PA Commits Millions For Quieter Schools

The Port Authority (PA) has increased its current Queens school soundproofing budget by more than 50 percent as part of its $27.5 million program to cut noise levels in 11 borough schools that are in airport flight paths.
The program affects thousands of students attending Queens elementary, middle and high schools, as well as a local college in LaGuardia Airport.
Three schools are currently being soundproofed in Flushing, another three in the Rockaways, two in Rosedale and one each in Jackson Heights, Howard Beach and Elmhurst. Work was begun on these schools in 2001.
But Rep. Joseph Crowley has already called for an expanded program to include schools that lie on the outer fringes of the JFK and LaGuardia Airports.
“As someone who has lived his entire life under the flight path of LaGuardia Airport, I know firsthand how the sound pollution from jet engines disrupts the quality of life for area residents,” Crowley said. “For students who are trying to study and learn in an academic environment, aircraft noise is more than a nuisance, it is an impediment to learning.”
Crowley has already proposed making federal funding available for homes, houses of worship and community centers in noise-impacted areas.
More than 300,000 Queens students attend schools that lie in the paths of an estimated 1,500 planes that fly to and from JFK and LaGuardia every day. These trips average at least one plane per minute over Queens, or about 550,000 trips per year.
“The Port Authority recognizes its responsibility to be a good neighbor to those who live, work and learn near its facilities,” said PA Vice Chairman Charles Gargano. “Our children need school buildings that provide an atmosphere conducive to learning.”
The special program calls for the installation of special sound-proofed windows, ceilings and doors, as well as mechanical ventilation systems, which permit school windows to remain shut during warm weather. Installation of the unique soundproofing equipment results in at least a 50 percent reduction of noise.
Schools wishing to learn about eligibility requirements should contact the Port Authority’s Aviation Department at 225 Park Avenue South, New York, N.Y., 10003.
Victor Ross is a freelance writer.