Road traffic noise monitoring program & mitigation measures at the Athens ring motorway

Abstract

Athens urban area is characterized from high environmental road traffic noise levels due to the important road movements towards the city center & suburban areas (1). The "ATTIKI ODOS" Athens ring motorway network aims in the facilitation of the daily vehicles movements ensuring also the best protection of the acoustic & atmospheric environment. Therefore the main environmental objective of the Road Traffic Noise Monitoring System (RTNMS) of Attiki Odos S.A., is to ensure a continuous monitoring in a selection of representative locations - in a short and long term - of all environmental acoustic parameters of Road Traffic that are requested for the proper design, aiming in the amendment of unfavourable environmental effects from noise and the continuous checking of the effectiveness of the noise protection measures that are proposed to be applied and more specifically the application of the noise barriers. The RTNMS has ensured since 2002 the recording- on a 24hours/7days/12 months continuous monitoring level - and the evaluation of the relevant data for the following indices of traffic noise: a) L10(18h) based upon the standing legislation (17252), b) L?eq (08.00-20.00) based upon the standing legislation (17252) & L?eq(24h) & c) Lday (07.00-19.00), Levening (19.00-23.00), Lnight (23.00-07.00) & Lden based upon the new European directive for Noise (2002/49/EC). A total of 8 permanent noise monitoring stations and a a yearly mobile noise monitoring program introducing some 200 locations along the motorway is in continuous operation since 2002, introducing also updated information regarding add. mitigation measures due road traffic flows increase and heavy urbanisation along the motorway. Some more than 70.000 sqm of semi transparent noise barriers of effective acoustic height from 3 up to 4,5m were already implemented ensuring the protection of the urban acoustic environment.