FAA Commits To Studying Changes To Airplane Routes Over Arlington

ARLINGTON, MA – The Federal Aviation Administration recently committed to studying procedural changes for a runway at Logan Airport that many area leaders feel inequitably distributes airplane noise in their communities. The FAA met with representatives from the Massport Community Advisory Committee and committed to identifying which options from an MIT study may be implemented.

The move comes after officials in Medford, Arlington, Somerville, Belmont and Watertown, and their MCAC representatives, sent a formal letter to the FAA and Massport in April requesting they mitigate the impact of airplane noise to residents.

"FAA has indicated that this study will take between two and three months," MCAC representatives Peter Houk and Luke Preisner wrote. "FAA will provide an update at the next MCAC general meeting in June."

Noise from Logan Airport has been a frequent issue in many greater Boston communities. Officials have pointed to a flight pattern procedure implemented in 2013 they say "unfairly and disproportionately" exposes residents to airplane noise from runway 33L.

Following a letter to Massport from Medford, Somerville and Cambridge last fall, spokesperson Jennifer Mehigan told Patch runway 33L departures are part of Block 2 of a study coordinated by Massport, the FAA and MIT. The study is being conducted to address concentration issues as a result of NextGen, the modernization of the air traffic system that sent flights on more direct routes between airports.