7.7.3. Effect Evaluation

In terms of effect, the project has exerted fairly good social and environmental effects. The social effect is manifested by the optimized transport capacity and structure in the region, as well as the shorter travel time and rising income of local residents. As for the environmental effect, the pollution, noise, and electromagnetic radiation should be better despite the overall good environmental performance of the railway. In particular, the noise and radiation generated during the operation of the railway has disturbed the daily life of the residents.

To eliminate the noise effect, noise barriers should be installed along the route. The barriers must be able to suppress the noise on both sides of the railway from 65~75 dB to about 30~40 dB, such that the residents living along the route can sleep well at night. When the railway passes through the urban areas, it should be covered like a tunnel. The top cover can be made of cement of suitable thickness, and the supports can be made of steel mesh. Another solution is to build an underground tunnel for the railway in the urban areas. This approach can basically eliminate the negative effect on the environment along the route, but it is too costly to realize. Therefore, the basic principle of HSR construction is to maximize the use of overhead viaducts and avoidance of densely populated areas.
