Road noise reduction through Covid measures

Since the beginning of the year, we have been testing a solar-powered noise monitoring station at our branch in Aarau. Thanks to the test operation, we have an ideal data basis for investigating the effects of the COVID-19 measures on noise pollution.

We compared the noise pollution on a Wednesday in January (before lockdown, blue line) with the noise pollution on a Wednesday in March (during lockdown, green line). The noise pollution at Entfelderstrasse in Aarau has decreased by 2-6 decibels depending on the time of day. Only during the morning peak hour is hardly any reduction visible. Considering that a reduction of noise pollution by 3 decibels corresponds to a halving of traffic, one can easily imagine the huge impact the COVID-19 measures have on the mobility behavior of the people in Aarau. For once, we all wish that the residents along Entfelderstrasse would soon complain about the road noise again.

Monitoring measurements give us the opportunity to better know and understand the development of noise pollution over time. The example with the effects of the COVID-19 measures is only one of many.