MONTREAL — The builder of Montreal’s light rail system has announced measures it says will address noise complaints that have arisen since the new Réseau express métropolitain system launched service on July 31.
The Montreal Gazette reports CDPQ Infra — the construction arm of provincial pension fund Caisse de depot et placement du Québec — will undertake acoustic grinding of the tracks along elevated sections of the REM route in the Griffintown, Pointe-St-Charles and Nuns’ Island areas to reduce wheel noise. It will add large rubber blocks known as noise dampeners to tracks at multiple locations. To accommodate the work, service will be halted early, at 10 p.m. Normally, last trains of the night depart downtown at 1:10 a.m. Sunday through Friday and at 1:40 a.m. on Saturdays.
The work will cost less than $10 million, and similar measures will be undertaken on portions of the system still under construction. Officials said the moves would reduce noise levels by five to 10 decibels, a threefold to tenfold decrease from current levels. Some residents say they have recorded noise above 70 decibels, the threshold at which noise pollution becomes a health hazard.
“As we have said before, we are not happy about the noise caused by REM operations in certain areas,” Jean-Marc Arbaud, CEO of CDPQ Infra, told the Gazette. “Over the last few months, we have adopted a strategic approach, with the support of international experts, to establish a diagnosis that will now enable us to implement proven solutions.”
CDPQ said earlier this month that the cost of the REM system, which is slated to see more sections open next year, has risen to C$7.95 billion, a 26% increase over the original estimate. The pension fund, which built and operates the system as an investment, says it will absorb that increase. The portion that opened in July covers five stations and 17 kilometers, or 10.5 miles; when complete, the system will serve 26 stations over 68 kilometers, or more than 42 miles.
— Updated at 5:30 p.m. CDT to correct noise levels recorded by residents to 70 decibels.
3dB of attenuation would be by about half.
Not sure why this was changed in the item above, but in the original article it says:
“Residents said they recorded noise levels above 70 decibels, the level at which noise pollution can become hazardous to health.”
The numbers must be way off. Ten decibels is NOT a health hazard; it is the sound level of ordinary breathing. [https://www.audicus.com/noise-levels-of-everyday-sounds/]