ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT EVALUATION ORANGE RAILROAD STATION NEW HAVEN LINE State Project No. 106-120 prepared for Connecticut Department of Transportation MAY 2017 prepared by Prepared pursuant to Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies Section 22a-1a-1 to 12, inclusive Table of Contents Environmental Impact Evaluation Orange Railroad Station – New Haven Line Executive Summary.............................................................................. ix 1 Introduction................................................................................... 1 1.1 Description of Proposed Action .................................................................3 1.1.1 Existing Site Conditions............................................................................................... 3 1.1.2 Proposed Action ........................................................................................................... 7 1.2 Purpose and Need.......................................................................................9 1.2.1 Parking Demand ........................................................................................................... 9 1.2.2 Roadway Congestion .................................................................................................... 9 1.2.3 Commuter Rail Access ............................................................................................... 10 1.2.4 Energy and Environmental Sustainability ............................................................... 11 1.2.5 Land Use/Transportation Synergies ........................................................................ 11 1.3 Public Participation and Agency Coordination .......................................11 2 Alternatives Considered ............................................................ 13 2.1 No Action Alternative ................................................................................13 2.2 Alternative Sites ........................................................................................14 2.3 Alternative Designs...................................................................................14 2.4 Preferred Alternative .................................................................................15 3 Existing Environment and Analysis of Impact ........................ 17 3.1 Land Use, Zoning, and Local Development Plans ..................................17 3.1.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................... 17 3.1.2 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 19 3.1.3 Mitigation ..................................................................................................................... 20 3.2 Consistency with State and Regional Conservation and Development Plans ..........................................................................................................20 3.2.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................... 20 3.2.2 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 23 3.2.3 Mitigation ..................................................................................................................... 24 3.3 Traffic and Parking....................................................................................24 3.3.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................... 24 3.3.2 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 31 3.3.3 Mitigation ..................................................................................................................... 44 3.4 Considerations Relating to Pedestrian and Bicyclists ...........................45 3.4.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................... 45 3.4.2 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 45 Orange Railroad Station – New Haven Line Environmental Impact Evaluation i Table of Contents Environmental Impact Evaluation Orange Railroad Station – New Haven Line 3.4.3 Mitigation ..................................................................................................................... 45 3.5 Rail Operations and Transit .....................................................................46 3.5.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................... 46 3.5.2 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 46 3.5.3 Mitigation ..................................................................................................................... 53 3.6 Air Quality ..................................................................................................54 3.6.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................... 54 3.6.2 Impact Assessment ..................................................................................................... 58 3.6.3 Greenhouse Gas Emissions ...................................................................................... 81 3.7 Noise ..........................................................................................................85 3.7.1 Methodology ................................................................................................................ 85 3.7.2 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................... 88 3.7.3 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 91 3.7.4 Mitigation ..................................................................................................................... 93 3.8 Socioeconomic Effects/Neighborhoods/Housing................................. 100 3.8.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................. 100 3.8.2 Impact Analysis ......................................................................................................... 103 3.8.3 Mitigation ................................................................................................................... 104 3.9 Water Quality ...........................................................................................105 3.9.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................. 105 3.9.2 Impact Analysis ......................................................................................................... 106 3.9.3 Mitigation ................................................................................................................... 108 3.10 Hydrology and Floodplains .................................................................... 109 3.10.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................. 109 3.10.2 Impact Analysis ......................................................................................................... 109 3.10.3 Mitigation ................................................................................................................... 111 3.11 Wetlands .................................................................................................. 111 3.11.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................. 112 3.11.2 Impact Analysis ......................................................................................................... 116 3.11.3 Mitigation ................................................................................................................... 118 3.12 Coastal Resources .................................................................................. 120 3.12.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................. 120 3.12.2 Impact Analysis ......................................................................................................... 120 3.12.3 Mitigation ................................................................................................................... 120 3.13 Flora/Fauna/Threatened and Endangered Species ............................... 122 3.13.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................. 122 3.13.2 Impact Analysis ......................................................................................................... 125 3.13.3 Mitigation ................................................................................................................... 125 Orange Railroad Station – New Haven Line Environmental Impact Evaluation ii Table of Contents Environmental Impact Evaluation Orange Railroad Station – New Haven Line 3.14 Soils and Geology ................................................................................... 125 3.14.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................