Changes of the acoustic conditions connected with the development of traffic presented on the example of the A2 highway

The article will present a change in parameters of the acoustic climate around the Poznań section of the A2 motorway Komorniki - Krzesiny resulting from the increasing traffic volume due to opening of subsequent sections of this motorway. The acoustic conditions are a significant factor affecting peoples' lives in big urban agglomerations. It is connected with providing appropriate conditions for living and relaxation for the inhabitants in residential areas. This work includes the data concerning present acoustic conditions of the Greater Poland Voivodeship and Poznań. On the example of the Komorniki–Krzesiny section of the A2 highway, the authors proposed changes related to the monitoring studies of the acoustic conditions. For the study, the southern ring road of Poznań, which is a section of the A2 highway, has been chosen. This section of the highway has been chosen because it is located in a lowered area and mostly runs through residential areas with various types of urbanisation. In the considered section, noise has been measured in four measuring stages. These stages consisted in including subsequent sections of the A2 highway to the traffic and measuring the acoustic background (without vehicles). The study considered different locations of the highway in relation to the ground level as well as different distances of noise measuring points from the edge of the roadway. The study was a basis for the evaluation of the highway's influence on the surrounding areas and people living nearby. Moreover, the article presents also the analysis of changes of traffic intensity in Poland.