Burak Ayva, Ali Sercan Kesten, Murat Ergun
Abstract – Noise is often described as unwanted, disturbing, and health-threatening sounds. High levels of noise are generated from transport, and it is one of the common types of pollution that affects public health and comfort in modern built environments. The highways are the dominant mode of transport in many cities and the road traffic noise generally exceeds the recommended noise criteria. However, railways and trams could be significant contributors to the noise levels in urban areas. This study aims to investigate the noise exposure and potential sleep disturbance in settlements near the Eminönü-Alibeyköy tram line, including the impact of possible nighttime tram operations to address emerging public demand in the historical Golden Horn region. Current noise levels are measured in the field and compared to predictions generated by noise mapping software, which consider factors such as highways, rail systems, terrain, buildings, and other noise sources. The calculated noise levels are evaluated for each of the surrounding buildings based on the National Environmental Noise Code’s specified limit values for the building’s purpose and function. The results show that existing road traffic noise masks tram noise, with no statistically significant increase observed during operation. The study also evaluates the potential sleep disturbance that may occur if the tram operates during late night hours. The contribution of tram operations was predicted to increase the overall noise level of the acoustic environment by approximately 1 dBA and is classified as “None to Negligible” according to impact assessment criteria outlined in the Environmental Noise Measurement and Evaluation Guide of Türkiye.
Published in the Proceedings of the 14th ICBEN Congress on Noise as a Public Health Problem, June 2023.
