Dec. 4, 2013 By Christian Murray
The loud rumbling sounds that come from the N/Q trains are disrupting students at an Astoria school that is located next to the elevated line.
Students at PS 85Q (which is located between the Astoria Blvd and Ditmars stations ) have to pause for 30-40 seconds every time a train passes the school, parents say. They claim that the children cannot hear their teachers.
During rush hour, a train goes by every 2 minutes. During normal hours, a train comes or goes every 5 to 6 minutes.
In response, elected officials and parents are going to hold a rally on Monday at PS 85 to call on the MTA and the Department of Education to reduce the noise.
“We are calling on the MTA and DOE to come up with some noise reduction measures,” said State Sen. Mike Gianaris. He said the MTA could make alterations to the tracks or trains to help alleviate the problem, or the DOE could put in some soundproofing—or both.
“It should not be a difficult problem for the agencies to solve,” Gianaris said. “Some of the requests we make are tough; this one seems to be an easy one for them to do.”
Meanwhile, Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas said the problem needs to be rectified immediately.
“The students at P.S. 85 deserve a quiet school environment where they can focus,” Simotas said. “The unacceptable noise levels … negatively impacts the quality of education these students receive.”
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