WINDSOR LOCKS — A public informational meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 20 at the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks at 7 p.m. to review updated Noise Exposure Maps for Bradley International Airport.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation is preparing an update to the Noise Exposure Maps for Bradley International Airport. The NEMs were last updated as part of the Federal Aviation Regulations Part 150 Noise Study for Bradley International Airport that concluded in 2003. The study is funded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program and ConnDOT.
This NEM update for Bradley International Airport will re-evaluate the existing and future noise contours generated by aircraft operations there. Airport-generated noise will be evaluated for existing conditions in 2013 and for a five-year forecast condition. The overall goal of the NEM update study is to update the noise contours and to address aircraft noise impacts in surrounding communities. In this noise study, the noise metric used to determine land use compatibility is the Day-Night Average Noise Level (DNL). The FAA uses a DNL of 65 decibels as the threshold of compatibility for noise-sensitive land uses such as homes, schools, places of worship and hospitals.
Previous airport environmental studies have determined that BDL generates off-airport noise that exceeds federal guidelines in noise sensitive areas (e.g., residential areas). To evaluate and address noise exposure and impacts, ConnDOT, owner and operator of Bradley International Airport, committed to the Federal Aviation Administration that an update to the noise analysis and land use planning would be conducted.
The public is encouraged to attend the March 20 information meeting to offer their opinions regarding the update to the NEMs.
Questions concerning this meeting or the NEM study can be referred to Robert J. Bruno, chief of engineering services, Connecticut Department of Transportation, Bureau of Aviation at 860-594-2535.
