Measuring and Mapping Traffic Noise Level of Islamabad City

Abstract

Noise map for Islamabad city has been generated in this study to identify the areas prone to excessive noise levels and to recommend mitigation measures to control this rapidly growing problem. The noise levels over the area were varying. Noise levels were higher in peak hours when there was a high traffic flow and lower in off-peak hours when the traffic flow was reduced. Correlation between noise levels and number of vehicles was also been derived to observe the effect of number of vehicles on noise levels. Noise maps generated for Islamabad city can play a vital role in sustainable urban planning, where a cost-benefit investigation of diverse options can be assessed before taking any decision.