Mitigating Siren Noise
This entry has been created by Capital Projects in consultation with the Police Department (SPD), Fire Department (SFD), Engineering, and Mobility divisions. Throughout the 90 Washington Street planning process, Capital Projects and Economic Development have heard concerns about siren noise – both how much exists today and how much will exist in the future. This response is meant to address both concerns.
90 Washington Street
90 Washington Street is slated to be the new home of the Public Safety Building (PSB) and other developments that meet the outcome of the ongoing community visioning process. Washington Street connects Union and Sullivan Squares with connections to McGrath Highway and I-93. In addition to SFD and SPD, Cataldo Ambulance, the City’s paramedic provider is located ¼ mile away at 137 Washington Street. Siren noise comes from Washington Street and surrounding roads including I-93 and McGrath Highway. This area is impacted by regional dynamics that will not change as part of the 90 Washington Street project. Emergency vehicles will continue to use I-93 and McGrath Highway to transport critical patients to Boston hospitals.
Current Operations
The SPD does not dispatch out of the public safety building. Emergency response calls are done by patrolling officers that are dispersed throughout the City. On very rare occasions, a high-ranking official responds to emergency events but at more regular speeds because they are never the first responder to a scene. Engine 3, as well as all other fire stations in Somerville, use signal preemption (via Global Technologies’ Opticom system) which minimizes siren use to enter and exit the stations. Generally speaking, the station has control of the signal outside of the station and turns cross traffic to a stop signal giving the station the green light to enter/exit. Around Somerville, the majority of signals have transmitter technology that gives SPD and SFD the green light when approaching the signal during emergencies.
Police academy training, which is the same for all officers in Massachusetts, requires 40 hours of emergency vehicle training in addition to field training. SFD trains all new hires on emergency vehicle operations. Lights and sirens are used at the discretion of the operator when surrounding roadway users need to be aware of vehicles using emergency speeds. Siren and light use is for all roadway users’ safety. Generally, these measures are used during daytime and evening hours when Somerville roadways are busy.
Future Conditions
Emergency vehicles will continue to use their discretion, backed by training, in using sirens and lights when responding to emergency calls. What the City can do is continue to focus on potential technology solutions and the design of vehicular mobility around the 90 Washington Street site.
The 90 Washington Street project includes the realignment of New Washington Street and signal preemption that will allow emergency vehicles to avoid the use of sirens when entering and exiting the building. The nearest signalized intersections, Inner Belt Road and McGrath Highway, have transmitter technology to give police and fire vehicles the green light when approaching the intersection. This will allow, when safe, emergency vehicles to limit siren noise around the project site.
Currently, Washington Street has a separated bus lane, which also permit emergency vehicle travel, on the westbound side of Washington Steet from the bridge to Route 28/McGrath Highway intersection. The City’s Mobility Division is exploring separated bus lanes, westbound from the realigned New Washington Street and eastbound from the same intersection. This would allow emergency vehicles, when there is traffic, to use the bus lanes for travel to leave the immediate neighborhood quickly and safely. This may also limit the use of sirens.
Conclusion
The relocation of the PSB from 220 Washington Street to 90 Washington Street should have limited siren impacts on the East Somerville/Inner Belt neighborhood. The City will continue to explore design solutions to help emergency vehicles navigate streets quickly but safely.
