As cities grow and skylines change, the sound of progress is everywhere. Jackhammers pound against concrete and pavement, pile drivers shake the ground, bulldozers roar across job sites, cranes rattle as steel beams rise into place, while trucks rumble through neighborhoods. These noises are merely the soundtrack of progress for many, announcing the arrival of new houses, roads and schools. However, there is a much less obvious reality hidden beneath this cacophonous development: Construction noise poses a risk to people’s health and welfare in addition to being an irritation.

The World Health Organization warns that long-term exposure to sound above 85 decibels can harm health. Yet on construction sites, sound levels routinely range from 85 to 100 decibels. A pile driver, for instance, c

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