Airport Commission Plans Study of Airplane Noise for 1986-July 17, 1985

On the evening of July 16, 1985, the Norwood Airport Commission initiated plans to retain an engineering consulting firm this coming fall to perform a comprehensive study of airplane noise levels at Norwood Airport, with the project slated to begin in the spring of 1986. The decision arises from an increase in community concern, as local residents have consistently reported being disturbed by loud aircraft activity. Airport Manager Thomas Maher reported that there were approximately 75 complaints regarding excessive noise last year, and the volume of complaints has remained consistent throughout the current year. Notably, Thomas Maher pointed out that half of the recent complaints are attributed to a single aircraft that makes regular, recurring flights into and out of the facility. The intended goal of the study is to map out the “noise contours” around the airport to provide officials with data-driven insights to optimize flight paths and minimize the impact on the most severely affected residential areas. “You don’t want to move the (affected) areas from one section of town and just push it onto another,” Thomas Maher stated.

To guide the selection of a consultant, the commission has established a five-member noise study committee, which includes Thomas Maher, Airport Commission members Pauline Grasso and Walter Grady, and town residents Helen Lutkus and Sandra Waxman. This committee will conduct interviews with prospective firms over the next three months and is expected to offer a formal recommendation to the commission by November 1985. Because flight frequency decreases significantly during the winter months, officials noted that the consultant will likely wait until the spring of 1986 to conduct sound level measurements to ensure the data is representative. This initiative represents the second attempt at such an evaluation; a prior study, conducted in 1975, was deemed inaccurate and effectively useless by current management. Funding for the study is a collaborative effort, with state and federal aviation agencies offering to cover the town’s share of the estimated $100,000 to $150,000 total cost. Under standard project funding, the town typically covers 2.5 percent of costs, the state 7.5 percent, and the federal government 90 percent; in this instance, however, officials stated that the state will assume responsibility for the town’s portion of the expenses.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger