Downtown-Uptown-Oakland-East End Bus Rapid Transit Project Categorical Exclusion Documentation October 2018 Prepared for: Federal Transit Administration Prepared by: Port Authority of Allegheny County Downtown‐Uptown‐Oakland‐East End Bus Rapid Transit Project 1. Description of the Proposed Action and Purpose and Need Contents 1. Description of the Proposed Action and Purpose and Need ............................................................. 1 1.1. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION ................................................................................................. 1 1.2. PURPOSE AND NEED ................................................................................................................................... 9 2. Outreach and Engagement .............................................................................................................. 10 2.1. ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS PHASE .............................................................................................................. 10 2.2. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PHASE .............................................................................................................. 11 3. Land Use and Zoning ....................................................................................................................... 13 3.1. POPULATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS .......................................................... 13 3.2. MAJOR TRIP GENERATORS ........................................................................................................................ 14 3.3. LAND USE GUIDELINES ............................................................................................................................. 17 3.4. LAND USE IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT .................................................................................. 18 4. Transportation Impacts ................................................................................................................... 24 4.1. TRAFFIC ...................................................................................................................................................... 24 4.1.1. BRT Core .............................................................................................................................. 24 4.1.2. East of BRT Core ................................................................................................................. 25 4.1.3. Travel Time .......................................................................................................................... 26 4.2. PARKING ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................................... 27 4.2.1. BRT Core .............................................................................................................................. 28 Uptown ............................................................................................................................................... 29 Oakland .............................................................................................................................................. 29 4.2.2. East of the BRT Core ........................................................................................................... 30 Highland Park .................................................................................................................................... 30 Squirrel Hill ......................................................................................................................................... 31 4.3. TRANSIT IMPACTS ...................................................................................................................................... 31 5. Air Quality ......................................................................................................................................... 34 5.1. REGIONAL CONFORMITY ANALYSIS .......................................................................................................... 35 5.2. CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................... 35 5.3. PARTICULATE MATTER (PM2.5) ANALYSIS ............................................................................................... 36 5.4. MOBILE SOURCE AIR TOXICS EMISSIONS ................................................................................................ 36 6. Energy .............................................................................................................................................. 38 7. Environmental Justice ..................................................................................................................... 40 7.1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................... 40 7.2. EXISTING CONDITIONS .............................................................................................................................. 41 7.2.1. Existing Demographic Data for the environmental justice Study Area ........................... 41 7.2.2. Existing Environment .......................................................................................................... 46 7.2.3. Public Engagement and Outreach Activities ..................................................................... 46 7.3. IMPACTS ..................................................................................................................................................... 51 7.3.1. Short-Term Impacts............................................................................................................. 51 7.3.2. Long-Term Impacts ............................................................................................................. 52 7.3.3. Indirect and Cumulative Impacts ....................................................................................... 58 7.3.4. Environmental Justice Determination – Comparison of Burdens and Impacts.............. 58 8. Floodplains, Water Quality, Navigable Waterways and Coastal Zones .......................................... 60 8.1. FLOODPLAINS ............................................................................................................................................ 60 8.2. WATER QUALITY ......................................................................................................................................... 60 8.3. NAVIGABLE WATERWAYS .......................................................................................................................... 60 8.4. COASTAL ZONES ........................................................................................................................................ 60 Page I Downtown‐Uptown‐Oakland‐East End Bus Rapid Transit Project 1. Description of the Proposed Action and Purpose and Need 9. Geology and Soils ............................................................................................................................ 62 10. Hazardous Materials ........................................................................................................................ 63 11. Historic and Cultural Resources ...................................................................................................... 67 12. Threatened and Endangered Species ............................................................................................. 69 13. Noise ................................................................................................................................................ 70 13.1. TRANSIT NOISE EXPOSURE ....................................................................................................................... 70 13.2. CONSTRUCTION NOISE .............................................................................................................................. 78 14. Vibration ........................................................................................................................................... 79 15. Property Acquisition ......................................................................................................................... 82 16. Parklands and Recreational Areas .................................................................................................. 84 17. Visual Quality/Aesthetics ................................................................................................................. 89 17.1. SCHENLEY PLAZA STATION ....................................................................................................................... 89 17.2. HIGHLAND PARK STATION ......................................................................................................................... 91 17.3. MOREWOOD STATION (FIFTH AVENUE) .................................................................................................... 91 17.4. MOREWOOD STATION (FORBES AVENUE) ................................................................................................ 92 17.5. NEGLEY STATION ....................................................................................................................................... 92 17.6. MURRAY STATION .....................................................................................................................................