Airborne Noise and The New NY Bridge Project Photo Courtesy of New York State Thruway Authority Presented by: Kenneth Avery, PE
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OUTLINE 1. Introduction 2. Completion of FEIS Noise Barrier Commitments 3. Construction Noise and Vibration Compliance 4. Community Benefits Program 5. Summary 6. Questions and Answers
Project Location and Study Area
Project Location and Study Area
Project Development Schedule October 2011 Project placed on Presidential Fast Track December 2011 NYS Design-Build Law Signed January 2012 DEIS Published June 2012 Project Labor Agreement Reached July 2012 Bridge Proposals Submitted by 3 D-B Contractors September 2012 FEIS Approved December 2012 NYSTA Board selects Tappan Zee Constructors January 2013 Notice to Proceed Issued July 2015 Approximate mid-point in construction payments reached
Highlights of Tappan Zee Constructors Bid Best Proposal Price for Toll Payers: $3.142 Billion Shortest Construction Time: 5 Years; 2.5 Months Least Dredging: Approximately 951,000 CY Built to last 100 years before any major structural maintenance is required Reduces congestion with 8 traffic lanes, 4 breakdown/emergency lanes, new EZ Pass lanes Includes a bike/pedestrian path Built Ready for future Bus Rapid Transit and Rail Total Project Cost: Approximately $3.98 Billion
Owner s Engineer: Oversight Environmental Team HNTB Overall Lead Bergmann Associates Field Compliance AKRF Field Compliance, Mitigations Prudent Engineering Field Compliance Illingworth & Rodkin Underwater Noise AIS Sturgeon Observers for Dredging
Owner s Engineer: Oversight Environmental Team The Owner s Engineer: 1. Supports the Authority s Environmental Manager by: a. Conducting reviews of Design Build Contractor s (DB s) environmental plans and audits of construction activities to verify compliance with the Environmental Performance Commitments (EPCs) and environmental permits, which are part of the Contract Documents. b. Assisting in reporting to FHWA, and by extension Federal agencies (NMFS, FWS).
Rockland Landing
Westchester Landing
Noise Barrier Design Oversight Technical support for review of final noise barrier designs: Reviewed DB TNM analysis and noise barrier designs for consistency with noise barrier effectiveness in FEIS Evaluated DB alternative noise barrier locations for consistency with FEIS Verified for compliance with State and Federal noise policies Provided suggestions for design of transparent comfort barriers between the WB roadway and belvederes
Linking Noise Policy to D-B Contract Federal Policy State Policy Contract Reference Discussion NYSDOT Noise Analysis Policy Part 3, Section 11.3.5 23 CFR 772.13 (i) Part 3, Sections 3.3.4 and 11.3.5 Part 1, Appendix I, Scope of Work, Section 1.0 No further elaboration on design-build projects Final design of noise abatement measures based on preliminary noise analysis. Design concepts cannot result in environmental impacts greater than those in the NEPA document.
Federal Policy for Design-Build Projects 23 CFR 772.13 (i) For design-build projects, the preliminary technical noise study shall document all considered and proposed noise abatement measures for inclusion in the NEPA document. Final design of design-build noise abatement measures shall be based on the preliminary noise abatement design developed in the technical noise analysis. Noise abatement measures shall be considered, developed, and constructed in accordance with this standard and in conformance with the provisions of 40 CFR 1506.5(c) and 23 CFR 636.109.
Federal Policy for Design-Build Projects Supplementary Information in Final Rule: Design Build Projects The FHWA understands the concerns expressed in the comments; however, the FHWA is concerned that absent a commitment to provide abatement determined reasonable and feasible in the environmental document, and based on the acoustic design developed in the noise analysis, there may be cases where value engineering efforts or other cost savings measures may result in changes to the abatement design that reduce the effectiveness of the noise abatement measures.
NYSTA Design-Build Contract Part 1, Appendix I - Scope of Work, Section 1.0 Any design concepts developed by the Design-Builder shall not result in environmental impacts beyond the limits of those presented in the Environmental Documentation and the Contract Documents.
