The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics debuted a noise map last week. As originally reported by NPR, the map was made with tools and information collected by the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Aviation Administration to determine average daily noise levels from transportation.
The map displays areas in different colors, block by block, depending on the degree of noise each address typically experiences. Red’s the loudest, then orange, yellow, etc.
Type in your state or your city, and you can see a visual of how loud it is in comparison to surrounding areas.
No surprise: areas surrounding Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (above) and the Burke Lakefront Airport run the loudest.
It’s not perfect, but on a broad level, this interactive map should give you a good sense of how much transit noise affects any given street or major thoroughfare.
If you’re not happy with the information you find, just be glad you don’t live in Los Angeles, which is basically one big splat of orange and yellow and red.
This article appears in Mar 22-28, 2017.
I bet where I live is one of the loudest areas. Right by 90 and planes fly low directly over our house every day on their descent, not to mention the neighbors are only 6ft away on either side. Oh City Life!
Good to keep in mind that the DOT didn’t visit and take any actual noise estimates, but modeled these colors based on estimates of road and air traffic.
The link for interactive map is not working.
That red swatch where 71 bends to the southwest is a lie. Makes it look like the worst is only directly above the freeway. Not so, Boston. It should be much wider, as there are three glide paths that feed into three parallel NE-SW runways, which are the main landing runways. This is because the prevailing winds are mostly S and SW, rather than N and NE..
The third of these runways opened maybe fifteen years ago, and now put most incoming aircraft directly over my house. We are 2.5 miles from touchdown. When Air Force One brings the POTUS to town, or Fed Ex comes in (low and slow and huge, twice a day), I can count the rivets. Visitors sitting on my back porch or deck routinely duck.
The FAA soundproofing program of the Nineties only brings remediation in the winter months. In the warm weather months…not so much. Not unless you want to run your AC 24/7. We like fresh air.
Unfortunately, we also like having good hearing. And decades under the Hopkins flight path has slowly been killing off our eardrums. You do get used to the noise, even as your hearing deteriorates.
Chuckles the Clown
In the past five yeats in Lakewood, OH we habe gone from very minimal air traffic to very heavy air traffic. This noise pollution and jet fuel exposure has made enjoying our summer or even a quiet evening on the porch impossible! We are unable to enjoy life as mich since air traffic has increased over Lakewood. I cannot have a conversation with someone sitting next to me or on the phone as the planes are so loud! Especially when they fly very low. Our enjoyment of life while in the pool in our own backyard has been greatly impacted by the constant air traffic. A plane flys by anout every 3 minutes and it’s getting to the point we want to sell our home and move. Lakeeood property and income tax is too high to have to deal with this noise pollution!
Unable to correct any spelling errors so i repost:
In the past five years in Lakewood, OH we have gone from very minimal air traffic to very heavy air traffic. This noise pollution and jet fuel exposure has made enjoying our summer or even a quiet evening on the porch impossible! We are unable to enjoy life as much since air traffic has increased over Lakewood. I cannot have a conversation with someone sitting next to me or on the phone because of the noise from the planes flying above is so loud! Especially when they fly very low. Our enjoyment of life while in the pool in our own backyard has been greatly impacted by the constant air traffic. A plane flys by anout every 3 minutes at alternating times of day and it’s getting to the point we want to sell our home and move. Lakewood property and income tax is too high to have to deal with this noise pollution!
Lakewood seems very underestimated in its noise. I dont hear the airplanes where I’m at, but the eastside of Lakewood is dominated by a factory noise that is coming from the Berea/Lakewood Heights area. It continues all night long! It is not rhythmic–its the kind that keeps you awake all night long. Very bummed I moved here. Lucky Im a renter, because Im outa here when my lease is up.