As if the streets of NYC weren’t lively enough, the Manhattan residents near Queens Midtown Tunnel are dealing with symphony levels of sound during recent months. Jackhammers pounding in the early hours of the morning and horns of angry drivers honking attempting to navigate around the closed tunnel are leaving residents wide awake and frustrated with their community. Though this $236.5 million project was mandatory in order to repair damages caused by Hurricane Sandy, the inconvenience is leaving adjacent residents fuming.

The Noisy Problem

The 76-year-old tunnel has two separate, concurrent construction projects being worked on it since last spring. The daytime project is repairing Manhattan’s exit plaza, which has damages dating back to the 1930s. The overnight project is happening inside the tunnel itself; one of the two tubes is closed at a time so crews can install new LED lighting, drainage pumps and fire lines.

The MTA’s logic in doing both projects at the same time came from the hopes that the length of the entire inconvenience would be shorter. However, people living around the construction couldn’t disagree more. The project started in March of this year and shows no sign of letting up any time soon; in fact, there is at least three more years of Sandy construction ahead.

The construction takes place from 10:30 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. Monday thru Friday, and from 11 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday morning. One lane remains open in each direction to accommodate the individuals that still have to take this route; however, it is far from ideal. Hundreds of complaints have trickled in from the neighboring residents regarding the extra noise this construction has caused. Not just noise from the construction, but from the constant honking that has come due to the back up of traffic every morning. The MTA agreed to place “no-honking” signs throughout the plaza in hopes to silence some of the commotion. Needless to say, this hasn’t quite done the trick.

The Solution

The everyday noises of the metropolis can be annoying as is, but adding construction into the mix only amplifies the nuisance. Luckily, there is an alternative solution to this problem: CitiQuiet, a Soundproof Window company based out of New York City. Already being utilized all over the Big Apple, CitiQuiet windows offer a slice of tranquility for the average city dweller. And since they manufacture, market, and install everything themselves, consumers can rest assured that their investment will stand the test of time.

Several residents in the general vicinity of the tunnel that have already made the switch have expressed that their sleepless nights have been replaced with soundless and peaceful evenings. Though the temporary construction seems like an unfortunate extreme to force such a drastic change in your home, the silencing of day to day street activity through soundproof windows proves this update to be beneficial long after the assembly ceases. Remember, the city never sleeps! We are so confident in our product and our customer’s experience that we offer a 100% money-back guarantee for 1-inch acoustic pane glass and 50% money-back guarantee for all other glass windows.