CASE STUDy

Geneva Road Traffic

  • Summary
”Working with the high-end technology of Securaxis has allowed us to have access to consolidated data, to better link noise pollution to the make-up of automobile traffic, and therefore to better study the effectiveness of speed reduction measures implemented to fight against road noise in central Geneva. The technology developed by Securaxis in this innovative project has proved to be a promising tool for the urban planning of the future.”

Philippe Royer, SABRA Director

  • Challenge

In an attempt to mitigate noise levels, the City of Geneva, Switzerland tested a reduction of the speed limit on two of the busiest roads in the city centre – Boulevard du Pont d’Arve and Boulevard de la Tour.

Sabra, the Office in charge of air, noise and non-ionizing radiation, mandated Securaxis to evaluate the impact of the trial measure in terms of noise pollution. Between July and September 2020 Securaxis deployed a measurement campaign to estimate traffic volume, decibels (dBs) and speed in real-time.

The analysis of the data collected through its embedded software platform SONAL™ allowed to:
  • Assess the minimum number of vehicles that pass through the three lanes at different times of the day.
  • Assess traffic noise volume at each time slot in dB (minimum, maximum, and average).
  • Assess traffic flow speed at each time slot (stopped, running at 10–30 km/h, and running at 30–50 km/h)
  • Categorize vehicles as cars, motorcycles, or trucks.
  • Solution
SONAL™ gathered noise traffic data in real-time over a three-month period, the data was then processed and finally rendered in a visually actionable format.
The findings included:
  • Hardware setup on Boulevard du Pont-d’Arve.
  • Vehicle detection and counting by direction.
  • Vehicle categorization (car, truck, motorcycle).
  • Average sound level by frequency range
  • Sound level spectrum.
  • Takeaways

The project allowed to establish a direct link between reduced speed limits and improved noise levels.

It also gave a clearer picture of traffic flow, its composition and the effectiveness of speed reduction measures implemented in central Geneva.

Furthermore, the data and key findings of the project could present with tested remediation measures and their effect as part of a city-wide strategy to mitigate noise pollution.

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