A study of riders' noise exposure on Bay Area Rapid Transit trains

Mass transit systems, such as the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system, are potential sources of excessive noise, and this exposure may present a hazard to hearing, cardiovascular, and psychosomatic health. In order to characterize transit noise and riders' exposure to noise on the BART system, the authors used three dosimetry metrics. The authors made 268 dosimetry measurements on a convenience sample of 51 line segments, and dosimetry measures were modeled using linear and nonlinear multiple regression as functions of average velocity, tunnel enclosure, flooring, and wet weather conditions. These were presented visually on a map of the BART system. Evidence is provided by this study of hazardous levels of noise exposure in all three dosimetry metrics. L(eq) and L(max) measures indicate exposures well above ranges associated with increased cardiovascular and psychosomatic health risks in the published literature. L(peak) indicate acute exposures hazardous to adult hearing on about 1% of line segment rides and acute exposures hazardous to child hearing on about 2% of such rides. The conditions to which the noise may be attributed include train-specific conditions (velocity and flooring), as well as rail conditions (velocity and tunnels). Suggested outcomes from these findings are possible remediation (revised speed limits on longer segments and those segments enclosed by tunnels), as well as improving specific rail segments for noise.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21225356
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/10993460
• Authors:
  • Dinno, Alexis
  • King, Margaret Mary
  • Powell, Cynthia
• Publication Date: 2011-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 1-13
• Serial:
  • Journal of Urban Health
  • Volume: 88
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Springer
  • ISSN: 1099-3460
  • EISSN: 1468-2869
  • Serial URL: http://link.springer.com/journal/11524

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Auditory perception; Field studies; Health hazards; Hearing loss; Multiple regression analysis; Noise; Rail transit
• Identifier Terms: San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District
• Uncontrolled Terms: Remediation; Subway noise
• Geographic Terms: San Francisco Bay Area
• Subject Areas: Environment; Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation; Society; I15: Environment; I92: Vehicle Comfort;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01344671
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 19 2011 8:10AM