Guidebook: how to reduce noise annoyance from road traffic

Abstract

The objective of the FAMOS project was to develop a European guidebook with practical applications for the National Road Administrations on how to handle noise annoyance by non-acoustic moderators in planning of roads. When all technically feasible and economically possible measures to reduce the noise have been used, there can still be need for further reduction of the annoyance. Analyses reveal that only 1/3 of the variance in the annoyance response is caused by the noise level. 2/3 are determined by so-called non-acoustic factors. The annoyance response therefore can be altered without changes to the actual noise level. The project searched moderators that have a large impact on the annoyance without changing the noise level. The search was an international literature survey on annoyance studies. Moderators found were: •Expectations to and visual appearance of noise barriers •Presence of vegetation/greenery •Access to a quite façade •Neighbourhood soundscape •Attitudes towards authorities and road owners •Perceived traffic safety Experimental tests using sound walks, questionnaires and listening tests have been performed to quantify some moderators. Various methods have been used to find, extract and analyse data and turn the results into models for moderators formulated for practical use.