AN APPROACH FOR THE ESTIMATION OF TRAFFIC NOISE COST IN THESSALONIKI

One of the basic parameters of urban noise is traffic noise. The constant increase of passenger car ownership and trips daily made by these cars affect traffic noise levels in urban areas. It is well known that traffic noise imposes social costs and the economic valuation of these costs is needed, more than ever, in order to justify the noise reducing measures. In the framework of this paper the economic valuation of traffic noise in different countries is examined and presented. In addition, an attempt is made in order to show the need for obtaining valuation estimates of traffic noise in the city of Thesssaloniki by using the available traffic noise data of the Organisation for the Master Plan and Environmental Protection of Thessaloniki (OMPEPT) and other studies.