Dear Neighbors,
Over two years ago, a small group of residents at 140 Cadman Plaza West formed a Peace & Quiet Committee.
This was in response to daily sleep deprivation and health damage. Many of us can never sleep with our windows open and are forced to pay higher electricity bills because we use fans, A/C’s, white noise machines to block out the jackhammering, demolition and movement of construction vehicles with beeping backup alarms. Why should we have to stuff earplugs into our heads every night?
Since the summer of 2010, we have been subjected to nearly nightly work on the Brooklyn Bridge. The NYC Noise Code was effectively waived. Any noise complaints to 311 for after-hours construction are a waste of time and do not get processed. We live in a 24/7 construction zone with no protections for the right to get a good night’s sleep. We need to change the foolish NYC motto: “The city that never sleeps.”
As we all know, even though some of us have nice views of the port of New York and the Brooklyn Bridge, we live in one of the most polluted and noisy spots in Brooklyn. There is 24/7 traffic on the BQE, the Manhattan Bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge and Cadman Plaza West. Along with the influx of tourists to DUMBO and the Brooklyn Bridge Park, caravans of tour buses with loudspeaker-wielding guides lead people in cheers as they pass 140 Cadman Plaza West. Along with the honking horns, we can do without the cheers from tour buses.
Thousands of residents on both ends of the Brooklyn Bridge suffer daily sleep deprivation and are accumulating health problems due to sleep deprivation. Why? The night shift on the Brooklyn Bridge starts at 11 pm or midnight and goes to 6 am – 7 am or 9 am. The City of New York has told us with a straight face: Deal With It.
Before starting the project, there was no study of how the work would affect People. Only traffic flow analyses were done. Our elected representatives have voiced their concerns. They say that they feel our pain, but we feel our pain. The contractor, Skanska-Koch (of the Koch Brothers), has never met with residents. The DOT has a rule that prohibits such interaction with citizens.
The Bridge needs to be secure and safe, but not at the expense of citizens’ health.
Noise from heavy traffic, construction, helicopters and the rumble of trains over the Manhattan Bridge are degrading our quality of life. The New York Times published an in-depth article on July 12, 2013 entitled “Behind City’s Painful Din” by Cara Buckley that described our situation. You can read it on-line. NY1 did another story here just this week.
The 140 Cadman Plaza West Peace & Quiet Committee was formed to come up with ways to reduce the noise.
I was asked to participate with others in our building on a NYC Department of Transportation Working Group to find ways to mitigate the ill-effects of nightly work. After two years, there has been no progress. No offer of compensation has been presented. We are seeking legal assistance at this time and urge residents to contact city officials, elected representatives, the press and blogs.
Yes, the Bridge has to be repaired, but we should not have to suffer one more sleepless night. At this point, the work on the Brooklyn Bridge is scheduled to continue to at least December 2015! It was supposed to have been completed in April 2014.
Please get involved, even if you are not suffering, because 140 Cadman Plaza West is a community that should stick together.
I welcome your participation and ideas.
Sincerely,
Roberto Gautier
23K