Our File: 6552 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY REPORT ADDENDUM APPENDIX 'G' Noise Attenuation Analysis March 2008
McCORMICK RANKIN CORPORATION 2655 North Sheridan Way Mississauga, Ontario, L5K 2P8 Tel: (905)823-8500 Fax: (905) 823-8503 E-mail: mrc@mrc.ca Website: www.mrc.ca MEMO TO FILE RE: OUR FILE: W.O. 6552 PREPARED BY: CC: City of Peterborough Katherine Jim Greg Moore, MRC Peter Fraser, MRC DATE: March 7, 2008 SUBJECT: 1. Introduction The City of Peterborough retained McCormick Rankin Corporation (MRC) to carry out a Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) for the proposed widening of from the westerly city boundary (i.e. west of Westridge Boulevard) to Spillsbury Drive. As part of this Class EA, a noise assessment was conducted by MRC for the proposed widening of. This memorandum summarizes the findings of this noise assessment. The study limits are shown on Exhibit 1. 2. Methodology The Ontario Road Noise Analysis Method (ORNAMENT), which was developed by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE), is used to assess potential noise impacts on existing residential areas where changes are proposed to existing roads. ORNAMENT, based on a model developed by the United States Federal Highway Administration, is designed for land use planning and has been modified for use on a personal computer using the STAMSON 5.0 computer program. The program is used to predict noise levels generated from road sources at the outdoor activity areas (typically backyards) of Noise Sensitive Areas (NSAs). It considers numerous variables including traffic volumes, percentage of trucks, distance from roadway, road grade, posted speed, topography, barriers and vegetation. Noise levels are predicted in decibels in the A-weighted dba scale, which best approximates the human perception of sound over a specified time period. An increase of 2 3 decibels in noise levels is considered to be just perceivable to the average person. It should be noted that a 3 dba increase in noise equates to a doubling of traffic volumes. W:\6k\6552 File: Document7 \6552.700 Planning\Noise Analysis\6552 kj - - Final Mar 08.doc
2.1 Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) / Ministry of the Environment (MOE) Guidelines Since roadway sound levels vary over time, the noise descriptor used in Ontario to assess noise is the equivalent sound level, L eq. L eq is identified as the continuous sound level, which has the same energy as a time varying sound level over a specified time period. For the purposes of assessing municipal roadway noise, L eq is calculated on the basis of the 16-hour daytime period, 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. For new houses adjacent to existing roads, the provincial objective is 55 dba in the outdoor living area (OLA) for the daytime period (for calculation purposes this is defined as 3 m from the back of the house). Based on the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) / Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE) Noise Protocol, where a new or expanded roadway is proposed adjacent to a Noise Sensitive Area (NSA), the MOE requires that the future noise level with and without the proposed improvements be compared. Where increases in noise levels are predicted, the following actions are recommended: 0 to 5 dba increase - greater than 5 dba - no action is required investigate noise control measures within the right-of-way If project cost is not significantly affected, noise control measures should be introduced within the right-of-way. Where introduced, noise control measures should achieve a minimum of 5 dba attenuation over the first row receivers. Noise control measures should mitigate to ambient, as administratively, economically, and technically feasible. 3. Noise Analysis Using the STAMSON 5.0 computer program, noise modelling was carried out to determine the projected future sound levels with and without the proposed widening in accordance with MOE requirements. 