The MTA has revised its construction schedule near the ShopRite parking lot following complaints about overnight noise, but questions remain about how residents receive advance warnings and whether construction complies with applicable noise restrictions.
NEW ROCHELLE, NY (October 21, 2026) — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has moved rock chipping operations at the New Rochelle Yard to daytime hours following complaints from a nearby homeowner about weeks of disruptive overnight construction noise. Other construction activities will continue overnight as work advances on the Penn Station Access Project.
The MTA provided an updated construction bulletin to New Rochelle resident Michael Abbruzzi on October 20, outlining revised working hours near the ShopRite parking lot on Palmer Avenue. The bulletin says rock chipping for a new retaining wall will occur between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays, with weekend work as needed, through approximately early November.
The development comes as Talk of the Sound examines how the MTA notifies residents and businesses about construction activities, particularly work that generates noise during nighttime and early morning hours.
Residents who want Penn Station Access construction updates can sign up for the project’s email notifications here. The subscription service allows users to select geographic areas, although Talk of the Sound found that neither Pelham nor Pelham Manor was available as an option. The MTA has been asked how residents in those communities can receive localized notifications.
The project also maintains a public website with newsletters, construction notices and other documents. However, a review of those materials found that general project newsletters often provide considerably less information about neighborhood noise and construction disruptions than the localized bulletins issued for specific work areas.
MTA Changes Construction Hours Following Noise Complaints
Abbruzzi, a longtime New Rochelle homeowner living on Homestead Place, has complained about rock hammering and construction vehicle backup alarms that he says repeatedly disturbed his family’s sleep.
He reported construction noise during overnight hours, including activity between approximately 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. On October 18, he complained about being awakened by construction activity around 6 a.m. on a Sunday.
In an October 20 email, the Penn Station Access Outreach team confirmed that rock chipping had been moved to daytime hours and was expected to conclude early the following month.
Andrew Buder, Director of Government and Community Relations for Metro-North Railroad, also confirmed the schedule change in correspondence with New Rochelle Buildings Commissioner Paul Vacca and City Council Member Albert Tarantino.
“We have shifted the rock chipping to during the day which should greatly reduce what you have described as rock hammering overnight,” Buder wrote.
Buder cautioned that the change would not eliminate construction noise. “We are still performing work in the overnight and on weekends and all noises cannot be predicted as work continues. Night and weekend work is standard on all rail projects.”
The MTA also addressed complaints about construction vehicle backup alarms, explaining that the alarms are used for worker safety. The agency said it was exploring less intrusive alternatives, including Smart Alarm systems, and ways to reduce how frequently the alarms sound.
The email included what the outreach team described as an updated construction bulletin for the New Rochelle Yard expansion.
The bulletin identifies the construction area behind ShopRite on Palmer Avenue and includes an aerial photograph showing the railroad corridor, construction area and neighboring properties.
According to the bulletin, rock chipping will occur from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, with weekend work as needed. Other construction activities, described by the MTA as generally quieter, will continue overnight between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.
The rock chipping is expected to conclude in approximately early November, but the bulletin does not specify when all overnight construction activities at the yard will end.
What Does an ‘Updated Construction Bulletin’ Mean?
Although the MTA described the document as an updated construction bulletin, it is not clear whether the agency revised a previously distributed notice or issued a new bulletin describing changes to ongoing construction.
The distinction matters because an earlier notice could establish what residents were told about construction schedules before complaints prompted changes in working hours.
The document itself is labeled “Fall 2026,” rather than identifying a particular month. Other construction bulletins available on the MTA website carry more specific dates, including August 2026 and November 2025.
Talk of the Sound has asked MTA Deputy Communications Director Aaron Donovan whether a previous New Rochelle Yard construction bulletin exists, when it was issued, what information it contained and how it was distributed.
The publication also asked why the October notice carries only a seasonal designation rather than a specific month and whether the term “updated” indicates a formal revision of an earlier announcement or simply new information about construction.
