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Grand Avenue Widening Project Environmental Impact Report Section 3.0 Senora de Guadelupe Church. There are single family residences on both sides of Grand Avenue between Seventeenth Street and I-5, on the west side of Grand Avenue between Fruit and Fourth Streets, and on the east side of Grand Avenue between Fourth and Third Streets. There are apartments at the east end of Washington Street just north of I-5. The Elementary School is on Fourth Street approximately 175 feet east of Grand Avenue and the Church is on the southeast corner of Grand Avenue and Third Street. Most of the existing noise sensitive uses which do not directly face Grand Avenue have some form of block wall or wood fence to protect exterior areas from noise and visual intrusions. These barriers range in height from four to seven feet. The single and multiple family residences on Grand Avenue between Fruit and Fourth Streets directly face Grand Avenue and currently have no form of exterior noise reduction. Therefore, these residences are currently directly impacted by existing traffic noise. However, the buildings themselves provide some noise reduction for the rear yards and outside areas associated with these residences. The front yards of single family residences are specifically not subject to the City's exterior noise standard although the rear yards are. The Grand Avenue project area is also influenced by noise from I-5. The noise level from 1-5 is partially mitigated by existing sound barriers at the. edge of the freeway pavement where I-5 is adjacent to residential uses. There is no wall on the freeway bridge over Grand Avenue. Existing Noise Environment The existing noise environment in the Grand Avenue project area was determined through a comprehensive noise measurement survey and computer modeling effort. Several locations adjacent to the Grand Avenue alignment and in surrounding areas were used as monitoring locations. These measurements were used to describe the existing noise setting in this area. The existing environment was modeled to establish a baseline noise level to which the proposed project was then compared. The major existing noise sources in the vicinity of the project segment of Grand Avenue are traffic on Grand Avenue and I-5. The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCCRA) operates a mainline track, used for freight and commuter operations, approximately 1,200 feet west of Grand Avenue. There are no other major existing noise sources in the vicinity of the project segment of Grand Avenue. Noise Measurement Survey A noise measurement survey was conducted between February 19 and 24, 1999, which included a total of 20 monitoring positions either at, or adjacent to, noise sensitive land uses along the Grand Avenue alignment as shown on Figure 3.6-1. Table 3.6-2 lists the specific location of each monitoring position and identifies the potentially noise sensitive land use at that location. The noise . measurements were conducted between 11 AM and 5 PM to depict various traffic conditions. The noise measurements were designed to determine ambient noise levels and to validate the project related findings from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Highway Noise Model. The F.IPROJ-ENMGrand eirWew Text- GranWection 3 SphMection 3.6.doc Page 3.6-4