An approach to regulations for residential construction near major sources of traffic noise

It is well known that noise produced by road and rail traffic may seriously affect the habitability of residences nearby. Planning officials and lending agencies therefore need rules for taking the noise into account in assessing proposed new housing. By the same token, developers and builders need a design procedure that will enable them to meet the regulations. The NRC guideline was designed to fulfil these two objectives. It provides, in a form suitable for non‐acousticians, a set of simple rules designed to keep the intrusion of traffic noise within acceptable limits. Determining what is acceptable, subjectively, involves two questions: What physical measure provides a good description of fluctuating noises such as road and rail noise? Then, in terms of the selected measure, what limiting levels are acceptable to the people involved? Of the measures currently in vogue, the energy equivalent sound level (Leq) was selected, and a corresponding set of limits for various residential activities (indoors an...