Road Traffic Noise Exposure in the City of Novi Sad: Trend Analysis and Possible Solutions

Abstract

© 2015, Pol. J. Environ. Stud. All rights reserved. This paper evaluated exposure to road traffic noise in the city of Novi Sad, the second largest city in the Republic of Serbia. It has been investigated using analysis and systematization of the results on noise intensity in the city of Novi Sad, whether this parameter is within the approved limits for noise intensity during the day and night and whether it is in accordance with provisions of national norms of permissible noise levels in the environment, that is whether this parameter endangers people or not. In this work were used data from the Institute for Public Health of Vojvodina-Department of Residential Hygiene, which were obtained by measuring the noise intensity at 18 points in the city. Levels of noise, during the period of analysis, are usually higher than permitted and range from 1dB(A) to 8dB(A) during the day, and from 1db(A) to 9dB(A) at night. It has been determined that the noise intensity is in strong positive correlation (rs = 0.73) with the number of vehicles in traffic. Even though the noise intensity in the period observed has a decreasing trend, the fact that it is still higher than permitted in school and residential zones is particularly worrying. It has also been determined that traffic noise is one of the leading urban problems in the city of Novi Sad, and therefore it is necessary to implement some of the plans for protection, mentioned in the work, for its reduction.