Noise protection project for the new Bahnstadt
Noise protection in Leverkusen-Opladen
Project details:
Reference/ Project
Bahnstadt West in Leverkusen-Opladen
Project name
New railroad city Opladen
Project location
Leverkusen-Opladen
Type of project
Construction of a noise barrier along a railroad line to open up a new urban development concept.
Project start and completion
June 2018 - June 2020
Job details & challenges:
For more than 100 years, the Opladen district of Leverkusen was home to the so-called “Bundesbahn-Ausbesserungswerk Opladen”, which finally ceased operations in 2003. Since then, this 72-hectare railroad wasteland has been converted into an inner-city development project entitled “Neue Bahnstadt Opladen”, creating a completely new district.
This district, Bahnstadt West, was created after the existing tracks there were replaced by the new freight line at Opladen station. This measure freed an area of 12 hectares from its insular location.
As there is a very small distance between the road and the track, the new noise barrier must meet a special requirement profile, which has a very small minimum construction width. Another aspect of these requirements is the fact that the noise barrier should blend in well visually with the new Bahnstadt development, where the existence of sufficient green and open spaces is of great importance for the quality of life. Environmental management is also of great importance in such an ambitious urban development project as Bahnstadt West. This includes, among other things, noise studies and specialist landscape conservation reports, which must be taken into account when choosing the right noise protection solution.
Project objective:
Europa-Allee, which runs parallel to Gütergleistrasse, will serve as the main artery for this new district. A noise barrier is now planned between these two traffic routes to protect the new district from the noise of freight train traffic.
Product solution:
Results
- A RAU® Climatewall S was built between the freight train line and Europa-Allee.
- The noise barrier extends over a total length of 1.3 kilometers.
- From the top of the rail, the wall reaches a height of up to 4 meters.
- The measure serves to protect Bahnstadt West in Leverkusen Opladen from railroad noise.
- The noise barrier has an airborne sound insulation value of 27 dB.
- In addition, it achieves a sound absorption value of 12 dB and thus meets the highest sound insulation standards.
Conclusion:
"From the outset, our aim was to implement issues such as sustainability and nature conservation in the planning of this inner-city development area. [...] We have already succeeded in doing this on the east side, the Green Cross is good for the urban climate and is used intensively by Bahnstadt residents and their neighbors for local recreation. We will also close and revitalize the seam between Bahnstadt West and Opladen with the Green Belt."
- Vera Rottes, Managing Director of nbso GmbH