The Romanian capital is a bustling city that never sleeps.
But there are downsides to the urban jangle which Bucharest residents are exposed to.
A new report says that on an average day, more than 1.7 million residents are exposed to noise that exceeds legal limits, the Bucharest General Council said in a draft report.
Measures are underway by urban authorities to reduce the noise level in the city, based on a report by the Environmental Directorate, which shows it is even worse during the night when almost 1.9 million residents of the capital “are exposed to noise levels that exceed limit values”, Digi24 reported.
The Environmental Directorate says the excessive noise is generated by high-speed and high-capacity roads. At lower speeds, the main sources of noise are “gear shifting, stopping, and starting on crowded streets.” In addition, at night, “vehicles often speed over the legal limit.”
Even some of Bucharest’s sprawling parks don’t offer much respite, with the exception of areas of Văcărești, Tineretului, and Carol I parks in the southern part of the city.
The Bucharest General Council will discuss a project that aims to introduce several measures to reduce noise levels on Friday, including monitoring noise in public spaces, laying ‘silent’ asphalt, reducing traffic speed in certain areas or extending residential areas which have a speed limit of 30 kilometers/hour.
Monitoring park areas, would be done through 28 fixed stations, which will also have traffic cameras, and two additional mobile stations. The mobile stations will be used for measuring noise generated by concerts, as well as bars or restaurants near parks.
“Pilot zones,” are planned in Cișmigiu Gardens, Herăstrău Park and the Tineretului Park where there will be speed limits will come down to 30km/h from the current to 50km/h. Sound-absorbing asphalt will also be used in these zones, along with radar panels with a dynamic display.
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