Well, some more time wasted and I haven't come up with much more cycle specific info. I am open to the idea that noise while cycling could be a problem, especially since cyclists tend to do the activity for long periods of time. I did find a BF thread from years ago that claims cycling wind noise at 25 mph is around 90 decibels (mic on messenger bag, and fan blowing over a wax model of an ear). What I hoped to find was supporting evidence, like a peer reviewed article on the subject. I am not doubting the findings of the BF posters, but I would love to also see results from a professional source. I don't now enough about the matter to critique the methodology.

As for traffic noise, my hat is off to you. If my commute involved that much noisy traffic I don't think I could enjoy it. I find high noise levels to be unsettling, resulting in irritation and reduced concentration. But for me, I just have to yell at my kids to turn it down to solve the problem.