29/10/2010 The New York City Urban Soundscape

The New York City
Urban Soundscape:
p A Pilot Study
y
Tara P. McAlexander, BA; Richard Neitzel, CIH, PhD; Robyn R.M. Gershon, MHS, DrPH
Introduction
Results
•“Soundscapes
Soundscapes,”
the
auditory
equivalent
of
landscapes, are of increasing interest with respect to
quality of life in urban communities.
•Urban settings present a complex array of noise
sources that form the sonic environment of
communities. Excessive noise from any source is
hazardous to health.
•The
The average noise levels (Leq) for the 10
10-minute
minute
readings of the 60 sites in Manhattan were typically at
or above 70 dBA, the 24-hour average limit for
community noise exposure recommended by the EPA
and WHO.
•The highest Leq values were along major truck routes.
•The minimum, maximum, mean and median levels of
noise (Leq) are displayed in Table 1.
Purpose
•To describe and visualize the urban soundscape,
p , a pilot
p
study was conducted to measure noise levels, using the
decibel scale (Figure 1).
Minimum Leq
(dBA)
68.7
Maximum Leq
(dBA)
77.6
Mean
Leq (dBA)
72.8
Median Leq
(dBA)
72.6
Table 1. Minimum, Maximum, Mean and Mean Leq levels (dBA) for the 60 sites sampled in Manhattan.
•Based on the readings from the 60 sites within
Manhattan, a GIS map of estimated noise levels in
Manhattan was generated, with a range of 68.7 to77.6
dBA (Figure 4).
Figure 1. Noise level
references on the decibel
scale (dBA).
http://vancouver.ca/engsvcs/projects/soundsmart/soundAndN
oise.htm
High Leq
Methods
•Using time-integrated dosimetry, noise levels of 60
road/street (e.g., sidewalks) and public areas (e.g.,
major transfer stations, public gathering spaces, etc.)
were measured throughout Manhattan,
Manhattan New York
City (NYC) in 2010.
•90% of sites were selected based upon a map of 311
noise complaint calls in local NYC neighborhoods
(high, medium, and low call rates) (Figure 2).
•10% of sites were selected as “high interest” public
spaces (e.g., Times Square, Columbus Circle, etc.).
•Measurements were taken for 10-minute intervals
between the hours of 9 AM-5 PM, Monday-Friday.
•Measurements were mapped to the location using
ArcGIS software, and estimate levels were generated
for the rest of Manhattan using inverse-distance
weighted interpolation.
•To assess “oases of q
quiet,”
, noise levels from four
NYC “Pocket Parks” (Figure 3) were measured at
four different time intervals.
Central Park
High Leq
Jackson
Square
Greenacre
Park
Paley Park
Tudor City
Greens
Figure 4. Map of street-level
Leq noise levels and
estimates in Manhattan,
NYC
NYC.
•Leq levels of readings at “pocket parks” are displayed
by time of day (Table 2). 69% of these readings
exceeded recommended guidelines.
“Pocket
Park”
Early
y
Late
Early
y
Late
Morning
Morning
Afternoon Afternoon
Leq (dBA) Leq (dBA)
Leq (dBA)
Leq (dBA)
Paley Park 76.4
78.9
74.4
73.3
Greenacre 77.9
Park
Tudor City 70.4
Greens
Jackson
70.0
Square
72.4
73.9
73.7
65.9
66.8
70.4
69.0
66.6
67.1
Table 2..
2 Pocket Park Leq noise levels
levels, recorded at four different time periods throughout the day
day.
Conclusions
Figure 2. Map of 311 Noise complaints. This
map details the distribution of NYC’s Noise
Complaint Hotline, 2004. (Courtesy of Sarah
Williams, Columbia University’s Spatial
Information Design Lab).
Figure 3. Images of a “pocket park”. These
parks are located throughout Manhattan,
particularly in the Midtown business district.
The top image is of Tudor City Greens (42nd
Street and 1st Avenue), and the image below is
Paley Park (53rd Street and 5th Avenue).
For more information please contact Dr. Robyn Gershon at [email protected], (212) 305-1186.
•98% of the noise levels of public spaces in NYC
exceeded recommended community noise levels —
even oases of quiet had high noise levels.
levels
•Combined with other sources of urban noise (mass
transit ridership, noisy bars and restaurants, etc.),
excessive noise exposure can result.
•Adverse impacts on hearing, health and quality of life
can result from excessive exposure.
•This information is useful to public health, urban
planners, and policy makers and is an important first
step towards risk reduction.