REM builders present noise mitigation measures

CDPQ Infra, which manages the new REM, presented its plan to reduce noise in the Griffintown, Pointe-Saint-Charles, and Nuns’ Island sectors Monday morning.

The two measures in place to reduce the noise pollution in the area: acoustic grinding and dynamic absorbers.

“The combination of both will have a very significant impact on the noise,” said Jean-Marc Arbaud, president and CEO at CDPQ Infra.

According to Arbaud, the implantation of the acoustic grinding, which will reduce rail roughness, will take around five days, whereas adding in the dynamic absorbers to reduce the vibration, will take around six to seven weeks to put in place.

These two measures, when combined, are anticipated to reduce noise by approximately five to 10 decibels, potentially reducing it to less than 10 times the original noise level.

“I’m cautiously optimistic, I hope it works,” said Monelle Carama who lives near the REM.

“It’s a start,” said Gary MacDonald, who also lives near the REM. “I’m surprised with the costs involved planning this project, that this was not part of the overall part of the planning process.”

The presentation provided an update on the results of the analysis work carried out by acoustics experts on the operating section of the REM, as well as on the mitigation measures that will be deployed to address the current situation in those three affected areas.

Residents have been complaining about the high noise levels in the sectors since they began testing the new light-rail system last November.

RELATED
‘This is intolerable’: Griffintown residents deploring incessant REM noise

CDPQ Infra has said in the past it was not satisfied with the noise levels coming from the REM and that it was evaluating corrective measures.

This summer, CityNews measured the noise level made by the REM when it goes by in Griffintown and it ranged from 75 to 90 decibels.

Ville Saint-Laurent has said they want to hear from CDPQ Infra regarding what they are planning to do to lower noise levels in that borough before the train begins running there.

Montreal residents who reside along Montreal’s new light-rail system (REM) say the rumbling of passing trains has become a nuisance.

Some Montrealers in Griffintown say the noise made by the city’s new light-rail train network or the REM is impacting their daily lives.

Jean-Vincent Lacroix a spokesperson for CDPQ Infra said earlier this summer that some measures have been put in place to counter the noise – including sound absorbers on the tracks – and that work will continue in certain areas that the REM runs that pose noise problems.

The grinding will reduce rail roughness and the dynamic absorbers will reduce rail radiation. The measures will be implemented starting next month up until December – after that public feedback of the results will be collected to see if the measures are effective enough.