Abstract
The Analysis of Noise Level on Saulkarsti Bypass, Latvia The environmental impact assessment (EIA) is an acknowledged method in the world used for estimating the possible changes to the environment caused by proposed development activities, including the development of linear infrastructures. The EIA of planned projects for building or reconstruction of the motorways in Latvia are usually carried out in a short time frame, and therefore the data characterizing current environmental conditions sometimes are not of the best quality. These kind of data gaps cause an inaccurate prognoses on the possible changes to environmental quality after project implementation. Our research demonstrates that this was the case concerning the weak evaluation of sound levels on the Saulkrasti bypass. Within the framework of the EIA, the prognosis of sound levels was elaborated, prooving that, generally, the traffic sound will be within the officially permissible levels, although the problem points are recognized and the erection of sound barriers are proposed. After construction of bypass, however, the noise monitoring has not been carried out in order to verify whether the prognosis are true. In fact, the results of experimental measurements at four points on the Saulkrasti bypass showed the opposite - the noise level in the daytime (Ld) exceeded the acceptable value at all points of the measurements, including the places with installed sound barriers. The task of our experimental measurements on the bypass was also to find a correlation between the noise level and traffic intensity. The results showed that a correlation between these factors is weak, and the noise level is not directly dependant on traffic intensity, but on the total impact of several factors.
Highlights
Along the development of the country, buildings and factories are constructed and the infrastructure is being upgraded
For the first time in the history of Latvia, the sound proof walls have been installed along the motorway covering the area of 4000 m2 at the locations where the excess of noise levels from motorway has been forecast within environmental impact assessment (EIA)
There is excess of noise in the places (Medzabaki and Saulaina Ieleja), where the noise proof wall has been installed
Summary
Along the development of the country, buildings and factories are constructed and the infrastructure is being upgraded. One of the infrastructure objects that requires environmental impact assessment (EIA) for construction are roads. Any project has an impact upon environment, both positive and negative, it is important to analyze different EIA indicators in construction and operation of linear infrastructures (roads incl.). In case of road construction it is necessary to examine environmental indicators that are used for pollution emission levels in the air, soil and water, impact on animals, the levels of noise. The aim of this work is to determine the real noise level after road construction, appraise the accuracy of EIA prognosis and find out the correlation between noise level and traffic intensity. Saulkrasti bypass is the first newly constructed motorway section in Latvia since the regaining of its independence. For the first time in the history of Latvia, the sound proof walls have been installed along the motorway covering the area of 4000 m2 at the locations where the excess of noise levels from motorway has been forecast within EIA
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