Hennepin County Public Works

Transcription

1 Hennepin County Public Works Transportation Department James N. Grube P.E., Director , Phone 1600 Prairie Drive , Fax Medina, Minnesota tion January 29, 2015 RE: I-35W Transit Access Project Noise Mitigation Meeting Dear Recipient: Hennepin County, the City of Minneapolis, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and Metro Transit have been working on a plan to build a new transit station in the middle of Interstate 35W at Lake Street and create two new freeway exits: a southbound exit to Lake Street and a northbound exit to 28 th Street. As part of the planning for the Transit Access Project, we were required by federal and state regulations to evaluate current and future traffic noise levels. Those evaluations concluded that noise walls should be put up in your neighborhood. According to the statewide traffic noise policy, the community gets to determine whether or not a noise wall is eventually constructed, and only residents who are projected to receive a five decibel or greater noise reduction if a wall is constructed are eligible to vote. The policy also stipulates that a noise wall will be constructed as part of this project unless the majority of the eligible voters vote against the wall. In effect, any eligible voter not voting in this process will be counted as a vote in favor of the noise wall. Our team has been engaging neighborhoods and the project advisory committee throughout the planning process, and we are continuing to do so as residents consider noise walls. We ve reached out to your neighborhood organization, which was given the option to include information with this letter. As a recipient of this letter you are invited to attend a meeting to discuss the implications of the noise analysis and the noise wall voting process. Not all recipients of this letter are eligible voters. However, we feel it s important to give an opportunity for anyone who may be affected by this to discuss the implications of noise wall construction. That way, those who are eligible to vote may do so in a more informed manner. The meeting date and location are attached; more detailed information will be provided at the meeting. If you have any questions, please contact me at or james.grube@hennepin.us. I look forward to seeing you at the upcoming meeting. More information on the Transit Access Project can be found on the project website: Sincerely: James N. Grube, P.E. Transportation Department Director and County Engineer

2 Transit Access Project Noise Process Community Engagement Plan-Noise Analysis and Proposed Noise Barriers Fall/Winter Neighborhoods where voting will occur: King Field Stevens Ave (36 th 38 th ) Central 2 nd Ave (31 st 32 nd ) Phillips West 2 nd Ave (Greenway Lake) Ventura Village 18 th St (Chicago 11 th ) Elliot Park 17 th St (Chicago 11 th ) Loring Park 16 th St (Nicollet 1 st ) Steven s Square-Loring Heights 17 th St (1 st 3 rd ) Neighborhoods where walls will be replaced/constructed without Voting: Lyndale Stevens Ave (31 st 35 th ) Central 2 nd Ave (32 nd 35 th ) Whittier Along freeway right-of-way (22 nd St Greenway) Phillips West 5 th Ave (22 nd 26 th ) Ventura Village 5 th Ave (18 th 22 nd ) Steven s Square-Loring Heights Along freeway right-of-way (3 rd Franklin) Glossary: Noise Impact: Occurring when the predicted traffic noise levels approach or exceed (being within 1 dba or less of the activity category) the noise abatement criteria or substantially exceed (an increase of 5 dba or more) the existing noise levels. Receptor: An outdoor location, used by the resident, that the noise model has determined will experience noise impacts due to the proposed project. Benefitted Receptor: An outdoor location that the noise model has determined will experience noise impacts due to the proposed project and is deemed to receive a 5 decibel or greater reduction in noise levels with the proposed noise wall. Feasible: At least one receptor with a 5 decibel reduction that is considered constructible given the site conditions. Reasonable: At least one receptor with a 7 decibel reduction that is considered cost effective and is not voted out by the benefitted receptors. Cost Effective: $43,500 or less per benefitted receptor. Property Owner: The person or business listed on the property tax records. Resident: The current person or persons living at the address. 1 Staff Contacts Hennepin County = Jim Grube Minneapolis = Jeni Hager MnDOT = Scott Pedersen

