Click to play the sound bite
Click to play the sound bite
Click to play the sound bite
Click to play the sound bite
One of the best things about the weekend is that we usually have the opportunity to recharge our batteries. For some of us, it may mean an opportunity to unplug from technology and enjoy our days and evenings with a good book or our loved ones. For others, it may mean the opportunity to get to the gym or grocery shop or sleep in and wake up naturally. Waking up naturally (i.e. waking up after noon) happens to be my favorite part of the weekend. However, in many urban neighborhoods, this is nearly impossible due to noise levels.
Today’s sound portrait is close to Blue Hill Avenue in Dorchester. I’ve monitored at over 400 site in Greater Boston and I regret to announce that today’s sound portrait broke ALL records in terms of noise levels—sorry Savin Hill (another neighborhood in Dorchester), it’s time to pass on the baton.
Road construction started here a little after 8 am and the neighborhood literally vibrated with sounds of jackhammers, bulldozers, excavators, and loaders. There was also an onslaught of horns, ambulances, and cars with loud music which, in summation, clocked in at 95 decibels—on a weekend morning. This is over 40 decibels louder than acceptable community noise levels suggested by the World Health Organization.
Beryl Nyamunda lives here and reports that on most days, living here can be unbearable and is something she hasn’t really gotten used to.
Name: Beryl Nyamunda
Date: 8/7/2016, 9:00 am
Neighborhood: Dorchester, Boston
Occupation: College Adviser
On a scale of 1-10 , how loud is your neighborhood? Day: 9; Night: 6
Actual decibel level: 97.3 dBA
Tell us about the noise in your neighborhood:
For me, it is the construction noise that is most overwhelming–followed by the ambulance sirens. It literally wakes me up at night. I’ve lived here for 2 years and I still have not gotten used to the noise levels.
I briefly interviewed Beryl right outside of her home. Click sound bites to hear her interview.
