Table of Contents Acronyms and Abbreviations Secretary s Certificate on the EENF Executive Summary 1 Introduction and Background... 1-1 1.1 Introduction... 1-1 1.2 Project Summary... 1-2 1.3 Permits and Approvals... 1-7 1.4 Consistency with Federal, State, and Local Planning... 1-8 1.5 Public Involvement and Agency Coordination... 1-9 1.6 Requirements of Secretary's Certificate... 1-15 2 Purpose and Need... 2-1 2.1 Overview... 2-1 2.2 Project Purpose... 2-2 2.3 Need for Transit Improvements... 2-2 2.4 Goals and Objectives... 2-6 3 Alternatives... 3-1 3.1 Introduction... 3-1 3.2 No-Build Alternative... 3-2 3.3 Project Elements... 3-2 3.4 Ridership Methodology... 3-11 3.5 Baseline Alternative... 3-12 3.6 Build Alternatives... 3-16 3.7 Project Description Preferred Alternative... 3-39 3.8 Community Paths... 3-56 3.9 Coordination with Regional Projects... 3-60 3.10 Summary... 3-63 4 Affected Environment... 4-1 4.1 Introduction... 4-1 4.2 Land Use... 4-1 4.3 Socioeconomic Conditions... 4-22 4.4 Environmental Justice... 4-25 4.5 Existing Transportation Systems... 4-29 4.6 Traffic... 4-40 Table of Contents i Prepared by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. 10/15/2009
4.7 Air Quality... 4-57 4.8 Noise... 4-62 4.9 Vibration... 4-70 4.10 Stormwater... 4-76 4.11 Wetlands... 4-79 4.12 Fish, Wildlife and Plants... 4-80 4.13 Parks and Recreation... 4-81 4.14 Visual Environment... 4-83 4.15 Historic and Archaeological Resources... 4-83 4.16 Hazardous Materials... 4-99 5 Environmental Consequences... 5-1 5.1 Introduction... 5-1 5.2 Land Use... 5-1 5.3 Socioeconomic Impacts... 5-10 5.4 Environmental Justice... 5-20 5.5 Traffic... 5-34 5.6 Air Quality... 5-79 5.7 Noise... 5-103 5.8 Vibration... 5-120 5.9 Stormwater... 5-132 5.10 Fish, Wildlife, and Plants... 5-139 5.11 Parks and Recreation Areas... 5-141 5.12 Visual Environment... 5-144 5.13 Historic and Archaeological Resources... 5-148 5.14 Hazardous Materials... 5-160 5.15 Indirect and Cumulative Effects... 5-169 6 Draft Section 61 Findings and Mitigation Commitments... 6-1 6.1 Introduction... 6-1 6.2 Project Benefits... 6-1 6.3 Project Mitigation... 6-1 6.4 Construction Period Mitigation... 6-3 6.5 Proposed Section 61 Findings... 6-4 7 Distribution List... 7-1 7.1 Federal Agencies and Elected Officials... 7-1 7.2 State and Regional Agencies and Elected Officials... 7-3 7.3 Municipalities... 7-7 7.4 Libraries... 7-12 7.5 Advisory Group Members... 7-13 7.6 Additional EENF Commenters and Other Interested Parties... 7-15 Figures... VOLUME 2 Table of Contents ii Prepared by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. 10/15/2009
Appendix A: Responses to Comments on the EENF... VOLUME 3 Appendix B Appendix J... on CD Appendix B: Station and Alignment Selection Analysis Appendix C: Green Line Support Facility Alternatives Analysis Appendix D: Travel Demand Modeling Methodology Appendix E: Plans and Feasibility Analysis for Proposed Community Paths Appendix F: Traffic Analysis Appendix G: Transit Access for Environmental Justice and Disability Populations Appendix H: Air Quality Analysis Appendix I: Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation Appendix J: Draft Memorandum of Agreement Table of Contents iii Prepared by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. 10/15/2009