The answers could help establish when the MTA changed its construction arrangements and when residents were informed.
How Were Neighbors Notified?
The October 20 email to Abbruzzi said the Penn Station Access Outreach team was distributing the construction bulletin to him and his neighbors.
However, the correspondence did not explain how the notices were being distributed or how the MTA determined which neighboring households and businesses should receive them.
Were notices mailed, delivered door to door, distributed by email or posted online? Does the MTA maintain a geographic list of affected properties, or does it use some other method for determining who should receive advance notification?
Those questions remain unanswered.
Talk of the Sound has asked the MTA to explain how it identifies residents and businesses likely to be affected by disruptive construction, how far in advance they are ordinarily notified and how the agency documents that notices were actually delivered.
The distinction is important because information posted on a website or distributed to voluntary email subscribers may not reach people who live immediately beside a construction site but do not know that those resources exist.
What Noise Requirements Apply?
The New Rochelle construction bulletin states that noise monitors have been installed and that work complies with applicable noise requirements.
However, the notice does not identify the standards being applied, the permissible noise levels or the monitoring results supporting the MTA’s assertion.
It also does not explain whether the standards originate with New Rochelle’s municipal regulations, New York State requirements, federal environmental approvals, MTA construction specifications or some combination of those authorities.
The applicable standards matter because permissible construction noise may depend on the location, time of day, type of activity and regulatory authority involved.
Talk of the Sound has asked the MTA to identify the specific noise requirements governing work at the New Rochelle Yard, explain how compliance is measured and identify which agencies are responsible for enforcement.
The publication has also filed a Freedom of Information Law request seeking noise and vibration monitoring data, construction complaint records, community notifications and documentation concerning compliance with the project’s federal environmental commitments.
The MTA’s claim of compliance has not yet been independently evaluated against the requested monitoring records.
New Rochelle Buildings Commissioner Questions Weekend Work
Abbruzzi’s complaints also reached New Rochelle Buildings Commissioner Paul Vacca, who expressed concern about weekend construction activity.
After Abbruzzi reported being awakened by construction noise around 6 a.m. Sunday, October 18, Vacca responded the following morning.
“That is really not ok,” Vacca wrote.
He also said no one should be making noise on Saturday or Sunday mornings and stated that, to the best of his knowledge, the city manager had not granted a noise waiver for the project.
Whether the construction requires a municipal waiver, and the extent to which local noise ordinances apply to railroad construction conducted under state and federal oversight, remain unresolved.
Donovan previously told Talk of the Sound that the MTA had been communicating regularly with Abbruzzi and was working to address his concerns.
Donovan also said the current construction phase was expected to wrap up this fall, reducing much of the overnight noise.
That description does not establish a specific completion date. Meteorological fall ends November 30, while astronomical fall ends December 21. The newer construction bulletin offers a more precise anticipated conclusion for rock chipping in early November but does not establish when other overnight work will stop.
MTA Publishes Construction Newsletters, but Neighborhood Details Vary
The Penn Station Access Project maintains an extensive public documents website containing quarterly newsletters, construction notices, environmental assessments, project presentations and other materials.
Talk of the Sound reviewed the available quarterly newsletters and construction notices covering approximately the past two years, focusing on the period during which construction activities have affected communities in Westchester County.
The newsletters provide information about project milestones, infrastructure improvements, new Bronx stations, project personnel and community outreach programs.
The September 2026 newsletter, for example, reported that clearing and grading had been completed at the New Rochelle Yard and that construction of the retaining wall was underway. It included a photograph of the work but did not provide a detailed schedule of anticipated nighttime noise or rock chipping affecting nearby residents.
The June 2026 newsletter reported that preparations and wall foundation work had begun at the yard. It also described the MTA’s participation in New Rochelle’s Earth Day festival.
The September newsletter highlighted an educational visit to Jefferson Elementary School in New Rochelle, where the Penn Station Access team conducted engineering activities for more than 200 students.
