Due to the ignorance of Nigerians on the fact that there exist a close nexus between noise pollution and sustainable city, little or no attention is paid to the control of noise pollution in Nigeria. Motor vehicle, a significant symbol of modern civilization, not only brings convenient transportation to our society but also gives off unpleasant traffic noise in living environments.

With the development of design and manufacture technologies, current single vehicle does emit less noise than those models manufactured years ago, but tremendous amount of vehicles have dissipated such reduction from single ones and the vehicles on the roads make the traffic noise the main noise source in cities, from towns to metropolitans.

The noise that emanates from vehicular transport and traffic could have devastating effects on an individual’s health status; little wonder the average life expectancy of Nigerians is 54years. In recent times there has been a going concern over the environmental effects of highways to residential buildings. In a country with a teeming population of over 170 million people and with an extensive road network system, the noise from vehicular transport is alarming especially when residences find abode around major highways and busy roads. Worse still vehicles of various sort have little or no restrictions on where to make their passages. Heavy duty vehicles move on any road they deem fit whether its an industrial area or a residential area, they are sometimes even found on busy streets where they intimidate other motorist and even pedestrians that cross their path. Yet there is no legal framework to which this form of environmental menace can be avoided.

Though sound is essential for us to communicate with one another, to enjoy drama and musical performances as well as recorded music and to appreciate countless other sounds we hear daily. The sound that comes from vehicular transport and traffic is not to be enjoyed neither should it even be called sound nor if it is going to be classified as one it should be a harmful sound. Road noise or traffic disturbance is the most disruptive kind of noise pollution. Some loud sounds are necessary to warn us of oncoming potential danger, such as at a train crossing or at a construction site where a backing vehicle may be about to cross our path, however that is all there is that.

Road and traffic noise is provocative and hazardous; it interferes with our ability to communicate and may mask our enjoyment of desirable sounds and may even interfere with our ability to concentrate on a task. Its startling, more horrific than a horror movie, interrupts a serene rest, cause psychological distress and when sustained loud enough, contribute to temporary or permanent loss of hearing, yet these are milder effects.

All of these have a substantial effect on property values. No matter how much you would want to neglect this silent determinant in property valuation. Noise, especially that which may be termed road noise affects the value of properties. The degree of inter and intra-mobility of the population is crucial to property valuation. Freedom of choice among the various alternatives of residential buildings does not however imply that choice is priceless.

Consider a change in the housing market that alters the relative rewards or productivity associated with various sites such as a reduction in the noise level for some segment of the housing stock. Potential owners will bid up prices of relatively quiet houses in an attempt to capture the economic surplus associated with higher productivity and will be willing to pay less for relatively noisy houses. With sufficient mobility any differences in economic surpluses will be capitalized into the value of housing. But the cost of physical relocation of personal belongings and psychic costs would be incurred regardless of whether the location of the population was determined by market forces or by administrative fiat.

While research works have approved that noise may bring negative effects to people physiologically and psychologically. A clear view of the traffic noise level in living environments will certainly help to better understand the actual environment conditions and will indicate whether precautions or certain actions need to be taken the proximity of residential buildings or properties to highways and the constant exposure of same to road noise should be sacrosanct, put into cognizance and immensely evaluated when estimates are made on the value of a property because road noise or noise induced by traffic is a silent killer and hazard.