The road ahead to get silent
It seems that road traffic has increased sound pollution in some noticeable proportion and engineers are working to reduce tyre noise by altering the design and constituents of pavements.
In an edition of the Wall Street Journal, it is mentioned that new pavement surfaces have the potential to cut tyre roar by three to five decibels, sufficient to make roads quieter appreciably. Amongst the techniques used are giving the pavement a texture and suitable mix of constituents like rubber. However the problem with such approaches is that with the passing of time, their effects are mitigated by wear and tear. As per the report, dirt and debris clogs the textured pavement, and the quiet roads can wear out more prematurely than standard surfaces.
Currently, test roads are being experimented in a few U.S. states like California where the concerns and regulations for pollution control are high. In Europe, legislation has even been passed to make cities use quieter pavement to reduce road noise.
Soon, you will not hear the passing of vehicles, it will be just a gust of wind that tells you so.
Comments
Cruiser
honking might be on the rise since pedestrians wont be able 2 hear oncoming car….may b
WX
what about the noises from modified mufflers? this is more serious than tyre noise. the number of cars with mdified mufflers is increasing, and to add to the problem those who have them on their cars like to roar their engines in residentional areas!!!
Nick Taylor
Why is this even a subject? Road noise. Sound barriers are everywhere. Get a life.