BLACKwhite
  • HOME
  • TABLE OF CONTENTS
  • INTRODUCTION
  • SURVEY
    • DEMOGRAPHICS
      • AGE
      • EDUCATION
      • EMPLOYMENT
      • HOUSING TYPE
      • INCOME
      • NEIGHBORHOOD
      • SEX
      • RACE
      • RESIDENCY
    • PERCEPTIONS
      • SOUND SENSITIVITY
      • DETERMINANTS OF ANNOYANCE
      • TEMPORALITY
      • PERCEPTIONS BY NEIGHBORHOOD
      • WORKPLACE PERCEPTION
    • NOISE COMPLAINTS
      • TEMPORALITY OVERALL
      • TIME OF DAY
      • DAY OF WEEK
      • MONTH
      • TEMPORALITY BY TYPE OF COMPLAINT
      • TIME OF DAY
      • DAY OF WEEK
      • MONTH
      • NEIGHBORHOOD
      • TIME OF DAY
      • DAY OF WEEK
      • TYPE
    • HEALTH IMPACTS
      • PHYSICAL
      • MENTAL HEALTH
      • SLEEP & RELAXATION
    • NOISE ABATEMENT
    • ADVOCACY STRATEGIES
  • SOUND MAPPING
    • SOUND LEVEL MAPS
      • A-WEIGHTED SOUND LEVELS (dBA)
      • DAY
      • NIGHT
      • UNWEIGHTED SOUND LEVELS (dB)
      • DAY
      • NIGHT
      • UNWEIGHTED – A – WEIGHTED SOUND
      • DAY
      • NIGHT
    • SOUND PERCEPTION MAPS
      • AIRCRAFT ANNOYANCE LEVELS
      • HORNS ANNOYANCE LEVELS
      • LEAF BLOWER ANNOYANCE LEVELS
      • NEIGHBORHOOD SOUND ANNOYANCE LEVELS
      • NOISE COMPLAINT HEAT MAP
      • SOUND SENSITIVITY
      • ROAD TRAFFIC ANNOYANCE LEVELS
      • STREET ANNOYANCE LEVELS
      • TRAIN ANNOYANCE LEVELS
    • HEALTH OUTCOMES MAPS
      • SELF-REPORTED
      • OVERALL HEALTH STATUS
      • HOURS OF SLEEP
  • SOUNDSCAPES
    • COMMUNITY SOUND PORTRAITS
    • URBAN SOUND BITES
  • REPORT CARD
    • GRADING METHODOLOGY
    • REPORT CARDS LIST
  • ABOUT
    • OUR METHODOLOGY
    • OUR THANKS
    • OUR Q & A
    • OUR FUN FACTS
    • OUR COMMUNITY COMMENTS
    • OUR 2020 SURVEY
    • OUR EMAIL
    • OUR TEAM
    • OUR PRESS KIT
    • OUR MAIN WEBSITE
Facebook
Twitter
MEET KAREN!

TABLE OF CONTENT

INTRODUCTION

SURVEY
DEMOGRAPHICS
PERCEPTIONS
NOISE COMPLAINTS
HEALTH IMPACTS
NOISE ABATEMENT
ADVOCACY STRATEGIES

SOUND MAPPING
SOUND LEVEL MAPS
SOUND PERCEPTION MAPS
HEALTH OUTCOMES MAPS

SOUNDSCAPES
COMMUNITY SOUND PORTRAITS
URBAN SOUND BITES

REPORT CARDS
REPORT METHODOLOGY
REPORT CARDS LIST

OUR METHODOLOGY

OUR THANKS

OUR Q&A

OUR FUN FACTS

OUR COMMUNITY COMMENTS

OUR 2020 SURVEY

OUR EMAIL

OUR TEAM

OUR PRESS KIT

2020 NATIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD NOISE SURVEY
Click image to complete survey >
SOUND LEVEL MAPS
Click map to view Sound Level Maps >
COMMUNITY SOUND PORTRAITS
Click image to view Community Sound Portraits >
FUN FACTS
Click image to read Fund Facts >