3 Transit Access Project Noise Process Minnesota Noise Standards: State noise standards are for a one hour period and apply to outdoor areas. L10 is the sound level exceeded 10% of the time, or 6 minutes out of an hour. L50 is the sound level exceeded 50% of the time, or 30 minutes out of an hour. Per MPCA Daytime is 7 am to 10 pm Nighttime is 10 pm to 7 am Noise Area General Land Sound Level (dba) Classification Use Type Day (7 am to 10 pm) Night (10 pm to 7 am) (NAC) L10 L50 L10 L50 1 Residential Commercial Industrial FHWA Noise Abatement Criteria Activity L10 (h) Category A 60 dba (Exterior) B 70 dba (Exterior) Description of Activity Category and hospitals. C 75 dba (Exterior) D No Limit Undeveloped lands. E 55 dba (Interior) Lands on which serenity and quiet are of extraordinary significance and serve an important public need and where the preservation of those qualities is essential if the area is to continue to serve its intended purpose. Picnic areas, recreation areas, playgrounds, active sports areas, parks, residences, motels, hotels, schools, churches, libraries Developed lands, properties, or activities not included in Categories A or B above. Residences, motels, hotels, public meeting rooms, schools, churches, libraries, hospitals and auditoriums. 2

4 Transit Access Project Noise Process Our Approach where Voting WILL Occur: 1. The noise model is complete and results are tabulated in packets specific to each proposed noise wall where voting will occur. 2. First contact will be with the Neighborhood Organization/Association. We will attend one of their general meetings to introduce the topic, the process, our next steps and offer follow-up as requested. 3. Second contact will be with all receptors for the specific wall. We will have a meeting in a location proximate to the proposed wall and present the topic, our process, the results, what it means and next steps. 4. Third contact will be with ONLY the benefitted receptors for the specific wall. Why only the benefitted receptors? They are the only ones who have a vote. We will review the topic, our process, the results, what it means including the voting and next steps. We will begin soliciting votes. a. Our goal is to achieve 51% yes or 51% no. b. The wall is proposed to go in, therefore in order to NOT have a proposed wall be constructed there must be 51% who vote NO. How voting works A weighted voting system is used to make sure eligible residents and owners are given appropriate influence on the outcome, based on how much their property/unit is impacted by the noise barriers, and whether or not they own the property/unit. Proximity to Noise Barrier Points Awarded per unit Resident/Owner Owner Both Property/unit is immediately adjacent to I-35W Property/unit is not immediately adjacent to I-35W Only those units in apartments/multi-family residential buildings that are benefitted have a vote. Businesses, churches and schools receive owner votes. Our Approach where Voting will NOT Occur: 1. The noise model is complete and results are tabulated. Existing noise walls are considered a past NEPA commitment and will be reconstructed with the project. a. Walls will follow the aesthetic design set by the Crosstown Commons Project. Walls will extend below ground level and have the cupola design. 2. Contact will be with the Neighborhood Organization/Association. We will attend one of their general meetings to introduce the topic, the process, our next steps and offer follow-up as requested. 3

