Try the engineering department or permits to find out what or who to blame for this. The ordinances are designed to allow any type of construction 24/7. they are all exempt from noise ordinances- especially if they claim "emergency" repairs- welcome to life in downtown New Haven and they wonder why Business Development can't get anyone here.

Actually, the noise ordinance only exempts construction equipment during the hours of 7 a.m to 10 p.m. (Mon-Sat) or 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Sun). In order to work outside those hours, they must apply for a variance (which requires them to demonstrate that it would be a hardship to do the work during normal hours). In any case, I've checked with those responsible for issuing any variance, and none was issued for this work.

This time around it is comcast that is finally putting service on this block of chapel st.. they were told by the powers that be in city hall that this is the only time they are allowed to work...three nights from 10-2...I can guarantee that this is not their first preference... This issue needs to be address with City engineering and who ever is issuing the permits.....

Thanks for the update Chapel Watcher.

This wouldn't be such an issue and I wouldn't be upset if this work was actually done from 10-2. That would make it like a particularly noisy Friday or Saturday night downtown. However, this work did not stop at 2. On Monday night they finished at 6 or 7 in the morning. On Wednesday, I finally gave up trying to sleep and went to work at 5 and they were still at it.

If it's City Hall directing this, I guess it's time to ping our alder.

I've spoken with several more people in various city departments. It appears that the traffic engineer expressly required the work to take place at night (I've seen the permit and it does indeed impose time of day restrictions on the work). It seems pretty clear this was done without any reference to the city noise ordinance (to the best of my knowledge, there's nothing that gives a city traffic engineer the power to ignore that ordinance; it certainly isn't in the ordinance itself). Most likely the traffic engineer didn't want to have to do the work necessary to reroute traffic (or even just to clear out the parking areas and squeeze traffic around the side of the work area).

Definitely time to let the alders know about it. Neither laziness nor commuter convenience allows one to break the law.

One other note. One of the people in the permit office told me they are scheduled to be back again this Monday night doing yet more work. So there's no time like the present.

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