The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics this week released an interactive map of road and aviation noise -- possible uses for which include finding somewhere silent to disappear to or printing out screenshots to mail to your city councilman with a strongly worded letter.
Let's take a look.
It shouldn't surprise you to see Denver is almost an island of noise in the state and in the region.
And, yes, that big angry pimple is Denver International Airport. As you'd expect, airports are responsible for most of the noisy areas, as are major roads.
The other big red splashes are over Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport to the northwest and Centennial Airport to the southeast.
That DIA noise seeps westward and, combined with traffic on the streets, makes the east side of Denver much noisier than the west. In fact, the noise sort of drops right off on the west side of I-25.
If this is upsetting to you, at least take heart in the fact that it's much quieter here than in New York, Los Angeles or Chicago. As NPR points out, they're pools of "deep and angry color."
And if you're ready to run away now, (this should go without saying) head west.
