Press Release
- Air & Transportation
Status of Motor Vehicle Traffic Noise in FY 2004
Ministry of the Environment compiled a report on the current status of motor vehicle traffic noise based on the result of the constant monitoring of motor vehicle traffic noise conducted in FY 2004.As for the constant monitoring of motor vehicle traffic noise, prefectures and cities designated under the Noise Regulation Law are to monitor and report the status of motor vehicle traffic noise to the Ministry
1. The status of constant monitoring of motor vehicle traffic noise
Based on the monitoring data in FY 2004, the achievement of environmental quality standard was assessed for 2.663 million houses located along roads with total length of 13,322km* (625km of expressways, 29km of urban expressways, 5,408km of national roads, 6,346km of prefectural roads, 784km of municipal roads with more than 4 lanes and 131km of other roads). Both number of houses and road length subject to the assessment increased in 10%. Houses located within the range of 50m from roadside are to be assessed.
* Numbers may not add up to the total figure due to rounding.
2. The achievement status of environmental quality standard
(1) Outlook
Out of 2.663 million houses assessed, 496 thousand houses (19% of the total houses assessed) exceeded the standard during either daytime (6am to 10am) or night time (10pm to 6am), while 474 thousand houses (18%) exceeded the standard during night time. Out of 1.009 million houses located in the area bordering trunk roads, 325 thousand houses exceeded the standard during both daytime and night time, while 307 thousand houses (28 %) exceeded the standard during the night time. Trend in the achievement of the environmental quality standard remains generally flat.
(2) Status by road typeThe municipal road, with 4 lanes or more marked highest ratio for the achievement of the environmental quality standard both during daytime and night time among all road types.
Information on the status of motor vehicle traffic noise is also available (in Japanese ) on the web site "Motor Vehicle Noise Map" administered by the National Institute for Environmental Studies.
http://www-gis.nies.go.jp/noise/car/