ECONOMIC WELFARE IMPACTS OF URBAN NOISE

The basic purpose of this project was to develop a conceptual framework for estimating the social welfare gains or benefits of reducing current noise levels in urban environments. The project has concentrated on developing economic welfare theory and empirical techniques to assess willingness-to-pay by individuals for noise avoidance. Particular attention was paid to noise produced by motor vehicles and noise produced by operations at construction sites. The theoretical effect of the localized nature of noise on people's willingness-to-pay to control noise was investigated. An efficient pricing scheme for aggregate noise disturbance was devised, based on people's willingness-to-pay for noise reduction. A questionnaire was developed to elicit responses on the physical and psychic costs of noise in urban areas. The attempts to assign dollar values to the costs of noise pollution by determining people's willingness-to-pay to control or reduce noise.

• Corporate Authors:

  QEI, Incorporated

  Bedford, MA  United States 

  Washington Environmental Research Center

  Washington, DC  United States 
• Authors:
  • Thorpe, R
  • HOLMES, T
• Publication Date: 1976-5

Media Info

• Pagination: 216 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Analysis; Attitudes; Benefit cost analysis; Construction projects; Construction sites; Costs; Economic conditions; Economic impacts; Environmental impacts; Estimating; Estimation theory; Human factors; Motor vehicles; Noise; Noise control; Noise sources; Policy; Present value; Public relations; Quality of life; Questionnaires; Regulations; Social factors; Social values; Socioeconomic factors; Sound level; Standard of living; Surveys; Traffic noise; Transportation; Transportation planning; Urban areas; Urban transportation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Cost analysis; Noise reduction; Social welfare; Transportation noise; Value
• Old TRIS Terms: Economic surveys; Government policies
• Subject Areas: Construction; Economics; Environment; Law; Policy; Safety and Human Factors; Society; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00143641
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: 5531 Final Rpt., EPA/600/5-76/002
• Contract Numbers: EPA-68-01-2634
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 17 1981 12:00AM