List of Tables Table No. Description Page 1-1 Comparison of DEIR/EA Build Alternatives... 1-3 1-2 Meeting Summary (as of August 5, 2009)... 1-14 1-3 Requirements of the Secretary s Certificate... 1-16 3.5-1 Estimated Enhanced Route 80 Travel Time... 3-14 3.6-1 Alternative 1: Medford Branch Travel Times... 3-18 3.6-2 Alternative 2: Medford Branch Travel Times... 3-23 3.6-3 Alternative 3: Medford Branch Travel Times... 3-27 3.6-4 Alternative 4: Medford Branch Travel Times... 3-31 3.6-5 Alternative 5: Medford Branch Travel Times... 3-34 3.6-6 Build Alternative Evaluation... 3-39 3.7-1 Land Acquisition Summary... 3-43 3.7-2 Travel Times for the Preferred Alternative... 3-51 3.8-1 Pinch Points for Somerville Community Path... 3-59 4.2-1 Population, Housing and Employment within ½-Mile Radius of the Relocated Lechmere Station Site... 4-4 4.2-2 Population, Housing and Employment within ½-Mile Radius of the Brickbottom Station Site... 4-5 4.2-3 Population, Housing and Employment within ½-Mile Radius of the Gilman Square Station Site... 4-6 4.2-4 Population, Housing and Employment within ½-Mile Radius of the Lowell Street Station Site... 4-8 4.2-5 Population, Housing and Employment within ½-Mile Radius of the Ball Square Station Site... 4-9 4.2-6 Population, Housing and Employment within ½-Mile Radius of the College Avenue Station Site... 4-10 4.2-7 Population, Housing and Employment within ½-Mile Radius of the Mystic Valley Parkway/Route 16 Station Site... 4-11 4.2-8 Population, Housing and Employment within ½-Mile Radius of the Union Square Station Site... 4-12 4.3-1 Social and Economic Statistics for Cambridge, Somerville, and Medford.. 4-23 4.4-1 State-Listed Environmental Justice Areas in Cambridge, Somerville, and Medford... 4-27 4.4-2 State-Listed Environmental Justice Populations in Cambridge, Somerville, and Medford... 4-27 4.4-3 Minority Populations in Cambridge, Somerville, Medford, and Middlesex County... 4-28 4.5-1 Span of Service Standards... 4-32 4.5-2 Minimum Frequency of Service Standards... 4-32 4.5-3 Bus Service Frequency and Ridership... 4-33 Table of Contents iv Prepared by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. 10/15/2009
Table No. Description Page 4.5-4 MBTA Bus Loading Standards... 4-33 4.5-5 Summary of Bus Schedule Adherence Standards... 4-34 4.5-6 Bus Cost-Effectiveness Service Standard... 4-35 4.5-7 MBTA Lowell Line Daily Weekday Boardings by Station... 4-37 4.5-8 MBTA Fitchburg Line Daily Weekday Boardings by Station... 4-38 4.6-1 Existing Daily Traffic Volumes on Study Area Roadways... 4-43 4.6-2 Vehicular Level of Service Thresholds... 4-47 4.6-3 Existing Condition Signalized Intersection Traffic Operations... 4-48 4.6-4 Existing Condition Unsignalized Intersection Traffic Operations... 4-49 4.6-5 Pedestrian Level of Service Thresholds... 4-50 4.6-6 Existing Condition Pedestrian Level-of-Service... 4-51 4.6-7 Parking Inventory... 4-56 4.6-8 Restricted Parking Allocation... 4-56 4.8-1 Existing Noise Measurement Results... 4-67 4.13-1 Existing Park and Recreation Areas within the Study Area... 4-82 5.2-1 Land Acquisitions for Extension to Medford Hillside.5-3 5.2-2 Land Acquisitions for Extension to Union Square (via commuter rail right-of-way)... 5-4 5.2-3 Land Acquisitions for Extension to Mystic Valley Parkway/Route 16... 5-5 5.2-4 Land Acquisitions for Extension to Union Square (via McGrath Highway/Route 28 and Somerville Avenue)... 5-7 5.2-5 Summary of Land Acquisitions by Alternative... 5-10 5.3-1 Property Tax Effects for Alternative 1... 5-12 5.3-2 Property Tax Effects for Alternative 2... 5-13 5.3-3 Property Tax Effects for Alternative 3... 5-15 5.3-4 Property Tax Effects for Alternative 4... 5-16 5.3-5 Property Tax Effects for Alternative 5... 5-17 5.3-6 Property Tax Effects for Alternative 6... 