Strategic noise mapping and noise action planning in Attica to L L W A Y

Abstract

Attica Tollway (the Athens ring road) is a pioneering project constructed on a concession basis and constitutes one of the biggest co-financed road projects in Europe, laying the foundations for the execution of a series of successful concession contracts in Greece. In terms of Environmental Noise protection and monitoring, Attica Toll Motorway has already implemented a series of various and comprehensive actions, being the first highway in Greece with a complete Strategic Noise Map (SNM), drafted during 2009-2010 according to the guidelines of the European Directive 2002/49/EC (END) and the relevant Greek Legislation (Round 1). In the context of the SNM population, building and surface exposure per noise zone were taking into account the 2008 available road traffic data. Within the above context, two distinct Noise Action Plans (NAP) were evaluated, taking into account various actions against road traffic noise, such as reflective transparent noise barriers, partial motorway covers and urban legislation tools. The CadnaA noise prediction software was used as per the majority of Greek urban agglomerations, as well as in other Greek highways, the Athens international Airport and other transportation infrastructures. In order to validate the results, a comparison of the calculated noise indices Lden & Lnight results with the measured noise levels at more than 150 locations along the motorway-from the annual environmental noise monitoring program-was implemented proving exceptional correlation. According to END, the 2nd Round, including the full update of the Strategic Noise Mapping and Noise Action Planning, was recently completed (end 2015), based on the available traffic data for 2014, with emphasis in the central and most used section of the motorway, e.g. from Doukisis Plakentias to Metamorfosi intersections, as part of the greater Northern Athens urban agglomeration including a full evaluation of the previous Noise Action Plan.