Guidelines for Analysis and Abatement of Roadway Traffic Noise
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Guidelines for Analysis and Abatement of Roadway Traffic Noise TxDOT Environmental Affairs Division Release Date: 3/2011 730.02.GUI Version 1 Guidelines for Analysis and Abatement of Highway Traffic Noise Table of Contents I. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................................ 5 1.2 Background .................................................................................................................................. 5 1.3. References ................................................................................................................................... 6 1.4 Applicability .................................................................................................................................. 6 1.5 Scope Limitations ......................................................................................................................... 7 1.6 Compliance .................................................................................................................................. 7 1.7 Responsibilities .......................................................................................................................... 7 2.0 Explanation of Terms and List of Acronyms ......................................................................................... 8 2.1 Terms ........................................................................................................................................... 8 2.2 Acronyms ................................................................................................................................... 15 3.0 Fundamentals of Sound and Traffic Noise ......................................................................................... 16 3.1 Sound ......................................................................................................................................... 16 3.2 Noise .......................................................................................................................................... 19 3.3 Sound/Noise Levels ................................................................................................................... 20 4.0 Traffic Noise Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 21 4.1 Planning ..................................................................................................................................... 21 4.2 Requirements ............................................................................................................................. 21 4.3 Objectives .................................................................................................................................. 21 4.4 Documentation ........................................................................................................................... 21 5.0 Traffic Noise Analysis Process ........................................................................................................... 22 5.1 Determine Need for a Traffic Noise Analysis ............................................................................. 22 5.2 Determination of Existing Noise Levels ..................................................................................... 23 5.3 Prediction of Future Noise Levels .............................................................................................. 23 5.5 Consideration of Abatement ...................................................................................................... 25 6.0 Public Involvement .............................................................................................................................. 26 7.0 Construction Noise Documentation .................................................................................................... 26 8.0 Information for Local Officials ............................................................................................................. 27 9.0 Documentation of Traffic Noise Analysis ............................................................................................ 28 Appendix A .................................................................................................................................................. 30 Appendix B .................................................................................................................................................. 32 TxDOT Environmental Affairs Division Page 3 of 31 Guidelines for Analysis and Abatement of Highway Traffic Noise Table of Figures Table 1 Decibel Addition* ............................................................................................................................ 16 Table 2 Cause-and-Effect Relationships dB(A)* ........................................................................................ 18 Table 3 Sound Level Change vs. Loudness .............................................................................................. 18 Table 4 Common Sound/Noise Levels ....................................................................................................... 20 Utilization of contour lines for alternatives screening .................................................................................. 24 Table 5 Interior Noise Reduction Factors ................................................................................................... 28 Table 6 Noise Abatement Criteria ............................................................................................................... 29 TxDOT Environmental Affairs Division Page 4 of 31 Guidelines for Analysis and Abatement of Highway Traffic Noise I. Introduction This document contains the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) guidance on roadway traffic noise analysis and abatement for Federal projects authorized under 23 USC. This guidance describes TxDOT’s implementation of the requirements of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Noise Standard at 23 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 772. This guidance was developed by TxDOT and reviewed and concurred with by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). FHWA issued a final amended noise regulation on July 13, 2010. The amended rule requires all State DOT's to revise and update their State noise policies. This document updates the 1997 TX DOT guidelines. Key changes to the guidelines include: Providing clarification of documentation requirements for roadway traffic noise impacts within technical reports and environmental documents. Providing added flexibility on defining parameters for feasible and reasonable noise abatement. Incorporating a noise reduction design goal of 7 dB(A) as a required reasonableness criterion. Reorganizing the noise abatement criterion (See Table 6) to more appropriately group land uses by impact criteria and to distinguish between interior and exterior evaluation areas. 1.1 Purpose The purpose of this document is to provide updated guidelines for performing traffic noise analyses on TxDOT roadway projects. It includes a discussion of the fundamentals of sound and traffic noise, the traffic noise analysis process and associated documentation. FHWA published a final rule updating 23 CFR 772, on July 13, 2010. This final rulemaking required TxDOT to revise its current noise policy (July 1997) to address the requirements of the final rule. The revised TxDOT noise policy will become effective July 13, 2011. Any project that has not yet completed the NEPA approval process (CE determination, FONSI or ROD) before July 13, 2011, must meet the requirements of the amended final rule and revised TxDOT policy. Any traffic noise analysis and proposed abatement, final design analysis, or noise workshop for a NEPA document completed after July 13, 2011 must comply with the new rule for 23 CFR 772 and the revised TxDOT Guidelines for Analysis and Abatement of Roadway Traffic Noise, dated April13, 2011 (See Appendix A). 1.2 Background The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 provides broad authority and responsibility for evaluating and mitigating adverse environmental effects, including roadway traffic noise. NEPA directs the federal government to use all practical means and measures to promote the general welfare and foster a healthy environment. The federal legislation that specifically involves abatement of roadway traffic noise is the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1970. This law mandates FHWA to develop noise standards for mitigating roadway traffic noise and requires promulgation of traffic noise-level criteria for various land use activities. The FHWA regulations for highway traffic and construction noise analysis and abatement during the planning and design of federally aided highway projects are contained in 23 CFR 772. TxDOT Environmental Affairs Division Page 5 of 31 Guidelines for Analysis and Abatement of Highway Traffic Noise In June 1995, FHWA reissued existing guidance on highway traffic noise analyses in a consolidated document entitled “Highway Traffic Noise Analysis and Abatement Policy and Guidance.” The 1995 FHWA document was replaced by a new noise guidance document, available at the FHWA Noise Website. TxDOT models traffic noise not only on highways, but