Rockland County Noise Barriers
Westchester County Noise Barriers
Noise Barrier Balloting Developed cover letter and ballot Included all benefitted (> 5 dba) receivers Separate meetings held for Rockland and Westchester Counties Letter and ballot were mailed to residents and handed out at the meeting. If 50 % or more of the benefitted receivers record a vote and the majority of those vote yes, the noise barrier will be built. Benefitted receivers (residents) were given a week or two after the meeting to return their ballots. Noise Barrier Ballot For Noise Barrier Against Noise Barrier
Noise Barrier Preferences On Bridge Opaque Transparent Opaque/Transparent
Noise Barrier Preferences On Land Grooved Smooth Textured
Construction Noise & Vibration Review DB s Construction Noise & Vibration Control Plan Conduct weekly field compliance audits for equipment Measure equipment noise levels Review/approve waiver requests with conditions Respond to resident s noise complaints. Review of DB s Construction Work Plans
Construction Noise & Vibration Impact Pile Hammers Used Delmag D-46 with Acoustical Blanket BSP CX-110 with Jinnings Shroud IHC S-800 with 2 Bellows Shroud IHC S-280 Hammer with 2 Bellows Shroud BSP CX-85 with Jinnings Shroud
Impact Pile Driving Airborne Noise Attenuation Part 3, Section 3, Exhibit B, Item 2 Construction Noise Use of shrouds to reduce pile driver noise Shrouds shall be utilized to limit noise exposure to the levels stated in Table 3-B-2-1 (90 L max (dba) at 50 feet for pile driving) Document noise attenuation methods and provide report to Authority On Saturday morning & Sundays, no noise emission above 70 dba L max at nearest point of shoreline Exceedances identified by D-B within 30 minutes, mitigated within 1 hour and reported to Authority within 48 hours Developed compliance audit forms for over 7 operations and processes to assure construction compliance with environmental performance commitments Developed and issued Non-Compliance Reports
Construction Air/Noise/Vibration Monitors 15 sec L eq and hourly rolling L eq http://www.newnybridge.com/environmenta l-monitoring/
Impact Pile Driving River Road Noise Monitor
Construction Noise & Vibration Work with DB to reduce noise impacts from pile driving Prepared FHWA NEPA reevaluation for marine based impact pile driving Marine based impact pile driving in contract requirements
Measured effectiveness Reviewed temporary noise barrier materials / products Verified compliance with EPC s Temporary Noise Barriers
Tools to Enforce Environmental Compliance Environmental Compliance Plan (NYSDEC Permit) Non-Conformance Reports (DB 105-16) Written by IOECM and issued by Authority D-B must respond to and bring work into compliance Includes Corrective Action Plan Closed after both parties agree on resolution D-B Quality Plan (DB 113) includes environmental Authority withholds payment of environmental compliance monies Authority issues Stop Work Order letter
Purpose of Community Benefits Program (CBP) Through the CBP, the New NY Bridge project will provide grants to selected projects that Will otherwise have a positive impact on the quality of life for residents and communities in Rockland and Westchester Counties
CBP Qualifying Criteria Primary Based on series of impact pile driving drop-off calculations Source noise measurements (at +/- 50 feet) and at remote locations Developed a 74 dba L eq noise contour. 51 dba was used as the maximum allowable interior noise level This is one dba less than FHWA Activity Category D NAC Assumes exterior to interior noise reduction of 23 db with new windows and doors. Secondary Performed concurrent noise exterior and interior noise measurements during impact pile driving (preferably) at residences that had applied for relief under the CBP. Difference in interior and exterior noise levels = insertion loss. Calculated maximum predicted noise level at residence during impact pile driving. If maximum predicted noise level less insertion loss > 51 dba, resident qualifies.
Westchester County Primary Qualifying Criteria
Rockland County Primary Qualifying Criteria
Participation in CBP Rockland County Bradford Mews and Salisbury Point (approximately 194 units) Approximately 40 Individual homes Westchester County The Quay Condominiums (approximately 90 units) Approximately 35 Individual homes
Participation in CBP
QUESTIONS? Kenneth Avery, PE Bergmann Associates 28 East Main Street 200 First Federal Plaza Rochester, NY 14614 Ph: (585) 232.5135 x330 kavery@bergmannpc.com
Pile Driving Aquatic Issues Water quality Zone C (Piers 28 35) Outside of Zone C Underwater Noise Attenuation Systems Independent measurements of: L Z Peak Checked at 10m Compared to Biological Opinion Sturgeon Monitoring Barge-based observers Vessel-based observers