Traffic Noise and Inhabitant Health—A Comparison of Road and Rail Noise

Marcin Wrótny and Janusz Bohatkiewicz
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Marcin Wrótny: Department of Roads and Bridges, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Lublin University of Technology, Nadbystrzycka 40, 20-618 Lublin, Poland
Janusz Bohatkiewicz: Department of Roads and Bridges, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Lublin University of Technology, Nadbystrzycka 40, 20-618 Lublin, Poland

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 13, 1-13

Abstract: The negative effect of traffic noise on human health is indisputable. The article illustrates the magnitude of this problem in selected European capitals using data made available by the European Environment Agency, collected as a part of strategic noise mapping under Directive 2002/49/EC. The purpose of the described studies is to determine the number of people suffering from noise-induced health problems, and to compare the effect of the road noise on human health with the effect of noise from rail vehicles. Studies concern noise annoyance, induced sleep disturbance, and Disability-Adjusted Life Years, or DALY index. Analyses clearly show that environmental pollution from road noise often exceeds environmental pollution from railway noise by a factor of 10. In addition, studies show that in many cities, more than half of the population is exposed to road noise exceeding the acceptable values. The worst of all selected agglomerations with regard to people exposed to road and rail noise is Paris, the capital of France. It should be noted, however, that it has the highest population density of all the analyzed cities and a very well developed transport network. Further studies are needed to characterize the effect of traffic noise on inhabitant health more accurately, using specific indicators allowing to do so.

Keywords: road noise; railway noise; environmental noise pollution; sleep disturbance; health effects of noise (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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