Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing

Sound meters are currently being installed in various streets in the districts of Ciutat Vella, Sant Martí, Sants-Montjuïc and Gràcia to measure sound levels at night. The goal is to check whether these streets and squares can be considered as noise sensitive areas at night.

The intention is to analyse if noise in these spots exceeds the permitted limit of 3 decibels and to implement measures to combat noise pollution, adapted to each space.

Based on the information available from district offices and local people, the first places where studies will be made with sound meters are:

• Carrer d’Enric Granados
• Plaça de George Orwell
• Carrer de Joaquín Costa
• Carrer de l’Almirall Churruca
• Rambla del Poblenou
• Carrer de Rogent
• Carrer de l’Allada-Vermell
• Carrer Nou de la Rambla
• Plaça d’Osca
• Triangle lúdic
• Some squares in Vila de Gràcia (starting with Pl. Sol, Pl. Virreina and Pl. Revolució)

The process recently began with meters being installed in Carrer d’Enric Granados, in the district of L’Eixample.

Noise is the second environmental factor which has the highest impact on people’s health, just behind air pollution. In this respect, traffic is the most significant source of noise and has an impact on practically the entire surface area of the city.

The new tool is part of the Plan with Measures against Noise Pollution 2022-2030, which sets out a series of actions to reduce the impact of noise pollution in the city over the next few years.