5-18 5.3-7 Property Taxes of Real Estate Acquired For Each Alternative... 5-19 5.3-8 Property Tax Decreases by City... 5-19 5.3-9 Estimated Job Decreases or Relocations... 5-20 5.4-1 Changes in Transit Access for Disability and Environmental Justice Populations under the Baseline Alternative... 5-23 5.4-2 Changes in Transit Access for Disability and Environmental Justice Populations under a Light Rail Extension to Mystic Valley Parkway/Route 16 and Union Square... 5-24 5.4-3 Building Acquisitions and Local Demographics for Extension to Medford Hillside... 5-25 5.4-4 Building Acquisitions and Local Demographics for Extension to Union Square (via commuter rail right-of-way)... 5-25 5.4-5 Building Acquisitions and Local Demographics for Extension to Mystic Valley Parkway/Route 16... 5-27 5.4-6 Building Acquisitions and Local Demographics for Extension to Union Square via McGrath Highway and Somerville Avenue... 5-29 5.4-7 Summary of Project Impacts in Environmental Justice Areas... 5-34 5.5-1 No-Build Alternative Signalized Intersection Traffic Operations Results... 5-41 5.5-2 No-Build Alternative Unsignalized Intersection Traffic Operations Results. 5-42 Table of Contents v Prepared by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. 10/15/2009
Table No. Description Page 5.5-3 Baseline Alternative Signalized Intersection Traffic Operations Results... 5-44 5.5-4 Baseline Alternative Unsignalized Intersection Traffic Operations Results. 5-45 5.5-5 Alternative 1 Peak Hour Trip Summary by Station... 5-46 5.5-6 Alternative 1 Signalized LOS Summary Comparison... 5-48 5.5-7 Alternative 1 Unsignalized LOS Summary Comparison... 5-49 5.5-8 Alternative 2 Peak Hour Trip Summary by Station... 5-52 5.5-9 Alternative 2A (with parking) Signalized LOS Summary Comparison... 5-54 5.5-10 Alternative 2A (with parking) Unsignalized Intersection Traffic Operations Results... 5-55 5.5-11 Alternative 3 Peak Hour Trip Summary by Station... 5-58 5.5-12 Alternative 3 Signalized Intersection Traffic Operations Results... 5-59 5.5-13 Alternative 4 Peak Hour Trip Summary by Station... 5-61 5.5-14 Alternative 4 Signalized Intersection Traffic Operations Results... 5-62 5.5-15 Alternative 5 Peak Hour Trip Summary by Station... 5-64 5.5-16 Alternative 5 Signalized Intersection Traffic Operations Results... 5-65 5.5-17 Alternative 6 Peak Hour Trip Summary by Station... 5-67 5.5-18 Alternative 6 Signalized Intersection Traffic Operations Results... 5-68 5.5-19 Proposed Pedestrian Mitigation Measures... 5-71 5.5-20 Summary of Traffic Impacts and Mitigation...5-78 5.6-1 National Ambient Air Quality Standards... 5-82 5.6-2 Predicted Maximum 1-Hour CO Concentrations (Parts Per Million)... 5-84 5.6-3 Predicted Maximum 8-Hour CO Concentrations (Parts Per Million)... 5-85 5.6-4 Predicted Maximum 24-Hour PM10 Concentrations (Parts Per Million)... 5-86 5.6-5 Predicted Maximum 24-Hour PM2.5 Concentrations (Parts Per Million)... 5-87 5.6-6 Predicted Maximum Annual PM2.5 Concentrations (Parts Per Million)... 5-88 5.6-7 Projected PM2.5 Emissions for Proposed Commuter Rail Track Relocation (ug/m 3 )... 5-90 5.6-8 Mesoscale 2030 Mobile Source Analysis Results (kilograms per day)... 5-91 5.6-9 Greenhouse Gas (CO2) Analysis Results (kilograms per day)... 5-94 5.6-10 EOT Air Quality Analysis Comparison of Project Packages Benefits in the Year 2025... 5-101 5.6-11 Comparison of Air Quality Benefits... 5-103 5.7-1 Potential Noise Impacts Without Mitigation for Alternatives 1, 2, 3, and 4... 5-109 5.7-2 Potential Noise Impacts Without Mitigation for Alternatives 5 and 6... 