COMMUNITY ANNOYANCE AND SLEEP DISTURBANCE: UPDATED CRITERIA FOR ASSESSING THE IMPACTS OF GENERAL TRANSPORTATION NOISE ON PEOPLE

The question of prediction of sleep disturbance and annoyance due to transportation noise has been addressed. Two sets of previously published data have been reanalyzed. This project was initiated as part of a long-term U.S. Air Force research program on the effects of aircraft noise on humans. It is concluded that day-night average sound level is still the most adequate noise descriptor for use in environmental impact analyses to assess the annoyance and overall impact of noise from general transportation, including civilian and military aircraft operations. A new logistic curve adopted in 1992 for general use by U.S. federal agencies, is recommended for use in environmental impact statements as the nominal relationship between day-night average sound level and the percentage of a general residential population predicted to be highly annoyed by the noise. A power curve, using A-weighted sound exposure level, is recommended for predicting nighttime sleep disturbance from general transportation noise.