It is most interesting that the National Roads Authority (NRA), now Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), suggest that an Lden of 60dB (Design Goal) is a noise threshold that is used to decide on the necessity for the provision of noise mitigation for new road schemes. Interestingly however, the newer World Health Organisation guidance titled ‘Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region (2018)’, strongly recommends reducing noise levels produced by road traffic to below 53dB, Lden as traffic noise above this level is associated with adverse health effects.
Additionally the guidance recommends that policy makers implement suitable measures to reduce noise exposure from road traffic in the population exposed to levels above the guideline values for average and night exposure.
Note: GDG-Guideline Development Group
This is certainly ‘a game changer’ for new road schemes in Ireland if that guidance is to be taken onboard by decision makers. It will be interesting to see how this will be adopted by TII and perhaps independent external groups.
To download a copy of the new Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region (2018), just click here.
