Residents pursuing remediation for trench noise at the entrance of the Callahan Tunnel have provided the following update after a meeting with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
A big thank you to all those who attended the Callahan Tunnel Trench Noise Remediation meeting! A special thanks to MassDOT representatives and other local, city, and state representatives. We had a good neighborhood turnout and a healthy, productive discussion about the loud noise created after the MassDOT Callahan Tunnel renovations.
Potential Solutions from the discussion:
- Fill the trench with a foam to absorb the sound but let the trench drain the water
- Install acoustical tile ceilings to absorb the sound
- Install a cover over the tunnel
Action Items:
- Walter Heller, Highway Director, MassDOT agrees to use an egg-crate like foam inside the trench to absorb the sound but allow drainage as well.
- Director Heller will send a sample of the foam product in 1 -2 weeks to Fulton Court
- The installation is to be completed within 1 – 2 months… February
Other Non-Noise related Action Items from the meeting:
- Tunnel Bride Sidewalks: When Director Heller found out that the sidewalks on both sides of the bridge on Richmond Street were not being shoveled in the winter he stated that the State has an agreement with the City of Boston and he will find out where the disconnect is and will remedy the problem.
- Tunnel Bridge Fences: Director Heller stated that the State of Massachusetts will be cleaning up the deteriorating fences on both sides of the street and the result will also be esthetically pleasing.
Next Steps:
- In March we will reevaluate the (1) noise and (2) the drainage of the trench. If both are adequate the remediation is a success
- If the water drainage is not adequate we will try removing some of the foam on the ends of the trench to improve drainage but where cars are unlikely to cross producing the noise
- If the noise level is not reduced substantially we will reevaluate other more complex ideas
I hope all these wonderful things mentioned in the above article regarding soundproofing & drainage
are to benefit residents & not only the restaurants that are in the immediate area of the tunnel. Has
anyone mentioned the cost of this project & how taxpayers will be affected? I believe in safety
first, above all, but residents have been neglected in the past to accommodate restaurant owners and
I hope this is not the case.