METHODOLOGY

DATA
  • The 2016-2017 Greater Boston Neighborhood Noise Survey results were used to conduct the majority of analysis presented within this report. This survey was an online survey open to all residents of The Greater Boston Area from late fall, 2016 to May 2016. Additionally, hard copies of the survey were handed out at a variety of community events, including planning events for IMAGINE BOSTON 2020. An updated online version of this survey is available HERE.  This data was used to inform the following areas of the report:
    • Demographics
    • Perceptions
    • Health Impacts
    • Noise Abatement Strategies
    • Health Perceptions Mapping
    • Health Outcome Mapping
    • Sound Sensitivity Score for the Noise Report Card
  • Sound level data was obtained after an extensive sound monitoring campaign from February 2015 to February 2016. This data was used to inform the following areas of the report:
    • Sound Level Mapping
    • Sound Level Score for the Noise Report Card
  • Noise Complaint data was obtained from the City of Boston’s Police Department and was gathered from August 2016 to July 2016. Massport noise complaint data was obtained from Massport’s website and was collected from January 2016 – July 2016. This data was used to inform the following areas of the report:
    • Noise Complaints
    • Noise Complaint Heat Maps
    • Noise Complaint Score for the Noise Report Card
  • Demographic information was obtained from the 2016 American Community Survey, Boston Redevelopment Authority, and from the Department of Neighborhood Development’s Policy Development and Research Division. This data was used to inform the following areas of the report:
    • Demographic analysis
    • Noise Complaint Per Capita Metric for the Noise Report Card
    • Population Density for the Noise Report Card
  • Information on neighborhood spatial characteristics was obtained using data obtained from MASSGIS data layers. This data was used to inform the neighborhood spatial characteristic score for the noise report card.
ANALYSIS: Descriptive statistics (mean, median, 90th percentile) were used to analyze the data. Comparison of means across groups were made using ANOVA. An α = 0.05 was used to assess statistical significance. Detailed rubric for noise report cards can be found HERE.
REPORT CARD RUBRIC:
CategoryGrading Scheme
Your Neighorhood or City100 points
Sound Level
Average sound level from 7am – 7pm (DAY)-3 points for every 3 decibels over WHO DAYTIME recommended level
Average sound level from 7pm – 7am (NIGHT)-5 points for every 3 decibels over WHO NIGHTTIME recommended level
Daytime peak sound level value dBA
Nighttime peak sound level value dBA
Sound Perception
Average sound perception level based on The Greater Boston Neighborhood Noise Survey results10 points if equal or below the median sound percpetion level for the entire city of Boston; -5 points if above the median
Noise Complaints
Per captia noise complaints (or average per captia noise complaint if 2+ neighborhoods)-10 if neighborhood noise complaints are greater than median number of per capita noise complaints for the city; 10 if lower
Massport Noise Complaints (January 2016-August 2016)- 0.5 points for every unique caller
Neighborhood Spatial Attributes
Total (or Average if 2+ neighborhoods) percentage of land use that increases sound levels (commercial, industrial, transportation, etc.)-1 points every 25% of neighborhood land use dedicated to land use attributing to sound level. + 2 points for percentages under 25%
Total (or average if 2+ neighborhoods) length (in miles) of:
Major Roads3 if lower than the median length for the City of Boston; -3 if higher
Bus2 if lower than the median length for the City of Boston; -2 if higher
Rail2if lower than the median length for the City of Boston; -2 if higher
Bike 3 if lower than the median length for the City of Boston; -3 if higher
Average vegetation index12 if the vegetation index is higher than the median vegetation index for the City of Boston; - 12if lower
Neighborhood Demographics
Population Density- 5 if population density is higher than the population density for the entire City of Boston, + 5 points deduction if lower
Adjustment2 points if report card includes 2+ neighborhoods
/* Here you can add custom CSS for the current table */ /* Lean more about CSS: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascading_Style_Sheets */ /* To prevent the use of styles to other tables use "#supsystic-table-5" as a base selector for example: #supsystic-table-5 { ... } #supsystic-table-5 tbody { ... } #supsystic-table-5 tbody tr { ... } */
LIMITATIONS: The Greater Boston Neighborhood Noise Survey was not a random sample but a mix of convenience and purposeful sampling. A breakdown of demographic information shows that while our sample may be more representative of educated whites, there is under-representation of African American, Latino/Hispanic, and Asian residents. We also had low survey in certain neighborhoods and had to collapse neighborhoods together to conduct analysis. Further, while statistical models helped to inform the report card rubric, we are aware that there are other variables that may additionally impact sound levels and sound perception levels in the Greater Boston Area. We intend to update our report card as we are able to gather additional information.
FUTURE: We are currently working on report cards for the following cities: Somerville, MA and Cambridge, MA. These will be available by the end of the year.  If you are a city/town/neighborhood and would like to be considered for future iterations of this report, please contact us HERE.
The NATIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD NOISE SURVEY is currently available and can be completed HERE.

THE 2016 GREATER BOSTON NOISE REPORT BY WWW.NOISEANDTHECITY.ORG I   ERICA WALKER  I  JULIO CÉSAR ROMÁN  I  MARCOS LUNA

INTRODUCTION


INTRODUCTION


SURVEY


DEMOGRAPHICS


PERCEPTIONS


NOISE COMPLAINTS


HEALTH IMPACTS


NOISE ABATEMENT


ADVOCACY STRATEGIES


SOUND MAPPING 


SOUND LEVEL MAPS


SOUND PERCEPTIONS


HEALTH OUTCOME MAPS


SOUNDSCAPES


COMMUNITY SOUND BITES


URBAN SOUND BITES


REPORT CARDS


GRADING METHODOLOGY


REPORT CARD LIST


ABOUT


OUR METHODOLOGY


OUR THANKS


OUR Q & A


OUR FUN FACTS


OUR COMMUNITY COMMENTS


OUR 2020 SURVEY


OUR EMAIL


OUR TEAM


OUR PRESS KIT


OUR TABLE OF CONTENTS


COPYRIGHT © 2016. WWW. NOISEANDTHECITY.ORG. All Rights Reserved. Designed and maintained by Creative Solutions
✕