Acoustic sustainable environment through freeway traffic management actions

Abstract

Attica Tollway ("Attiki Odos") is a 70-km long tolled motorway in Athens, Greece, in close collaboration with the University of Thessaly -Faculty of Civil Engineering (Laboratory of Transportation Environmental Acoustics (L.T.E.A.), operates an advanced Environmental Noise Monitoring System for the past 12 years. Attica Tollway Operations Authority, the company responsible for the operation and maintenance of the motorway, uses various dynamic systems to ensure that the noise levels generated are kept to a minimum or that they can be reduced in cases where real-time noise monitoring can reveal exceeding of acceptable limits. These actions include: A comprehensive Noise Abatement Operation management, including environmental the implementation of the appropriate mitigation measures with emphasis to some 100.000 sqm of transparent noise barriers PMMA. An Active Traffic Management through a Traffic Management Centre, linked to a dense net of cameras, variable message signs, noise monitoring stations, inductive loops etc. A Congestion Management: patrols and intervention teams are guided by the Traffic Management Centre, to as to reduce the generated congestion in the event of an incident and reinstate traffic flow to its previous levels more effectively. A full Roadwork Planning, since road works are usually planned to be carried out during off-peak hours and night-time, to avoid the movement of additional HVGs and noise to that generated by traffic on the motorway. A Fleet Management by the means of a detailed database kept up-to-date to monitor the condition of all vehicles of the company's fleet. An Eco-driving approach with all company vehicles & users applying the basic principles of eco-driving, not only for the purposes of fuel consumption, but also to ensure minimized noise generation. This paper presents the aforementioned measures and their effect environmental traffic noise in the basis of a sustainable semi-urban motorway network.