HIGHWAY NOISE, NOISE MITIGATION, AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY VALUES

This paper presents the findings of a study of the relationship between different noise levels and market values for a sample of 206 single-family residences abutting Interstate-495 in Northern Virginia and for a sample of 207 residences along two heavily traveled urban streets in the Tidewater area of Virginia. Estimates of the influence of noise on the market price of houses sold in 1978-1979 at these sites, where barriers have since been completed, were then used to estimate economic benefits received by property owners. By using these estimates, it was concluded that recent public expenditures on highway noise abatement per household far exceed reasonable economic benefit levels, even for noise reductions of 10 dB(A). (Author)