alleviated congestion at what was once, one of the worst intersections in Brooklyn. Before, Cadman Plaza West was way under used for its potential capacity, it made sense to divert some of the bridge traffic there and its still not too crowded.

  • WillowtownCop
  • NoSleep

    THIS IS NOT JUST NOISE….IT IS RELENTLESS JACKHAMMERING THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT NIGHT, IT IS EXHAUSTING DURING NORMAL SLEEP HOURS AND INCLUDES HORRIBLE VIBRATIONS, ETC. CLEARLY, THE LOCAL RESIDENTS WERE NOT CONSIDERED TOO IMPORTANT DURING THESE PLANNING SESSIONS.

    AND YES, MANY PEOPLE IN MY BUILDING ARE MOVING AND TRYING TO FLEE THIS QUALITY OF SLEEP/LIFE NIGHTMARE.