VicRoads to monitor Ararat noise levels

Small noise monitoring devices will be installed at four locations throughout the township to understand the acoustic benefits of removing heavy vehicles from the centre of town.

VicRoads Western Region Director Mal Kersting said the noise monitoring will play a small but vital role in the pre-planning process.

“This data will help to understand the current levels of heavy vehicle traffic passing through Ararat, and in conjunction with our transport modelling, will allow us to predict the reduction in noise within the township after the bypass is constructed,” Mr Kersting said.

The devices, known as ‘noise loggers’, do not record conversations or individual sounds, but simply monitor the volume and frequency of noise in the surrounding area.

Locations for all four devices were strategically chosen in order to provide a full understanding of current noise levels throughout Ararat.

The devices, which were installed earlier this week, will remain in place up until August 27.

The data collected will then form part of the planning process for the proposed Ararat bypass. “This is another small step towards developing a full-scale plan for the proposed Ararat bypass,” Mr Kersting said.