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I don't live "In" a beltway per se, but I do live directly in between I-79 and I-70 in Washington County, PA (South Pittsburgh). I am surrounded by both highways, and can get to I-79 in roughly 3 miles, and I-70 is roughly 5 miles. I never hear highway noise.
Phoenix has mountains that make the freeways odd shapes. I’m in a beltway with one to my east, two to my north, none to the south, and several to the west
The eastern half of the Phoenix area is older and more established. It tends to be the nicer half. The western half is traditionally industrial and run down but it has a lot of newer growth in the periphery that while generic is new and clean
I can hear freeway noise sometimes but there are sound walls that block most of it.
Beltways are typically miles from the core of cities. Any noise from these roads usually only carry a few hundred feet if they are in developed areas. The density of the buildings tends to keep noises local, unless you are up on higher floors.
Its not like in the country where you can hear a semi chugging and braking down a wet hilly road miles away, echoing through the valleys.
I did live alongside a sunken freeway in Houston for several years. We would joke that it sounded like we were at the beach and heard the ocean roaring, which was almost exactly how it sounded most of the time. It fell dead quiet if there was a major traffic jam or an accident, which was the only time we ever thought of the differences. That and when cars or motorcycles would race late at night. Two short blocks away you could barely hear the road at all.
I live outside the Beltline (I-440, ~22 miles circumference). It contains downtown Raleigh and most of the city built before the 1960s. Being ITB (Inside the Beltline) is a status symbol thing for many. I believe I saw the population for the area is around 135,000. There is a great brick wall built in some areas to lessen the noise from traffic, but most of the time you wouldn’t know anything was there unless you visually see it.
There is also a partial secondary loop highway (I-540), which cuts through the suburbs, starting in Knightdale through North Raleigh towards Cary and eventually ending at Holly Springs. As of now it goes on for about 44 miles but will eventually reach 70 miles once closed. It will encompass upwards of a million people all told (well maybe a few hundred thousand more by the time it’s completed). I live north of 540 near Falls Lake. 540 is larger and carries more traffic and a few neighborhoods were plowed through the middle in the 90s and here sound can be a bit much. There is also a brick wall though it seems more sporadic here. But really the sound isn’t an issue unless your house is backed up within 2 streets of the highway.
I lived inside I-495 (around Washington) for 12 years, but we were far enough away from it that I never heard road noise. I also lived for six years inside I-695 (around Baltimore), but this time I lived right next to the highway. And yeah, I sure did hear the noise. Oddly enough, it didn't bother me. In fact, it kind of sounded like a fast-flowing river.
DC beltway (495) is like a 67 miles circle. Large enough that many don't live near.
I remember when DC had no beltway, no Dulles Airport, no Reston, no WW Bridge, if you wanted to go to MD, you had to drive through DC. There was one traffic light in Tyson's Corner, the next traffic light was in Leesburg. Route 7 was a two-lane road. I lived in Great Falls on 5 acres, too much traffic, left about 10 years ago.
I've lived just inside/outside 'the loop' in a couple of cities. I agree that you don't really hear the noise unless you live really close to it, or maybe you just learn to tune it out as background noise.
I live outside the Beltline (I-440, ~22 miles circumference). It contains downtown Raleigh and most of the city built before the 1960s. Being ITB (Inside the Beltline) is a status symbol thing for many. I believe I saw the population for the area is around 135,000. There is a great brick wall built in some areas to lessen the noise from traffic, but most of the time you wouldn’t know anything was there unless you visually see it.
There is also a partial secondary loop highway (I-540), which cuts through the suburbs, starting in Knightdale through North Raleigh towards Cary and eventually ending at Holly Springs. As of now it goes on for about 44 miles but will eventually reach 70 miles once closed. It will encompass upwards of a million people all told (well maybe a few hundred thousand more by the time it’s completed). I live north of 540 near Falls Lake. 540 is larger and carries more traffic and a few neighborhoods were plowed through the middle in the 90s and here sound can be a bit much. There is also a brick wall though it seems more sporadic here. But really the sound isn’t an issue unless your house is backed up within 2 streets of the highway.
I am inside the Beltline (actually downtown), and agree that it's a "status" in Raleigh; I think it's closer to 24-25 miles around. Most of the city's prestigious, historic, and charming neighborhoods are within the Beltline. Needless to say, these neighborhoods don't come cheap either. I bought downtown when very few wanted to be there (in the 90s) and it was affordable.
I Live inside the Twin Cities beltway (though no one calls it a beltway). It's a bit peculiar because of the way it is numbered. On the east side it starts at a point on I-94 about 6 miles east of downtown St. Paul. Proceeding south from there it is numbered 494 and eventually turns west through the southern suburbs to a point about 9-10 miles southwest of downtown Minneapolis, where it turns north through the western suburbs to a point about 7-8 miles northwest of downtown Minneapolis, where it meets I-94 again. Heading east from there it is numbered 694 (and, for a few miles I-94 too) which forms the northern part of the beltway, crossing the northern suburbs to a point about 7 miles northeast of downtown St Paul, where it heads due south through the eastern suburbs to I-94 at the same point where the beltway starts as 494 (i.e., 6 miles east of downtown St Paul). Whew, I can't believe I sat here and typed this all out! I makes more sense when you see it on a map.
Yes, living inside this road is more desirable for me and others who don't want to live in bland, bleak sprawlville. It's the densest, most interesting part of the metro. All of the major theaters, museums, and professional sports facilities are there.
No, I cannot hear this road from my house. It's over 3 miles away.
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