‘Quiet asphalt’ to be used in Istanbul to reduce highway noise

ISTANBUL

In a bid to address the escalating issue of noise pollution in the metropolitan city of Istanbul, where vehicle density is increasing day by day, a “quiet asphalt” project is set to be implemented in certain areas to mitigate the noise level on the roads by 10 decibels.

According to the data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), there are a total of 4,940,010 registered vehicles in Istanbul, which is equivalent to the total population of 23 provinces. This influx of vehicles not only contributes to the concerns of air pollution and traffic congestion but also exacerbates the prevalent issue of noise pollution.

To combat this problem, İSFALT, a subsidiary of Istanbul Municipality, is implementing the “quiet asphalt” project to reduce traffic noise, particularly in areas lying in close proximity to residential zones.

The quiet asphalt, which is produced to reduce the noise caused by friction between the wheels and the road surface in asphalt mixtures, can significantly eliminate the noise generated on the roads. The air spaces within this special asphalt mixture, produced with resin-based additives and special gradation, contribute to a more silent experience both for residences and drives.

Through tests, it was determined that the noise level emanating from the vehicles on the specially designed roads covered with the quiet asphalt decreased by 10 decibels compared to the driving experience on usual roads.

The quiet asphalt will be particularly used on roads around areas where silence is of utmost importance, such as schools, hospitals, and nursing homes.