NOISE ANALYSIS AND MITIGATION

1. NOISE ANALYSIS AND MITIGATION OHIO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE JENNIFER MILLER NOVEMBER 7, 2012

2. NOISE ANALYSIS • Standards for noise in the HUD project environment are at 24 CFR 51 Subpart B – Noise Abatement and Control • HUD noise goals: • Exterior DNL noise level of 55 dB (but 65 dB is considered acceptable) • Interior DNL noise level of 45 dB

3. NOISE ANALYSIS • DNL: • Day-night average sound level • In mathematical equations, abbreviated LDN • Represents the 24-hour average sound level • Sound levels between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. are given additional weight by adding 10 dB

4. NOISE ANALYSIS • HUD noise standard: • DNL at or below 65 dB – Acceptable • DNL above 65 dB but not exceeding 75 dB – Normally Unacceptable • DNL above 75 dB – Unacceptable

5. NOISE ANALYSIS • Calculating sound levels: • Planes (airports) • Trains (train tracks) • Automobiles (roadways) • Additional noise to be considered case-by-case: • Project site-specific noise sources (e.g., lumber mill next door) • Loud impulsive sounds

6. NOISE ANALYSIS • Planes: major airports within 15 miles • Sound level calculation based on jet traffic only • Trains: tracks within 3,000 feet • General prohibition on construction within 100 feet of a track due to vibration noise that cannot easily be controlled • Traffic: major roads within 1,000 feet • 4-lane or larger, 10,000 ADT or greater

7. NOISE ANALYSIS • Airports • Acquire the DNL noise contour map for the airport, if one has been prepared • Most community and general aviation airports have insignificant jet traffic and will not have a DNL map; not necessary to contact them unless project site is located close and within the flight path • Contact the airport manager for help if necessary

8. Airport DNL noise contour map (Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky Int’l)

9. NOISE ANALYSIS • Train traffic • PUCO rail crossings map to identify nearby crossings • PUCO and FRA crossing databases to identify traffic information • Links for these and other websites are in information packet • For commuter trains, can also use train schedules • On-site observations best for determining whether whistles are sounded adjacent to project site

10. PUCO and FRA crossing traffic information

11. NOISE ANALYSIS • Roadways • Highway and numbered route traffic information available from ODOT Technical Services • Contact area Metropolitan Planning Organization or local/county engineer for local roadway traffic counts

12. ODOT traffic data report

13. NOISE ANALYSIS • Additional data required: • Distance to road or rail line (from map) • Average speed of cars or trains (from speed limit and from FRA report) • Nighttime (10 p.m. through 7 a.m.) fraction of traffic (default is 15%) • For roadway, the uphill gradient (default is 2%) • For trains, whether whistles are blown at the site and whether the tracks are welded or bolted. Number of cars and engines per train can also be entered, though information can be difficult to obtain (defaults are 50 and 2, respectively).

14. NOISE ANALYSIS • Three ways to calculate site’s overall DNL: • Noise Guidebook worksheets and charts • HUD spreadsheet (available on request) • HUD online Site DNL Calculator • Demonstration

15. NOISE ANALYSIS • Bank St – 806 ft • Winchell St – 531 ft • I-75 – 669 ft • Norfolk Southern yard – 2,259 ft • CSX yard – 3,700 ft