Environmental road & rail transportation noise monitoring. A necessary tool for the protection and rehabilitation of the urban acoustic environment

Abstract

In the last 20 years, the increasing development of road transportation networks along with other urban mass transportation networks - as light rail transit - in urban areas has an important influence on the quality of the life and the acoustic environment. The rehabilitation of the urban soundscape is now a major parameter in the rehabilitation of the quality of life. The environmental noise monitoring actions are important and necessary for the assessment of the acoustic environment and for the introduction of the most adequate mitigation measure in order to alleviate the effects of exposure to traffic noise (e.g. traffic management, smooth and uniform traffic flows, introduction of technical solution for the road noise abatement such as noise barriers, etc.). The overall approach of a complete and comprehensive monitoring scheme is important in order to process the adequate and environmental friendly operation and maintenance of the road in order to respect the noise limits defined in the relevant legislation. This paper presents a combined approach to a typical adequate road noise monitoring program based on a 10-year relevant experience in various highways and motorways in Greece. This approach is essential in order to manage effectively this complicated linear noise source. Active traffic management techniques, smooth operation, absorbing pavements, speed limits and ecodriving within the relevant strategic noise maps and action plans offer a way to provide continuous and up-to-date monitoring and assessment of road noise level.