VAN WYCK EXPRESSWAY (I-678) CAPACITY AND ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS TO JFK AIRPORT PROJECT

ANTICIPATED TIMELINE: Noise Barriers FEBRUARY 1, 2019 MAY 22, 2019 FALL 2019 Project Background Release of FEIS DEIS Released for Ballots Returned The New York State Department of Transportation, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, is & Record of Public Review to NYSDOT preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Van Wyck Expressway (VWE) Capacity and Access Decision Improvements to JFK Airport Project. The Project is located along a 4.3-mile segment of the VWE, also known as Interstate 678, including the northbound and southbound service roads. The northern project limit is Hoover Avenue and the southern project limit is the southern end of Federal Circle at the entrance to JFK Airport.

The purpose of the Project is to provide increased capacity on the VWE between the Kew Gardens Interchange RETURN OF BALLOTS (KGI) and JFK Airport to improve vehicular access to and from JFK Airport. The Project would add a fourth vehicular travel lane in each direction between JFK Airport and the KGI. The additional lane would be a managed-use lane Completed ballots may be submitted in one of the following ways: with high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) restrictions. In addition, the Project will address operational, geometric, and structural deficiencies on the VWE between the KGI and JFK Airport. The Draft EIS (DEIS) for the Project was released for public review on February 1, 2019 and is available on the project website at: www.dot.ny.gov/vwe.

Via email to: U.S. Postal Service [email protected] via stamped ballot

The DEIS is available at the locations below, as well as on the project website: https://www.dot.ny.gov/VWE

Community Board 6 Queens Borough Hall Queens Library at Richmond Hill 104-01 Metropolitan Avenue 120-55 Queens Boulevard, Room 310-A 118-14 Hillside Avenue Forest Hills, NY 11375 Kew Gardens, NY 11424 Richmond Hill, NY 11418 Community Board 8 Queens Library at Briarwood South Jamaica Houses Community 197-15 Hillside Avenue 85-12 Main Street Center CONTACT INFORMATION: Hollis, NY 11423 Briarwood, NY 11435 10904 160th Street Community Board 9 Queens Library Central Jamaica, NY 11433 For additional information, please visit the project website at 120-55 Queens Boulevard, Room 310-A 89-11 Merrick Boulevard St. Joseph Community Center or contact the Kew Gardens, NY 11424 Jamaica, NY 11432 108-30 Sutphin Boulevard www.dot.ny.gov/vwe/noise-barriers Community Board 10 Queens Library at Lefferts Jamaica, NY 11435 Van Wyck Expressway Project Team at [email protected] 115-01 Lefferts Boulevard 103-34 Lefferts Boulevard South Ozone Park, NY 11420 Richmond Hill, NY 11419 Community Board 12 Queens Library at Ozone Park 90-28 161st Street 92-24 Rockaway Boulevard Jamaica, NY 11432 Ozone Park, NY 11417 PROJECT LOCATION AND LOCATION OF NOISE BARRIERS NOISE BARRIERS

As documented in the DEIS, a traffic noise analysis PROPOSED CONDITIONS VISUAL SIMULATIONS: was conducted for the Project. The noise analysis identified noise impacts at properties fronting the VWE and at some unobstructed neighboring properties. Noise barriers were evaluated to abate (decrease) these impacts. Twelve (12) noise barriers are proposed along the project corridor based on engineering considerations, anticipated noise reductions, and cost.

The heights of the proposed noise barriers range from 8 to 28 feet. Transparent panels would be used for a portion of the noise barriers greater than 10 feet View north on the VWE northbound service road between in height. During final design, the heights and widths 109th Avenue and 107th Avenue of the recommended noise barriers would be refined.

To be recommended for construction, the viewpoints of those who would be benefited by a proposed noise barrier must be obtained. “Benefited” means that the property would receive a noise reduction of at least 5 decibels (dB(A)).

Responses must be obtained from at least half of the benefited property owners and residents and a majority of the responses must favor the noise barrier View southwest from the corner of 90th Avenue and the for the barrier to be recommended for construction. VWE northbound service road Ballots have been sent to the benefited property owners and residents, who are being requested to submit their viewpoints by May 22, 2019.

The noise barrier recommendations will be documented in the Final EIS (FEIS) for the Project.

The FHWA concludes that noise level changes of up to 3 dB(A) or less is barely View south on VWE southbound service road between perceptible to the human ear. 130th Avenue and 133rd Avenue