From noise mapping to interactive noise planning: Experiences with urban strategy

For management of environmental noise, insight in the current noise situation is needed. An important source of information is provided by strategic noise maps, which can be implemented in a policy cycle on noise. However, the planning of noise measures in an urban environment is complex. Besides noise from different source types, many other aspects play a role, such as traffic air quality and safety. In order to create an integrated overview of these aspects, GIS instruments have been developed and applied. With these instruments, such as Urbis, policy makers gain an overview of the environmental situation in the current situation as well as future scenario's, allowing them to formulate sound environmental policy options. These traditional mapping instruments report in the form of static maps, digitally or on paper. Due to long calculation times, these maps do not allow interaction with the user. In order to support local authorities in their environmental noise planning, TNO has developed an interactive instrument: 'Urban Strategy'. Urban Strategy integrates detailed interactive noise maps and noise impact indicators with other aspects such as traffic calculations, air quality and safety. This allows the assessment of noise exposures as well as the formulation of noise mitigating measures for the reduction of the number of people harmfully affected by environmental noise.