3.1 Noise Sensitive Areas (NSAs) runs east-west in the City of Peterborough, and currently, the section between Westridge Boulevard and Spillsbury Drive is 2 lanes. Land uses adjacent to Lansdowne Street between Westridge Boulevard and Spillsbury Drive consist of mixed residential and commercial uses (i.e. commercial land uses between Westridge Boulevard to Brealey Drive on both the north and south sides, and residential land uses between Brealey Drive and Spillsbury Drive on both sides of the roadway). The residential developments adjacent to Lansdowne Street between Brealey Drive and Spillsbury Drive are mostly reversed frontage onto the roadway with some properties that can be directly accessed from Lansdowne Street. The OLAs of these residential houses are considered to be Noise Sensitive Areas (NSAs). McCormick Rankin Corporation March 2008 Page 2
These NSAs and the associated noise receiver locations are described as follows. corresponding receiver locations are shown on Exhibit 1: NSA A NSA B NSA C NSA D Clearview Drive Clearview Drive is a local roadway in a residential area west of Brealey Drive. A section of Clearview Drive is parallel to Lansdowne Street to the north, and residential houses along this section of Clearview Drive are separated from Lansdowne Street by commercial development. Receiver 8 represents houses on Clearview Drive. There are some residential houses with direct access from Lansdowne Street West. The OLAs of these houses are located in the rear side of the properties. As such, the houses themselves are shielding traffic noise from Lansdowne Street West in the OLAs. Receivers 1, 3 and 7 represent houses that are frontage onto. Stewartcroft Crescent Stewartcroft Crescent is a local roadway in a residential area east of Brealey Drive. A section of Stewartcroft Crescent is parallel to Lansdowne Street to the north, and residential houses along this section of Stewartcroft Crescent are reversed frontage onto Lansdowne Street. Receivers 2 and 4 represent the houses on Stewartcroft Crescent backing onto Lansdowne Street. Applewood Crescent Applewood Crescent intersects with Lansdowne Street as a T-intersection between Brealey Drive and Spillsbury Drive. There is one residential house with its side lot adjacent to the north side of Lansdowne Street. Receiver 5 represents this house. The NSA E Waddell Avenue Waddell Avenue is a local roadway located to the south of Lansdowne Street. While Waddell Avenue cannot be accessed from Lansdowne Street, three residential houses at the cul-de-sac of Waddell Avenue are reversed frontage onto Lansdowne Street. Receiver 6 represents these houses. 3.2 Noise Modelling The noise analysis reviewed the following scenarios: Future noise levels without proposed widening of Lansdowne Street (i.e. 2 lanes) Future noise levels with proposed widening of Lansdowne Street (i.e. 5 lanes) McCormick Rankin Corporation March 2008 Page 3
As per the MTO / MOE Noise Protocol, future noise levels with the proposed undertaking are based on traffic projections 10 years after construction of the undertaking. Where traffic projections 10 years after completion are not available, the best available data may be used. The basic assumptions and factors used in the analysis are summarized in Table 3.1. Table 3.1: Factors Used In Noise Analysis Factor Assumptions Noise Descriptor L eq (16 hr) Posted Speed 60 km/h Future (2021) Lansdowne Street AADT West of Brealey Dr. 12750 without proposed widening (i.e. 2 lanes) 1 Brealey Dr. to Spillsbury Dr. 13400 Future (2021) Lansdowne Street AADT with West of Brealey Dr. 16600 proposed widening (i.e. 5 lanes) 2 Brealey Dr. to Spillsbury Dr. 17420 Truck Percentages 3 Medium Trucks 1%, Heavy Trucks 4% Receptor Height 1.5 m above the ground Note: 1. Assume future AADT without proposed widening is the same as the existing (2006) AADT given that the existing roadway is operating at or near capacity based on traffic analysis carried out as part of this Class EA Study. 2. Future AADT calculated based on a traffic growth rate of 2% per year. 3. While truck percentages based on 2005 turning movement counts identified commercial vehicles at 5%. For the purpose of this analysis, it was assumed that the percentage of heavy trucks is 4% and medium trucks is 1%. 