South Hills residents frustrated by blaring PRT Red Line signal

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Red Line on the T recently underwent a big improvement project, but now, it's making a lot of noise in the South Hills.

The intersection along Willow Avenue and Baldwin Street in Castle Shannon is one of three that had new signals installed on Pittsburgh Regional Transit's Red Line. Neighbors say the noise from the signal has become a nuisance at all hours of the day and night.

The sound can be heard anytime the Red or Silver lines come through the intersection.

KDKA-TV received an email from neighbors, who say they hear this signal even when the train isn't coming, sometimes for hours.

"You hear it all night, all day, and then, sometimes, it gets stuck on. It's terrible," says neighbor Joseph Pantanella.

Pantanella lives near this intersection, and he told KDKA-TV that the signal noise became an issue right after the rails were repaired and signals were added as part of PRT's Red Line rehabilitation project.

Since then, he says, it has gone off non-stop, disturbing his sleep.

"I usually work in the afternoon, so you start hearing it early in the morning. You're just up after that."

Pittsburgh Regional Transit tells KDKA-TV that it received noise complaints Thursday night and immediately dispatched crews to reduce the volume as much as possible.

Officials say the audible signals are a safety requirement to prevent accidents, and the volume cannot be reduced any more than it already has been.

Neighbors say they hope more can be done about the noise frequency or if the sensors are accidentally tripped.

"Take the sensors or fix the sensors or something. It's really annoying," Pantanella said.