This map shows modeled outdoor noise across Downtown Juneau at 100-meter resolution, combining road, aviation, and rail sources. Green areas measure below 45 dBA. Orange and red exceed the EPA's 55 dBA outdoor threshold linked to long-term health effects. Use the layer toggles to view each source on its own or all together.
What the numbers sound like
- 30 dBAWhisper
- 40 dBASoft rainfall
- 45 dBAQuiet suburban street at night
- 50 dBAQuiet office
- 55 dBAEPA outdoor threshold: light traffic 100 ft away
- 60 dBANormal conversation an arm's length away
- 65 dBABusy restaurant
- 70 dBAHighway traffic 50 ft away
- 80 dBACity bus interior
Population Above the EPA Outdoor Threshold
The EPA's 55 dBA outdoor reference level is a common benchmark for residential noise exposure, especially for activity interference, annoyance, and long-term community noise concerns. About 173 Downtown Juneau residents, or 23.5%, live above that level. By land area, 27.0% of Downtown Juneau is above 55 dBA.
See how noise in Downtown Juneau compares to similar-sized neighborhoods.
Noise by Part of Downtown Juneau
Average noise levels for Downtown Juneau residents, grouped by direction from the center of Downtown Juneau. Central Downtown Juneau carries the highest population-weighted average; Northern Downtown Juneau carries the lowest. Just 0% of residents in Northern Downtown Juneau live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, a fifth of the share in Central Downtown Juneau.
Central Downtown Juneau
75% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Downtown Juneau
26% of people above 55 dBA
Northern Downtown Juneau
0% of people above 55 dBA
Western Downtown Juneau
15% of people above 55 dBA
Central Downtown Juneau sounds about 243% louder than Northern Downtown Juneau to the human ear, a 17.8 dBA gap. Every 10 dBA roughly doubles perceived loudness. Within any of these directions, two homes a quarter mile apart can still differ by 10 or more dBA depending on how close they sit to a major highway.
How far back from Egan Drive/glacier Hwy (juneau) do you need to be?
Egan Drive/glacier Hwy (juneau) produces an estimated 66 dBA at its loudest centerline points. Noise drops logarithmically with distance, with the exact rate depending on what's between you and the road. Tree cover, walls, terrain, and pavement type all matter. At roughly a quarter mile back, traffic fades into the noise level of a soft rainfall.
Calculated from the model's calibrated attenuation formula. About 0% of Downtown Juneau sits under tree canopy (about average for neighborhoods) and roughly 0% is impervious surface like pavement and rooftops. Both are folded into the per-place decay rate above. Heavier canopy pulls noise down faster with distance; impervious surfaces slow the drop.