POLICY AND TECHNIQUES FOR HIGHWAY NOISE VALUATION AND COMPENSATION

In recent years, the contention has been that highway noise has resulted in a deterioration in the quality of life along roadways. Although noise effectivenss is still open to question, and they are not applicable to all situations. Therefore, highway administrations in the States are confronted with the need to consider various ways of dealing with the impact of noise pollution resulting from highway traffic. Methods for measurement and prediction of noise produced by highway traffic are reasonably well developed, as are criteria for the interference of this noise with various human activities. However, criteria have not been available for determining compensability where excessive noise levels are anticipated. Such measures can be used, for example, in socioeconomic environmental analyses or for assessing the comparative feasibility of abatement measures, as well as for establishing a basis for compensation. The objective of this study was to identify and develop fair and equitable valuation methods and compensability criteria for the effect on adjacent areas of noise anticipated to be produced by traffic on proposed highway improvements. The report contains thought-provoking discussion and recommendations on the issues that must be considered in establishing a system of noise compensation. It concludes that such a system is feasible and desirable. Although the authors' conclusions and recommendations are controversial and not likely to be applicable to current practice without further development, they should stimulate new thinking on the subject of valuation and compensability of highway noise impact.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This report was prepared for the Transportation Research Board, National Cooperation Highway Research Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  Faucett (Jack) Associates

  5454 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1150
  Chevy Chase, MD  United States  20015
• Authors:
  • Mosback, E J
  • Goodrow, J P
  • Kester, W C
• Publication Date: 1975-7

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 184 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Appraisals; Costs; Employee compensation; Highways; Impacts; Improvements; Noise control; Policy; Present value; Socioeconomic factors; Traffic noise
• Uncontrolled Terms: Compensation; Value
• Old TRIS Terms: Appraising
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Economics; Finance; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Policy; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00157832
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: NCHRP Project 11-6 Final Rpt.
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 28 1977 12:00AM