Nearly 75,000 Residents of Lisbon Battling Excessive Traffic Noise: A Growing Concern

Traffic Noise Continues to Plague Lisbon

Traffic noise remains the primary source of ambient noise pollution in Lisbon, affecting an estimated 13.6% of the city's population. According to 2022 data released by the municipality, 74,118 residents are exposed to noise levels exceeding the legally permitted limits of 65 decibels.

Noise Map Update

As part of the strategic noise map update for 2022, all roadways in Lisbon impact the lives of residents, with noise levels measured across different times of the day. The Municipal Master Plan classifies the entire municipal territory as a mixed zone, where residents should not be exposed to ambient noise levels exceeding 65 dB(A) during the day and 55 dB(A) at night.

Recent Approvals

On Wednesday, the City Council approved documents updating the strategic noise map, which will now be submitted to the municipal assembly. This proposal received support from the PSD/CDS-PP coalition, while other parties like PS, PCP, BE, and Livre abstained. Notably, the BE party successfully pushed for the municipal environmental department to produce a new interim noise map by 2025, reflecting more current data.

Major Noise Sources

The noise levels in Lisbon are significantly influenced by major traffic routes, including:

• IP7 North-South Axis
• A5 Highway
• Avenida General Correia Barreto
• Second Circular
• Avenida Infante Dom Henrique

In addition to these, other roads contributing to noise pollution include IC17, Avenida da Índia, and Avenida da Liberdade. While 8,291 residents are affected by noise from major transport infrastructures, the total number affected by all roadways is 74,118.

Railway and Air Traffic Noise

The document also highlights railway noise, with 8,334 individuals exposed to levels above 65 dB(A), and 10,207 during nighttime. Furthermore, 7,450 residents face excessive noise from air traffic, with a significant number impacted during nighttime hours as well. The report indicates that while air traffic contributes to overall noise, it is often overshadowed by road traffic noise.

Nightlife Noise

Other sources of noise, such as nightlife in areas like Bairro Alto and Cais do Sodré, are noted, but their impact on the overall noise map is less pronounced, as they are averaged over the year.