|
ter 4. Federal, State, and Local Policies and Procedures
<br />requires that the project sponsor "consider" noise abatement before adoption of the
<br />final NEPA document. This process involves identification of noise abatement
<br />measures that are reasonable, feasible, and likely to be incorporated into the project,
<br />and of noise impacts for which no apparent solution is available.
<br />Traffic noise impacts, as defined in 23 CFR 772.5, occur when the predicted noise
<br />level in the design year approaches or exceeds the NAC specified in 23 CFR 772,
<br />or a predicted noise level substantially exceeds the existing noise level (i.e., a
<br />"substantial" noise increase). The terms "substantial increase" or "approach" are not
<br />specifically defined in 23 CFR 772; these criteria are defined in the Protocol, as
<br />described in the following section.
<br />Table 4.1 summarizes the NAC corresponding to various land use activity categories.
<br />Activity categories and related traffic noise impacts are determined based on the
<br />actual land use in a given area.
<br />Table 4.1. Activity Categories and Noise Abatement Criteria
<br />Activity
<br />Activity
<br />Evaluation
<br />Description of Activities
<br />Category
<br />Leq(h)1
<br />Location
<br />Lands on which serenity and quiet are of extraordinary
<br />A
<br />57
<br />Exterior
<br />significance, that serve an important public need, and where
<br />the preservation of those qualities is essential if the area is to
<br />continue to serve its intended purpose.
<br />B 2
<br />67
<br />Exterior
<br />Residential.
<br />Active sport areas, amphitheaters, auditoriums, campgrounds,
<br />cemeteries, day care centers, hospitals, libraries, medical
<br />facilities, parks, picnic areas, places of worship, playgrounds,
<br />C
<br />67
<br />Exterior
<br />public meeting rooms, public or nonprofit institutional
<br />structures, radio studios, recording studios, recreation areas,
<br />Section 4(f) sites, schools, television studios, trails, and trail
<br />crossings.
<br />Auditoriums, day care centers, hospitals, libraries, medical
<br />D
<br />52
<br />Interior
<br />facilities, places of worship, public meeting rooms, public or
<br />nonprofit institutional structures, radio studios, recording
<br />studios, schools, and television studios.
<br />E
<br />72
<br />Exterior
<br />Hotels, motels, offices, restaurants/bars, and other developed
<br />lands, properties, or activities not included in A—D or F.
<br />Agriculture, airports, bus yards, emergency services, industrial
<br />F
<br />—
<br />—
<br />uses, logging, maintenance facilities, manufacturing, mining,
<br />railyards, retail facilities, shipyards, utilities (water resources,
<br />water treatment, electrical), and warehousing.
<br />G
<br />—
<br />—
<br />Undeveloped lands that are not permitted.
<br />Source: California Department of Transportation, Traffic Noise Analysis Protocol, Table 1 (May 2011).
<br />' The Leq(h) activity criteria values are for impact determination only and are not design standards for noise
<br />abatement measures. All values are in dBA.
<br />2 Includes undeveloped lands permitted for this activity category.
<br />dBA = A -weighted decibel(s)
<br />Leq(h) = equivalent continuous sound level per hour
<br />18 Fairview Street Improvements from 9th Street to 16th Street
<br />and Bridge Replacement Project Noise Study Report
<br />
|