TagNoise(310)

On March 19, 2020, Arlington County, Virginia awarded a consulting contract (RFP 20-042-RFP) to ABCX2, LLC to study aircraft noise generated by Reagan National Airport air traffic affecting Arlington County, VA and Montgomery County, MD. The consultant is also tasked with developing recommendations for noise mitigation. This document is an official bid/proposal award notice from Arlington County's Procurement Office.

A comprehensive review examining the cardiovascular health impacts of traffic noise exposure, with particular emphasis on nighttime noise effects. The study discusses WHO guidelines, mechanistic pathways involving oxidative stress and vascular dysfunction, and epidemiological evidence linking noise exposure to heart disease, stroke, and other cardiometabolic conditions.

This document presents findings from a Sea-Tac Airport Ground Noise Study, shared at the Highline Forum on November 20, 2019. It explains how aircraft ground noise travels and changes with distance, noting that sound levels drop by 6 dB every time the distance doubles and are further reduced by atmospheric absorption and soft ground surfaces. The study also covers how temperature gradients affect noise, with sound bending upward in normal conditions and downward during temperature inversions, potentially increasing noise impacts on nearby communities.

This FAA Report to Congress examines the aging of federally funded sound insulation installed in homes near airports to reduce aircraft noise, focusing on treatments installed before 2007 such as window and door replacements, weatherstripping, and other upgrades. The report identifies key factors affecting long-term effectiveness, including product quality, installer workmanship, deterioration over time, and lack of homeowner maintenance. It draws on research covering over 143,000 residences treated since the early 1980s and offers recommendations for repairing or replacing insulation that has exceeded its effective lifespan.

The Beacon Hill Seattle Community Noise Team, a group of neighborhood residents working with the University of Washington, has been documenting the disproportionate impact of Sea-Tac Airport aircraft noise on their community. Building on decades of prior advocacy—including a landmark April 2000 report by Citizens for Aircraft Noise Equity—the team highlights that official noise impact assessments still rely on mathematical models rather than actual measured data. Beginning in October 2017, they launched a citizen science effort to conduct systematic, long-term noise measurements throughout the Beacon Hill neighborhood, with a focus on health effects and impacts on children's learning.