These communications document construction progress and community engagement, but they do not necessarily provide the detailed information homeowners and businesses need to anticipate disruptive construction near their properties.
The MTA also publishes geographically specific construction bulletins that provide considerably more information about anticipated work hours and potential disturbances.
An August 2026 bulletin concerning work near Forest Road in Pelham Manor warned that construction could continue 24 hours a day, seven days a week, throughout 2026. The notice also warned about increased truck traffic and noise-generating equipment.
A November 2025 bulletin concerning work along First Street in the Village of Pelham identified overnight construction between approximately 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., including weekends, and described the anticipated work phases and equipment.
Those bulletins provide precisely the type of localized information residents may need.
However, Talk of the Sound has not established whether every construction bulletin is available in the MTA’s public document collection or whether some notices are distributed exclusively by email or directly to affected properties.
The publication has asked the MTA whether a complete archive exists, including information about when notices were issued and which geographic areas received them.
How to Sign Up for Penn Station Access Email Alerts
The MTA offers an email subscription service for Penn Station Access construction updates through Mailchimp, an email marketing and distribution platform.
Sign Up for Penn Station Access Email Notifications
The form allows users to provide contact information and select geographic areas for which they want updates.
Talk of the Sound registered for the service, selecting General Information and New Rochelle.
However, neither Pelham nor Pelham Manor appeared among the geographic choices, despite ongoing Penn Station Access construction in those communities.
It is unclear how Pelham residents and businesses can subscribe specifically to information about construction affecting their neighborhoods.
It is also unclear whether selecting General Information ensures that subscribers receive all construction bulletins across the project corridor or only general project announcements.
Talk of the Sound has asked the MTA why Pelham and Pelham Manor are missing from the subscription form and what residents in those communities should select to receive localized construction notices.
The MTA’s Penn Station Access Frequently Asked Questions document identifies email blasts, quarterly newsletters, social media updates and a site-specific mailing list among the project’s community outreach methods.
The document also states that the agency will evaluate its communication methods during construction and adjust them as necessary to maintain effective outreach.
Can Residents See Previously Distributed Email Alerts?
Although the MTA website includes archives of quarterly newsletters and selected construction notices, Talk of the Sound has not identified a comprehensive public archive of the emails distributed through the project’s Mailchimp system.
Mailchimp supports browser-viewable versions of email campaigns, allowing individual messages to be accessed through web links when that feature is used.
That raises the question of whether the MTA maintains a publicly accessible archive of those messages or can provide links to past construction alerts.
Such an archive would allow residents and journalists to review what the agency told affected communities, when notices were issued and how anticipated construction impacts were described.
Talk of the Sound has asked to review the project’s email notifications from approximately the past two years, particularly communications involving construction in Westchester County.
The inquiry also seeks information about the geographic areas targeted by those notices.
The existence of quarterly newsletters and selected bulletins does not establish that every email notification is publicly available or that the documents posted online represent a complete record of community outreach.
No Dedicated Penn Station Access Social Media Accounts Identified
The MTA’s project FAQ lists social media updates among the methods used to keep communities informed about Penn Station Access.
However, the Facebook, X and Instagram links available on the MTA website lead to general MTA accounts.
Talk of the Sound has not identified dedicated Penn Station Access accounts on those platforms.
For residents who prefer receiving construction updates through social media rather than email, it is therefore unclear whether there is a reliable way to follow information specifically about Penn Station Access.
The publication has asked Donovan whether dedicated project accounts exist and, if not, where project-specific notifications are published on the agency’s general social media channels.
Questions have also been submitted about how the MTA promotes its subscription service to residents and businesses.
The MTA was asked whether signup information has been distributed through mailings, municipal governments, community organizations, neighborhood meetings or other outreach efforts.
For an email subscription service to provide effective notice, residents must first know that it exists and understand what information they can expect to receive.
Local, County and State Officials Asked About Construction Complaints
Talk of the Sound has expanded its inquiries beyond the MTA and federal transportation agencies to include officials representing communities affected by Penn Station Access construction.
