UP Express Electrification EA Noise and Vibration Assessment Report FINAL Project No. 1124019.00 March, 2014 UP Express Electrification EA FINAL Impact Assessment Report – Noise and Vibration Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to document the noise and vibration Baseline Conditions (Part A) and Impact Assessment (Part B) that was completed as part of the UP Express Electrification EA. Baseline conditions were established using modelling and measurements that were completed in support of previous Georgetown South Service Expansion and Union Pearson Rail Link (GSSE-UPRL) EA reports completed by Metrolinx. Operational noise and vibration impacts have been evaluated based on guidance from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE) for evaluation of rail transportation projects (i.e., the UP Express service) and stationary sources (i.e., supporting facilities including paralleling stations and EMU maintenance facility). Noise and vibration impacts from construction activities associated with the UP Express project have been considered in accordance with the requirements of the applicable MOE guidelines and best practices. The UP Express service will also include transformer stations associated with the Traction Power Supply system. The Traction Power Supply system is subject to the provincial Environmental Assessment Act in accordance with the Class EA for Minor Transmission Facilities. Therefore, the potential effects related to the new TPS are being assessed by Hydro One as part of this separate Class EA process (refer to the Hydro One Union Pearson Express Electrification Traction Power Supply System Class Environmental Assessment - Draft Environmental Study Report). The UP Express service will commence operations with train sets comprised of Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs). The UP Express Electrification EA is investigating noise and vibration impacts associated with the replacement these DMUs with Electric Multiple Units (EMUs), as well as impacts associated with the implementation of facilities supporting the electrified service. Baseline conditions along the UP Express route (from the future UP Express Union Station to UP Express Pearson station, along the existing Union Station and Kitchener Rail Corridors) are characterized primarily by road and rail traffic. Rail traffic includes freight (CN and CP) and passenger (VIA and GO) trains, and for the purposes of the UP Express Electrification EA also includes the operation of DMUs for the UP Express service. Therefore, baseline noise and vibration conditions within the UP Express route/rail corridor are considered to be the modelled and/or measured noise and vibration levels from the July 2009 Georgetown South Service Expansion and Union-Pearson Rail Link environmental assessment and February 2012 Georgetown South Rail Corridor Expansion assessment. Baseline conditions associated with the proposed locations for two (2) new paralleling stations (power distribution) and an EMU maintenance facility are based on MOE default minimum sound level criteria, traffic noise modelling, or data from continuous background sound level measurement programs. The assessment of operations resulted in a conclusion that there will be no predicted adverse net noise and vibration effects due to the change in technology (i.e., replacing DMUs with EMUs). Metrolinx intends to require noise and vibration specifications for the EMU train sets that are either the same or more stringent than those for DMUs. The noise and vibration levels associated with the EMU train sets will therefore be equal to (worst case scenario) or lower than the noise levels of the DMU train sets that i UP Express Electrification EA FINAL Impact Assessment Report – Noise and Vibration the service will commence with. Noise mitigation was recommended for DMU operations in previous EA work (e.g., Georgetown South Service Expansion and Union Pearson Rail Link EA), and Metrolinx plans to maintain this mitigation upon conversion to EMUs. As such, no net noise or vibration effects are anticipated by replacing DMUs with EMUs. The UP Express Electrification project involves the construction of two paralleling stations along the corridor. The only significant source of sound at these facilities will be the 10 MVA autotransformers (each paralleling station will have one 10 MVA transformer). Sound power levels typical of transformers of this size were projected to the nearest sensitive receptor locations, and the resulting sound pressure levels were compared to the most stringent MOE sound level criteria for urban areas from the applicable MOE guidance document (NPC-300). The resulting sound levels were below the MOE criteria, and therefore no net noise effects are anticipated from the paralleling stations. The paralleling stations do not contain any equipment that would be considered a significant source of vibration, therefore a vibration assessment was not completed. Operations at the EMU maintenance facility were also assessed in accordance with the requirements of MOE publication NPC-300 for the operation of stationary sources. An acoustic model was prepared based on the most recent site plan for the maintenance facility, and anticipated operations. Noise sources were identified for the proposed operation at the facility, and source sound levels were characterized using either manufacturer data or sound levels from SENES' in-house database of measurement data. The resulting sound levels at the nearest receptor locations were compared to the applicable criteria from NPC-300, and were found to be compliant, should appropriate mitigation be applied. ii UP Express Electrification EA FINAL Impact Assessment Report – Noise and Vibration Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... i Glossary of Terms ........................................................................................................................................ vi Part A – Noise and Vibration Baseline Conditions 1. Background ............................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Environmental Assessment Process ............................................................................................ 1 1.2 Description of the Project .............................................................................................................. 2 1.2.1 Traction Power Distribution System .......................................................................................... 3 1.2.1.1 Overhead Contact System ................................................................................................ 3 1.2.1.2 Paralleling Stations............................................................................................................ 5 1.2.2 Maintenance Facility ................................................................................................................. 8 1.3 Study Area ..................................................................................................................................... 9 1.4 Purpose ......................................................................................................................................... 9 2. Methodology ........................................................................................................................................ 10 2.1 Noise ........................................................................................................................................... 10 2.1.1 Review of Secondary Source/Background Reports ................................................................ 10 2.1.2 Baseline Noise Conditions for UP Express Route/Rail Corridor ............................................. 10 2.1.3 Baseline Noise Conditions for Electrification Facilities ........................................................... 10 2.2 Vibration ...................................................................................................................................... 12 2.2.1 Review of Secondary Source/Background Reports ................................................................ 12 2.2.2 Baseline Vibration Conditions for UP Express Corridor .......................................................... 12 2.2.3 Baseline Vibration Conditions for Electrification Facilities ...................................................... 12 3. Baseline Conditions ............................................................................................................................. 13 3.1 Noise ........................................................................................................................................... 14 3.1.1 UP Express Union Station to Bloor Station ............................................................................. 14 3.1.2 Bloor Station to Weston Station .............................................................................................. 16 3.1.3 Weston Station to Highway 427 .............................................................................................. 17 3.1.4 Highway 427 to UP Express Pearson Station ......................................................................... 19 3.2 Vibration ...................................................................................................................................... 20 3.2.1 UP Express Union Station to Bloor Station