Highway design was never easy. In-creasing scrutiny and critical public opinion only have added to the challenges facing transportation engineers. With each project, there always seems to be someone upset with the proposed location, the number of lanes, and the type of pavement. Environmental issues have taken a front seat in roadway planning and design, and now there is a growing concern about the noise levels generated by traffic. The push to reduce noise produced by the traveling public has resulted in the search for new abatement technologies and alternatives. Research is proving that specific types of pavement surfaces can reduce noise levels significantly on roadways. State DOTs are investigating quiet pavements as an alternative to more traditional methods of noise abatement, such as noise walls and vegetative screening.
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