Road Traffic Noise Situation after Intersection Reconstruction – Case Study

Building of new residential areas as well as positioning of new shopping centers in the eastern part of the town has significantly increased the number of vehicles on the roads towards them resulting in traffic jams, longer traveling time and the dissatisfaction of participants in traffic. Aiming at general improvement of traffic conditions and the better traffic connection of the main passenger and cargo terminals (railway and bus stations) with that part of the town, the reconstruction of Branimir’ s and Drzic’ s streets intersection has been started. This intersection is in close proximity to the mentioned terminals in narrower town centre and one of the more important for functioning of public city transport. By reconstruction the existing three-leg intersection at grade has been transformed into four-leg which resulted in the change of traffic flow properties and, consequently, in the change of environmental noise. This paper shows the influence of the reconstruction of the above mentioned intersection on the noise level, and possible measures of noise reduction with the goal of mitigating the negative influence on the environment have been pointed out. The possibility of applying the recommendations prescribed by European Directive on non-deterioration of environmental conditions and the protection of silent areas, which was partly accepted by Croatia by passing the Law on Noise Protection in 2003, has also been considered.