4. Results Noise levels were calculated at the following receiver locations for the future conditions with and without the proposed widening of Lansdowne Street from 2 lanes to 5 lanes. Table 4.1 summarizes the calculated future noise levels at the selected receiver locations. STAMSON 5.0 output sheets are on file with MRC. The calculated absolute future noise levels at the receiver locations adjacent to Lansdowne Street (i.e. Receivers 1 to 7) range between 53.4 dba and 65.4 dba without the proposed widening of the roadway, and range between 54.4 dba and 67.3 dba with the proposed widening from 2 lanes to 5 lanes. Receiver 8 is separated from Lansdowne Street by commercial development. The calculated absolute future noise level at this location is 48.8 dba without the proposed widening and 49.9 dba with the proposed widening. Therefore, the predicted increases in noise levels as a result of the widening of Lansdowne Street from 2 lanes to 5 lanes range from 1.0 dba to 1.9 dba. The predicted increases in noise levels are less than MOE s criteria of 5 dba. Therefore, the consideration of noise mitigation measures is not warranted based on the MTO / MOE Noise Protocol. McCormick Rankin Corporation March 2008 Page 4
Receiver Locations Address Description of Properties (relative to Lansdowne Street) Table 4.1: Existing and Projected Noise Levels Approximate Distances from Receiver Locations to Approximate Distances from Receiver Locations to EB Lanes WB Lanes EB Lanes WB Lanes Future Noise Levels (Year 2021) Without Proposed Widening dba With Proposed Widening dba Change in Noise Levels (dba) R1 Lansdowne Street Frontage 45 m 40 m 49 m 37 m 53.4 54.6 +1.2 R2 Stewartcroft Crescent Reversed frontage 38 m 32 m 43 m 31 m 60.4 61.5 +1.1 R3 Lansdowne Street Frontage 46 m 42 m 51 m 39 m 55.3 56.5 +1.2 R4 R5 Stewartcroft Crescent Applewood Crescent Reversed frontage 45 m 41 m 50 m 38 m 60.4 61.5 +1.1 Side lot 23 m 19 m 26 m 14 m 65.4 67.3 +1.9 R6 Waddell Avenue Reversed frontage 28 m 32 m 24 m 36 m 62.8 64.3 +1.5 R7 Lansdowne Street Frontage 48 m 52 m 46 m 58 m 53.4 54.4 +1.0 R8 Clearview Drive Separated from Lansdowne Street by commercial development 118 m 113 m 122 m 110 m 48.8 49.9 +1.1 McCormick Rankin Corporation March 2008 Page 5
5. Conclusions / Recommendations In summary, the conclusions / recommendations of the noise assessment for the proposed widening of Lansdowne Street are as follows: 1. Lansdowne Street runs east-west in the City of Peterborough, and the section between Westridge Boulevard and Spillsbury Drive is currently 2 lanes. Adjacent land uses in this section of Lansdowne Street consists of mixed residential and commercial use. The residential developments adjacent to Lansdowne Street between Brealey Drive and Spillsbury Drive are mostly reversed frontage onto the roadway with some frontage properties. The Outdoor Living Areas (OLAs) of these residential houses are considered to be Noise Sensitive Areas (NSAs), and eight (8) receiver locations were identified to represent the NSAs within the study area. 2. The calculated absolute future noise levels at the receiver locations range between 48.8 dba and 65.4 dba without the proposed widening of Lansdowne Street, and range between 49.9 dba and 67.3 dba with the proposed widening of the roadway. The predicted increases in noise levels as a result of the widening of Lansdowne Street from 2 lanes to 5 lanes range from 1.0 dba to 1.9 dba. 3. The predicted increases in noise levels are less than MOE s criteria of 5 dba. Therefore, the consideration of noise mitigation measures is not warranted based on the MTO / MOE Noise Protocol. McCormick Rankin Corporation March 2008 Page 6
R3 R4 R5 R2 Lansdowne Street He igh ts Blv d. Stewartcroft Crescent Kawartha R1 Applewood Crescent Drive R8 N Westridge Blvd. Clearview Drive West Waddell Avenue Drive R7 Spillsbury Brealey R6 LEGEND Study Limits R# City of Peterborough Receiver Locations RECEIVER LOCATIONS Exhibit 1