Our group investigates the relationship between time of day and urban sound levels across three distinct NYC locations: a busy commercial area, an urban park, and a residential street.
We collected systematic five-minute sound recordings at multiple times per day, using a mobile app to capture perceived loudness in decibels. Each recording included additional contextual information such as weather conditions and any notable sound events (e.g., sirens, construction machinery, excessive engine braking). By graphing sound levels against time, we aim to visualize how noise varies from morning to night and whether consistent patterns emerge across different types of urban environments.
Overall, our results showed that noise levels in New York vary substantially by time of day and location. The mornings, evenings, and nights each had distinct patterns, and comparing places such as Bryant Park, 59th Street, and SoHo helped us see how different environments create distinct sound experiences. Even though our averages provided a helpful overview, this project is merely a starting point. There’s much more that could be explored, such as collecting data on more days, in different weather conditions, or in other parts of the city, to obtain a clearer picture of how noise operates in everyday life.
