Introduction and management of noise low emission zones: Life monza project

The introduction of Low Emission Zones, urban areas subject to road traffic restrictions in order to ensure compliance with the air pollutants limit values, set by the European Directive on ambient air quality (2008/50/EC), is a common and well-established action in the administrative government of cities. The impacts on air quality improvement are widely analyzed, whereas the effects and benefits concerning the noise have not been addressed in a comprehensive manner. The definition, the criteria for analysis and the management methods of a Noise Low Emission Zone are not yet clearly expressed and shared. LIFE MONZA project (Methodologies fOr Noise low emission Zones introduction And management - LIFE15 ENV/IT/000586) addresses these issues. The first objective of the project, co-funded by the European Commission, is to introduce an easy-replicable method for the identification and the management of the Noise Low Emission Zone, an urban area subject to traffic restrictions, whose impacts and benefits regarding noise issues will be analyzed and tested in the pilot area of the city of Monza, located in Northern Italy. Further objectives include the monitoring and the analysis of the effects, due to the introduction of the Noise Low Emission Zone, on air quality improvement and on the wellbeing conditions of the inhabitants of a selected pilot area, the identification of the type of interventions that can induce beneficial and synergistic effects, such as those relating to the planning of traffic flows and the adoption of low-noise pavements, and the active involvement of the population in the definition of a more sustainable lifestyle. Background conditions, structure and objectives of the project will be discussed in this paper.