I've been living next to the interstate highway for the past couple years. And I mean right next to it. My house is 105 feet away from a major six lane freeway, and my property abuts it. I can see vehicles pass by from my living room. Let me tell you what that's like to live next to the freeway, and what to look for if you are considering moving near a major traffic artery.
Home Construction
First of all, a little background. The home I live in was designed and built in 2000 with the freeway in mind, and so road noise was taken into consideration when it was built. The Interstate was planned in the 1950's and built in the early 1960s.
Therefore, most of the windows in my house face away from the highway, and the bedrooms are the rooms furthest away from the road. The side of the house closest to the road consists of bathrooms and a stairwell. These internal rooms help absorb some of the noise that would otherwise enter the house. Given the building's urban setting, there is little lawn, but there is a good sized outdoor patio.
Road Geography and Use
The road is a 6 lane stretch of a major Interstate freeway. There is a ravine nearby, and so therefore there is a large overpass structure 100 feet behind my house. This stretch of freeway is on a significant grade that occurs before some sharper 50 mph curves and a heavy traffic bottleneck. The nearest off-ramp is one half mile away. The speed limit behind my house is 55 mph. Traffic can build up during rush hours of 7-10AM and 3-6 PM, but is usually free-flowing outside of rush hour. There is no sound barrier along this stretch of freeway.
Living next to the Freeway
Here's what I've discovered about living so close to the freeway.
Indoors, the noise isn't bad
I can sometimes hear vehicles going by if I listen for them, but soon after moving in I stopped actively hearing them. If I listen now, I can hear the occasional vehicle go by, but it isn't loud or annoying. I do keep an air purifier in my bedroom, which generates some white noise. I think this helps me ignore any sounds as I sleep.
Keeping the windows closed ... always.
I do find that I really do have to keep the windows that face the road closed to keep the noise out. This isn't so bad in the winter, but in the summer it is less than ideal. Air conditioning is a must.
The outdoor patio isn't used that much ... or at all.
Although I have a nice patio, I rarely use it. The roadway noises outdoors simply make having a outdoor summertime conversation no fun.
Large trucks in disrepair suck.
This is where stronger penalties for violating the law could come in handy. Since the roadway is on a hill before some curves, some truckers that ignore the clear signage find themselves needing to apply their engine brakes. Trucks with engine brakes in disrepair make the entire house shake. This can wake me.
Roadway construction can be painful.
Major construction on the roadway takes place at night and on the weekends in order to minimize traffic congestion. However, that means that my neighbors and I suffer though noisy night work, as workers do things like grind off layers of old pavement. This can be annoying at best.
Overpass is not so good.
Living near an substantial overpass isn't so great, as heavy vehicles can "bounce" over the structure's expansion joints, leading to some excessive noise and building shaking.
Odors
I never smell anything bad from the freeway. Ever. And I feel I have a giant, super-sensitive nose.
Conclusion: What to look for.
I grew up in a quiet suburban/rural area, but I find it reasonable to live very close to a major freeway within a well designed and built building. I think that large highway structures, a roadway with a grade, or an area near merging lanes should be avoided if possible, as they may result in more noise and more shaking than a flat road. I would do the following if looking for a place near the freeway:
- Consider the building. An older building with less insulation and poor windows might not be as soundproof as my building.
- Beware that vibrations from the highway may be more of a problem than the noise.
- Understand the roadway. Drive on the freeway multiple times. Make sure the road is in good condition. A smooth, well-maintained road with simple traffic patterns may be less noisy. Make sure the area isn't accident prone - more accidents could result in more noise from heavy braking.
- Understand if there are any construction plans for that stretch of road. New roadway structures or road grinding can impact noise and vibrations.
- Consider white noise generators to block out highway noises.