Traffic Noise

Highway trafficCSA conducts traffic noise evaluations of all types including screening assessments, noise impact studies, preliminary and final noise barrier design, and special studies. Services provided by CSA include traffic noise measurements, traffic noise modeling using FHWA’s Traffic Noise Model (TNM®), noise mitigation design, NEPA and state-specific documentation, and public outreach.

CSA staff members have performed traffic noise studies of all levels of complexity throughout the United States for clients including New York State DOT, New York State Thruway Authority, Caltrans, Massachusetts DOT, Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, Arizona DOT, Colorado DOT, Virginia DOT, and the North Texas Tollway Authority. Projects have ranged from preliminary traffic noise studies for environmental documents to complex urban noise barrier design and system-wide or state-wide noise barrier prioritization studies.

Recently CSA staff contributed to research projects funded through the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) to develop supplemental guidance for the use of TNM® and also to quantify the effects of reflections from noise barriers. Previously for ten years, Doug Barrett served as an instructor for TNM® training courses attended by consultants and employees of numerous state and federal agencies.