Analysing urban traffic volumes and mapping noise emissions in Rome (Italy) in the context of containment measures for the COVID-19 disease

Abstract

This study presents the result of a traffic simulation analysis based on Floating Car Data and a noise emission assessment to show the impact of mobility restriction for COVID-19 containment on urban vehicular traffic and road noise pollution on the road network of Rome, Italy. The adoption of strong and severe measures to contain the spreading of Coronavirus during March-April 2020 generated a significant reduction in private vehicle trips in the city of Rome (-64.6% during the lockdown). Traffic volumes, obtained through a simulation approach, were used as input parameters for a noise emission assessment conducted using the CNOSSOS-EU method, and an overall noise emissions reduction on the entire road network was found, even if its extent varied between road types.

Keywords

• covid-19
• italy’s coronavirus epidemic
• containment strategies
• transport restriction
• traffic simulation
• floating car data
• noise mapping
• urban noise pollution