Noise annoyance for a motorway compared to urban roads

摘要

This study summarizes of the noise annoyance from road traffic noise from a motorway (M3) and two urban roads near Copenhagen. The urban roads are characterized by open urban areas with a substantial share of 3-5 storeyed residences (2870 respondents). The areas next to motorway M3 consisted mainly of 1-2 storeyed houses protected by noise barriers of 4 m height along the motorway (1410 respondents). At noise exposure levels, L_(den), below approx. 55 dB the dose-response curves were not significantly different. At noise exposures above 55-58 dB the noise from the M3 is perceived as more annoying than the noise of urban roads at the same levels. At the high levels, this difference is equivalent to a difference of approximately 5 dB. The annoyance around the M3 motorway is significantly and substantially above the annoyance found in the European dose-response curves. The M3 study shows that at 50% annoyed the neighbours are so much more annoyed that it equivalent to 6-12 dB higher noise exposures. For the urban roads it was found that at 50% annoyed the annoyance compared the European curves was equivalent to 3-5 dB higher noise exposure.