Impacts of the Protest

This tool allows you to visualise the environmental impact of the Truck protest in Ottawa, ON.

Using the toggles below, you can see the noise and air quality impacts of the trucks occupying the down town area.

You can also leave a report of an impact by accessing the Report your impact.

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How to use the map

Disclaimer: All data displayed has been gathered from publicly available sources and collections recorded on site. Additional information and scientific data audit may occur and maps updated at anytime.

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Please use the interactive map to comment on how the protest has impacted you.

Click anywhere in the project area on the map report impacts including decibel readings.

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Back to main menu Traffic closures

The trucker convoy protesting vaccine mandates that stopped in front of Parliament Hill prompted the closure of several major downtown roads and some businesses that begun on January 29, 2022.

Interprovincial bridges

The Alexandra Bridge in all directions
Chaudiere Crossing, southbound
Portage Bridge, southbound

Roads

Wellington Street between Booth and Portage Bridge
Wellington Street between Elgin and Lyon
Kent Street northbound closed between Albert and Wellington
Slater Street eastbound closed between Bay and Kent
Queen Elizabeth Driveway closed between Laurier and Catherine (Pretoria Bridge)
Laurier Avenue westbound, closed between Nicholas and Elgin
Mackenzie King Bridge westbound closed
Bank Street closed between Queen and Wellington
Queen Street closed between Lyon and Elgin
O’Connor Street closed between Slater and Wellington
Metcalfe Street closed between Laurier and Wellington
Colonel By/Sussex Drive northbound closed between Daly and George
Rideau Street westbound closed at Waller
Sussex Drive closed between Murray and Rideau St
Mackenzie Avenue closed between Saint Patrick and Rideau
Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway closed between Carling and Booth

There are also several lane reductions in the core.

Back to main menu How Loud is a Truck Horn?

Map layers

Average Truck noise

Truck Vehicle Decibel Levels

A large commercial truck can produce air horn decibel levels of approximately 150 decibels. For comparison, a power lawn mower only generates 100 decibels of sound. Typically, vehicle air horns don't reach higher than this decibel level for the hearing safety of the surrounding public. Personal vehicles can also have aftermarket air horns installed, but users must use the horns with care, especially in residential areas.

A truck air horn is usually installed on a variety of vehicles which include semi-trailer trucks, trains, and fire trucks. A truck air horn is an instrument used in order to forewarn other vehicles and people on the road that a truck is approaching. A truck air horn is likewise used in order to shoo wildlife from the highway. The sound that these devices produce is very loud that it can be used to give warnings even from afar.

History

The decibel comes from the unit of measurement of sound intensity and was named after inventor and scientist Alexander Graham Bell. A decibel is one tenth of a bel. The human ear responds to sounds at different frequencies so three levels are used dB(A), dB(B) and dB(C). The most commonly used is dB(A).

Significance

To measure the intensity of a sound, a measurement was needed that would provide them with quantifiable data that can be compared and contrasted. A chainsaw may sound louder or quieter from one person to another depending on their hearing ability. This measurement is created using mathematics and is free of human error and perspective.

Examples

Every sound has a decibel level associated with it. If an item is 52 dB(A), then it has a sound similar in intensity to an electric fan, hair dryer, a running refrigerator and a quiet street. Other common sounds include a blender at 90 dB(A), diesel truck 100 dB(A) and a crying baby can reach 110 dB(A).

Noise Impact

Next – Air quality Impacts

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Back to main menu Air Quality Impacts

Map layers

Standard air quality

Projected air quality during protest

Analysis shows the standard air quality for the downtown area criteria for all expected under expected normal traffic conditions. (source W.H.O.)

The predicted changes in CO2 concentrations were driven by idling heavy vehicle based on the volumes of known trucks on the road during the time of protest.

How is Air Quality measured

Ottawa's air quality is good by world standards, according to international comparisons made by the World Health Organisation who set air quality guidelines. Air quality levels are measured measured in PM2.5

What is PM10 and PM2.5?

Particles less than 10 micrometres in diameter are called PM10,
Particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter are PM2.5,
Particles less than 1 micrometre in diameter are PM1,
Particles less than 0.1 micrometres in diameter are called ultrafine particles (UFPs).

It is important to note that PM10 includes PM2.5, PM1, and UFPs.

Data source: World Health Organisation. Ottawa data reference: Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change

Impacts of the Protest

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Interprovincial bridges

Roads

Map layers

Truck Vehicle Decibel Levels

History

Significance

Examples

Map layers

Downtown (Overall)

Downtown (Block by Block)

DOWNTOWN (LISTEN)

Map layers

How is Air Quality measured

Noise Impact

Air Quality Impacts

Traffic Closures

How Loud is a Truck Horn?

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Noise levels

Air Quality Impacts

Traffic

Using the map

Noise captured 29 January 2022

Noise captured 30 January 2022

Noise captured 6 February 2022

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