STRATEGIC NOISE MAPS OF THE ROAD NETWORK OF GIPUZKOA

Area of activity
WATER AND ENVIRONMENT

Service
Environment and biodiversity

Client
Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa

Scope

• Strategic Noise Maps (SRM) development
• Modeling scenarios implementation
• Acoustic zoning
• Sound levels evaluation
• Acoustic calculations
• Public information processes assistance

Duration
2022

The purpose of this contract is to support the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa in the fourth phase of the strategic noise maps of its busiest roads. The design and revision of Strategic Noise Maps (SRM) for the control of noise pollution from road infrastructures, railroads, airports and large population centers is an obligation for all European countries since the European Commission promoted the Environmental Noise Assessment and Management Directive.

The Basque Government has approved requirements higher than those of the European Directive itself, facing in this contract two levels of action. On the one hand, Strategic Noise Maps will be drawn up for roads with traffic exceeding 3 million vehicles per year (an average daily intensity or IMD exceeding 8,219 vehicles per day), as established in Directive 2002/49. And to comply with the Basque Government regulation, it will also develop the Noise Maps of all roads with traffic of more than 6,000 vehicles per day.

In order to define the study areas (Strategic Map Units or SMUs), in addition to the sections that exceed the traffic intensity thresholds established by law, other criteria will be used, such as the inclusion of intermediate sections that exceed the thresholds. Also, particularly problematic sections, such as those with heavy vehicle traffic or where complaints have been received, those that were studied in previous phases and are close to the threshold, as well as particularly relevant junctions.

Estimates of the affected population will also be improved, which will improve the effectiveness of the Noise Action Plan in which corrective measures will be defined.