Traffic Noise as a Factor of Health Risks and Restrictions on the Use of Land Plots of Urban and Rural Settlements

Introduction: Noise is one of the priority risk factors for human health and the environment. Urban noise exposure demonstrates a steady increase. New instruments of government regulation are necessary to prevent sanitary and epidemiological ill-being of the population. The existing regulatory framework and methodological approaches facilitate management of the current situation while maintaining health of citizens.

Objective: To zone the territory of a large city by noise levels for the tasks of urban planning and assessment of health risks posed by road traffic noise.

Materials and methods: Data on 4,200 sections of the road network as sources of urban noise with the average daily traffic of ca. 300,000 vehicles were used for acoustic modeling. Complex acoustic calculations were performed using the “Ecolog-Noise” software incorporating current regulations and guidelines on spatial distribution of noise for the entire area of the city within the boundaries of the computational rectangle sized 50 × 35 km and a grid step of 200 meters. The mapping of zoning results was made using geographic information systems. Potential risks of health disorders were assessed in accordance with the current methodology for assessing human health risk posed by traffic noise.

Results: Based on simulation and situational acoustic modeling of spatial distribution, we zoned the territory of the city by noise levels for the tasks of urban development and assessed potential health risks for its citizens. We established zones of acoustic discomfort with the noise levels above 55 dBA and 45 dBA, taken as safety criteria for daytime and nighttime, respectively. Three major zones with different levels of noise exposure were identified: zone 1 (< 45 dBA) with the area of 255.44 km²; zone 2 (45–55 dBA), 263.72 km²; and zone 3 (> 55 dBA), 289.88 km². We estimated that most city inhabitants (893,306 people) lived in the third zone and were at risk of noise-related health disorders. The results of health risk assessment showed that long-term exposure to urban noise generated moderate risks by 14 years of age and high and very high risks by 45 and 55 years of age, respectively.

Conclusion: Under current circumstances, the use of certain land plots in the city is limited. Such areas require effective noise protection and minimal residential development to eliminate human exposure to harmful noise levels. Our findings have substantiated managerial decisions on the spatial development of urban territories. 

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