USM’s radio station WMPG is in danger of losing listeners within the coming months because of a noisy precursor to construction on the new parking facility. Pile-driving is scheduled to begin at the end of December, and the station is faced with the issue of constant noise polluting its airwaves and detracting attention from its programs. This will be just the start of the construction for the new parking lot on the Portland campus.
John Rasmussen, building construction engineer at facilities management, explained that pile-driving consists of forcing 250-pound steel piles into bedrock 10 to 30 feet below the softer sandy surface of the earth. These steel piles function to support the foundation and prevent it from sinking into the ground. This is a lengthy process, lasting approximately six to eight weeks. During these weeks, noise pollution will assail the campus.
WMPG’s location at 92 Bedford St., adjacent to the current parking lot will not be conducive to its functioning ability through the pile-driving season.
The noise issue has been a magnifying glass amplifying WMPG’s need to move into a new space. The station is already in a tight space, housing a music library of over 47,000 selections on CD and vinyl. Already at maximum capacity, there is no room to expand in the current location.
“It takes a lot of money to move a radio station,” said Jim Rand, WMPG station manager. Rand speculates the cost to acquire a building and make the move would be upwards of a quarter of a million dollars. Rand does not anticipate moving before pile-driving begins.
Rasmussen and Rand drove to Commercial Street this summer to measure the noise created by daily street traffic as well as the pile-driving noise. Rasmussen stated that everyday traffic and street noise measured at 75 decibels, while pile driving measured out at 90-110 decibels. One hundred and twenty five decibels on the noise scale can get painful, according to Rasmussen.
Rand has concerns that his station will pay a price for the eventual benefit that the 1,200-space garage will provide.
“It’s just too easy to change the channel,” Rand said of his listeners when discussing the effects of the noise.
Rasmussen and Rand are investigating sound barrier techniques to reduce the amount of disruption caused to the station’s daytime programs. At this point there isn’t any agreement concerning who will finance this venture. Rand believes facilities management has been on WMPG’S side.
There most likely won’t be an insulation that can eliminate the noise issue entirely.
“At this point, we’re just trying to minimize the damage,” Rand said.
Although the station runs programs 24 hours a day , year round, the bulk of listeners tune in during normal work-day hours, which coincides with the pile-driving schedule.