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Residents Dealing With Constant Noise From New Tappan Zee Bridge Construction

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Preliminary pile driving for the new Tappan Zee Bridge has begun and has been a real jolt for some residents.

Among them is Richard Harvest, who has a large, red crane looming near his backyard.

"We have a train track that's right underneath us and it's louder than the diesel trains that are going by," he told WCBS 880 reporter Sean Adams on Thursday.

SEE: More Photos Of The Construction Barges

From Fred Gross's deck, he has a breathtaking view of the river and front row seat for the construction. He said his house was shaken by the pile driving this week.

"It's shocking, the noise itself," he said.

"It was very, very intense banging, continual pounding," Sherry Alperstein of Tarrytown told CBS 2's Lou Young.

Residents Upset By Construction Of New Tappan Zee Bridge

The state has received two complaints that work started before 7 a.m. Brian Conybeare, special advisor to Gov. Andrew Cuomo for the new bridge, has told the construction company to watch the noise.

"They could use things like shrouds around the pile drivers to dampen the noise. But they're allowed to do noisy work like pile driving from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.," Conybeare told Adams. "The decibel level they are allowed to reach is 90 db. We don't think they've been over that just yet."

"The pilings that are being put in as part of the temporary trestle work are some of the smallest pilings so they do have less noise than some of the major pilings out in the middle of the river," Conybeare told CBS 2's Young.

He promised more will be done to accommodate the Tappan Landing neighborhood.

Noise is such an issue with this construction project because it's happening on the river. Sound travels right across the water and bounces off the Palisades. Work being done in Tarrytown can be heard clearly at tremendous distances.

"I would suspect they hear it much further down the river from where I live. I'm about three miles away. I hear it clear," said Pete Adamovic of Irvington, N.Y.

The issue in the area is there is already a lot of background noise. There are Metro North tracks and highways nearby so trains and vehicles are always zipping by, CBS 2's Young reported.

But many residents seem to understand it's something they'll just have to live with.

"I think the landscaping here is louder and a plane flying over is louder than that honestly," said Paul Delgado of Tarrytown.

"The alternative is the Tappan Zee Bridge falls in the Hudson and what does that do?" Adamovic added.

Within a week, equipment will be installed to monitor noise, vibrations, and air quality. Plus, more homes could be in line for noise barriers and soundproofing, state officials said.

The new Tappan Zee Bridge is expected to take five years to complete.

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