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6 Path: P:\FJ\H\Hennc\113114\GIS\data\Noise\August2014_ReportFigures\Fig 16_NoiseWall_Public.mxd Lyndale See inset below for continuation of the project Wall nd Wall sd Wall wf Wall wh Wall wg Steven's Square Loring Heights Wall wi Wall wj Wall eg Wall ef Wall eh Wall ei Whittier Wall wk Wall ne Wall se Proposed 15' Loring Park Wall ej Wall wm Central Wall nf Wall wl2 Wall wl1 Wall ek Phillips West Wall el2 Wall el1 Wall ng Wall em INSET Wall sh King Field Wall nh Elliot Park Lyndale Wall wb Wall wd Wall wf Wall we Wall ef Wall ee Central Bryant Wall si Wall eg Wall ni Ventura Village Wall sj Wall nj Copyright: 2013 Esri, DeLorme, NAVTEQ Copyright: 2013 Esri, DeLorme, NAVTEQ I Miles Print Date: 11/13/2014 Not Proposed Replace Map by: MSS Projection: Hennepin County Coordinates Source: Hennepin County, BING City of Minneapolis, SEH Proposed Existing Noise Wall (UPA / Crosstown Project) Proposed Geometrics Preliminary Noise Wall Analysis I-35W Transit Access Project Minneapolis, MN Figure A This map is neither a legally recorded map nor a survey map and is not intended to be used as one. This map is a compilation of records, information, and data gathered from various sources listed on this map and is to be used for reference purposes only. SEH does not warrant that the Geographic Information System (GIS) Data used to prepare this map are error free, and SEH does not represent that the GIS Data can be used for navigational, tracking, or any other purpose requiring exacting measurement of distance or direction or precision in the depiction of geographic features. The user of this map acknowledges that SEH shall not be liable for any damages which arise out of the user's access or use of data provided.

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8 How Loud Is It? DECIBELS Threshhold of pain 140 Jet engine (75 ft distance) 130 Jet aircraft (300 ft distance) 120 Extreme 110 Rock n roll concert Pneumatic chipper 100 Very noisy 90 Jointer/planer Chainsaw FHWA residential Noise Abatement Criteria (70 dba, L 10 ) MPCA Residential Daytime Standard (65 dba, L 10 ) Moderate 50 Heavy truck traffic (25 mph, 25 ft distance) Average street traffic (25 mph, 25 ft distance) Business office Conversational speech Library 40 Quiet 30 Bedroom Secluded woods 20 Almost silent 10 Whisper 0 Threshhold of hearing December 2014 December 2011 I-35W Transit/Access Project Chapter 152 Bridges I-35W Rehabilitation 4th Street South and I-35W Northbound Ramp and Auxiliary Lane

9 Noise Wall Voting Policy and Process 1. Determine Feasibility At least one receptor per noise wall must receive a 5 dba reduction Walls may not exceed 20 feet in height Point Values for Benefitted Receptors* (those with at least 5 dba reduction from proposed wall) Voting Threshold A simple majority (greater than 50%) of all possible voting points (not just those that reply) for each Wall must be constructable and safe, and must accommodate drainage, utilities, and requirements for maintenance. Location/Status Points per Unit potential noise wall must vote against it in order to remove it from 2. Determine Reasonableness At least one receptor per barrier must meet a noise reduction design goal of 7 dba Cost per noise barrier cannot exceed $43,500 per benefited receptor Solicit viewpoints (votes) of benefitted owners/residents (those who would receive at least a 5 dba reduction from proposed wall) Immediately abutting highway right of way Owner 4 Resident 2 Owner/Resident 6 NOT Immediately abutting highway right of way Owner 2 Resident 1 Owner/Resident 3 further consideration. Additional Voting Rules 1) In the case of multi-family residential buildings, such as apartment buildings, only those individual Definitions db Decibel; a unit of sound pressure level units that are considered to be benefited receptors (units receiving a 5 dba reduction, regardless of upper/lower floor location) vote according to the same point system explained above. Building grounds must include an outdoor place facilitating frequent human use. Non-benefiting units do not receive points. 2) Any single benefited receptor will only be able to vote yes or no ; no split votes. (Owner, owner/resident, or resident votes must individually be either all yes or all no points (i.e., an owner receives 4 points, all 4 points must be either yes or no he or she may not vote 3 no and 1 yes ). 3) Non-benefiting receptors do not receive points. dba A weighted db that closely represents what humans hear *Receptor An outdoor place where frequent human use occurs and a lowered noise level may be of benefit. *Benefitted Receptors A receptor that would receive at least a 5 dba reduction from proposed wall) 7 December 2014 July 2013 I-35W Transit/Access Project Chapter 152 Bridges I-35W Rehabilitation 4th Street South and I-35W Northbound Ramp and Auxiliary Lane