Formal media inquiries were sent to New Rochelle City Council Member Albert Tarantino, whose District 2 includes the neighborhood affected by construction at the New Rochelle Yard; Westchester County Legislator Judah Holstein; state Sen. Shelley Mayer; and Assembly Member Steve Otis.
The officials were asked whether their offices have received complaints about construction noise, nighttime or weekend work, inadequate advance notification and other neighborhood impacts.
They were also asked whether they have contacted the MTA, what responses or commitments they have received and what they know about the advance notices distributed to affected residents and businesses.
Additional questions concern the noise standards applicable to railroad construction, the respective responsibilities of municipal, county, state and federal authorities, and what steps officials have taken or intend to take to assist constituents.
The inquiries seek to establish what local and state representatives can do when residents complain about disruptive construction but face uncertainty about which government agencies have authority over the work.
Responses are pending.
Federal Oversight Questions Remain
Penn Station Access is a major transportation infrastructure project intended to expand Metro-North service to Penn Station, provide four new stations in the East Bronx and improve regional rail connections.
The project’s federal environmental approvals incorporate mitigation, minimization and monitoring commitments concerning construction impacts, including community outreach and noise.
Talk of the Sound is examining how those commitments are implemented, whether affected residents receive adequate advance notice and how complaints are investigated and resolved.
On October 20, the publication examined those issues in an earlier report:
MTA Construction Noise Complaints Raise Federal Oversight Questions: What Residents Can Do
The publication has filed a FOIL request with the MTA and submitted media inquiries to the Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, Rep. George Latimer and Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office.
Those inquiries seek information about the project’s environmental commitments, compliance monitoring, noise mitigation requirements and available remedies for residents who believe those commitments are not being fulfilled.
The latest New Rochelle construction notice documents changes in how the MTA is scheduling potentially disruptive work following complaints from a nearby homeowner.
It does not, by itself, establish whether the agency satisfied its advance notification obligations, whether noise levels complied with applicable requirements or whether all affected residents received timely information.
Those questions remain central to the continuing investigation.
Where Residents Can Get Construction Information or Report Complaints
Residents and businesses affected by Penn Station Access construction can contact the project outreach team directly.
Penn Station Access Outreach
* Email: PSAOutreach@mtacd.org
* Telephone: 347-263-7837
* Project website: https://www.mta.info/project/penn-station-access
* Construction notices and newsletters: https://www.mta.info/project/penn-station-access/documents
* Email subscription: https://mtacd.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?id=52bb4345bf&u=0bad934224137ec8a1e34d6f8
Residents reporting construction problems should identify the location, dates and times of the activity and describe the nature of the disturbance. They can request information about anticipated construction hours, upcoming activities, available noise mitigation measures and how complaints are documented.
Keeping copies of correspondence, photographs, recordings and other records may help establish a history of recurring problems.
Residents should also consider contacting their local elected representatives to determine what assistance those offices can provide.
Talk of the Sound will continue reporting on the MTA’s construction activities, community notification practices and environmental compliance as additional information becomes available.
RELATED
MTA Construction Noise Complaints Raise Federal Oversight Questions: What Residents Can Do (10/20/2026)
Pelham Manor Residents Express Concerns Over MTA Penn Station Access Project Noise (10/10/2026)
MTA Kicks Off Tree Clearing for Penn Station Rail Expansion in Pelham Neighborhood (10/24/2025)
Metro-North Preps New Rochelle Rail Yard Expansion for Penn Access Project (9/23/2022)
MTA Announces Completion of Environmental Review for Penn Station Access (10/3/2021)
MTA to Award $2.87 Billion Contract for Metro-North Penn Station Access Project (12/18/2021)
This article was prepared with the assistance of AI tools under the direction and editing of Robert Cox.
Have information about this story? Email robertcox@talkofthesound (preferred) or contact via WhatsApp: +353 089 972 0669.
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