The Top 8 Noisiest Places in NYC

An informal sound survey of public places in NYC found that one of the noisiest spots in town is underneath Bryant Park, at the F, V, B, D subway platform. Hearing loss awareness group Hear the World conducted the tests and ranked the eight loudest places they checked. The Bryant Park subway registered 93 decibels—as loud as standing next to a lawnmower. "Once you reach anything over 85 decibels, you are really at risk," says Dr. Craig Kasper, the founder of the Columbia University Center for Hearing Conservation who serves as Hear the World's New York expert.

Hear the World, which works to prevent hearing loss around the world, is holding an event at Macy's Herald Square from January 6th to the 19th, offering free hearing screenings and information about protecting your hearing. Dr. Kasper tells the Post that the easiest way to save your eardrums is also free: "We have wonderful earplugs built in, they are called our fingers." Unfortunately, the incessant voices in our heads persist, no matter how deeply we burrow our fingers in. Below, Hear the World's list of some of the loudest spots in NYC.

1. 93 decibels: F, V, B, D platform, Bryant Park

2. 87 decibels: Corner of 42nd St. and Fifth Ave.

3. 83 decibels: West Side Highway

4. 78 decibels: Herald Square

5. 76 decibels: Times Square, near the military recruiting station

6. 74 decibels: Union Square, across from Whole Foods

7. 73 decibels: Grand Central Terminal on the main concourse at rush hour

8. 72 decibels: Bryant Park, in the middle of the park

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on January 4, 2010 1:25 PM

Comments [rss]

nivek

86th Street on the R in Brooklyn. Give that a try. Your ears will *not* thank you.

Snoopy

The housing projects in East New York get pretty loud in the early AM hours in August.

FDTW

I live a block away from the 6th noisiest place...there is no way 14th st and USQ West is noisier than the 4/5/6 at Union Square.

dignam

I was just about to say: the 4/5/6 at Union Square delivers a double-barreled screech that's like a thousand cats being disemboweled with an air-raid siren.

theevilone

Deaf folks cover their ears on that subway platform.

othernel

@tremolor

I second that. People ask me why I spend $200 on my noise isolating headphones. That platform is the reason why.

Polite New Yorker

The Canal St. A train station is very noisy given that there is a lot of terrible screeching from one particular part of the track.

Shinobi Shaw

I am surprised they did not mention the 6 line on Spring, that has to be one of the most dangerously noisy subway stations in the city!

tremolor

what about the screeching of the 4-5-6 trains at union square?

hotstepper

the worst.

schizofriendly

yes

hotstepper

dude my taco farts are waaayy over 93 decibels, so suck it bryant park!

Wza

I work down on lower Broadway.

It's pretty noisy.

But yeh, I agree, another Manhattan is the center of the world survey.

How Ya Doin

Newsflash: Manhattan is the center of the world.

Wza

To out of towners.

Ed

They apparently think NYC is limited to midtown. Elevated train tracks and East Elmhurst LaGuardia air traffic should rank top 3.

grizzzly

Thank you for pointing out that obvious Bias! Also, these places are noisy, but they aren't residential; What about people who have to live beneath the hearing-damaging sounds of the 7 in Corona, Queens?

Snoopy

What? I can't hear you. My ipod is turned up. What did you say again?

unsunghiro

did they test the N train going into queens ?? that ride is hellish.

angry_pickle

Have you looked at their website? Those people probably think Union Square is at the very edge of civilization. There is no way they would venture into Queens.