Understanding and complying wiht New York City construction noise regulation

Under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, New York City updated its construction noise regulation, effective July 1 2007, the code’s first overhaul in 30 years. The new regulation emphasizes proactive avoidance of construction noise by requiring contractors to develop Noise Mitigation Plans. It also provides guidelines for mitigating particularly loud sources such as pile drivers, hoe rams, concrete saws, vac-trucks, and jackhammers. In the five years since implementation the regulation has proven itself to be effective: contractors and engineers are informed; city inspectors enforce the regulation in the field; construction noise complaints are fewer, and the news media, professional societies, and guidance manuals widely praise the code as exemplary. This paper describes the regulation’s development, technical considerations, legal standing, political compromises and post-implementation effectiveness of the New York City Construction Noise Regulation.