5-111 5.7-3 Summary of Potential Noise Impacts... 5-114 5.7-4 Summary of Proposed Noise Barrier Mitigation... 5-117 5.8-1 FTA Ground-Borne Noise and Vibration Impact Criteria... 5-122 5.8-2 FTA Ground-Borne Noise and Vibration Impact Criteria for Special Buildings... 5-122 5.8-3 Vibration Criteria for Detailed Analysis... 5-123 5.8-4 Potential Vibration Impacts at Sensitive Receptors Without Mitigation... 5-127 5.8-5 Summary of Potential Vibration Impact... 5-128 5.8-6 Summary of Proposed Vibration Mitigation... 5-130 5.8-7 Potential Vibration Mitigation Measures for Crossovers and Turnouts... 5-131 5.9-1 Impervious Surface Changes by Station... 5-135 5.9-2 Summary of Impervious Surface Changes by Alternative... 5-137 Table of Contents vi Prepared by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. 10/15/2009
Table No. Description Page 5.10-1 Direct Vegetated Habitat Impacts by Alternative... 5-140 5.13-1 Potential Impacts to Archaeologically Sensitive Areas... 5-155 5.14-1 RECs and Potential Impacts for Alternatives 1 and 3 - Extension to Medford Hillside... 5-163 5.14-2 RECs and Potential Impacts for Alternatives 1, 2, and 6 - Extension to Union Square (via commuter rail right-of-way)... 5-163 5.14-3 RECs and Potential Impacts for Alternatives 2, 4, and 5 - Extension to Route 16/Mystic Valley Parkway... 5-164 5.14-4 RECs and Potential Impacts for Alternatives 3 and 4 Extension to Union Square via McGrath Highway/Route 28 and Somerville Avenue... 5-165 5.14-5 RECs and Potential Impacts for Alternative 6 Yard 8 Maintenance Facility... 5-166 5.14-6 Summary of RECs and their Impacts by Alternative... 5-168 5.15-1 Cambridge, Somerville, Medford, and Station Area Populations (2000 and 2030)... 5-172 5.15-2 TOD Potential at Proposed Station Sites... 5-175 5.15-3 TOD Potential by Alternative... 5-175 5.15-4 Rail System Benefits on Real Estate Values... 5-176 5.15-5 Populations of Cambridge, Somerville and Medford (2000 and 2006)... 5-182 5.15-6 Projected Population and Employment Within ½- Mile of Proposed Station Sites (2010 and 2030)... 5-183 5.15-7 Proposed and Reasonably Foreseeable Projects in the Project Corridor. 5-184 6-1 Project Mitigation Commitments... 6-2 6-2 Summary of Construction Mitigation Measures... 6-3 6-3 Possible Permits or Approvals... 6-6 Table of Contents vii Prepared by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. 10/15/2009
List of Figures All figures are provided in Volume 2 except as indicated otherwise below. Figure Description Page 1-1 Study Area 3.3-1 Station Locus Map (Sheet 1 of 2) 3.3-2 Station Locus Map (Sheet 2 of 2) 3.3-3 Maintenance Facility Initial Site Alternatives 3.3-4 Preferred Maintenance Facility Site 3.5-1 Baseline Alternative 3.6-1 Alternative 1 3.6-2 Alternative 2 3.6-3 Alternative 3 3.6-4 Alternative 4 3.6-5 Alternative 5 3.6-6 Alternative 6 3.7-1 Proposed Project 3.7-2 Relocated Lechmere Station Station Layout 3.7-3 Relocated Lechmere Station Station Plan 3.7-4 Relocated Lechmere Station Circulation 3.7-5 Relocated Lechmere Station Elevation 3.7-6 Brickbottom Station Station Layout 3.7-7 Brickbottom Station Station Plan 3.7-8 Brickbottom Station Circulation 3.7-9 Brickbottom Station Elevation 3.7-10 Gilman Square Station Station Layout 3.7-11 Gilman Square Station Station Plan 3.7-12 Gilman Square Station Circulation 3.7-13 Gilman Square Station Elevation 3.7-14 Lowell Street Station Station Layout 3.7-15 Lowell Street Station Station Plan 3.7-16 Lowell Street Station Circulation 3.7-17 Lowell Street Station Elevation 3.7-18 Ball Square Station Station Layout 3.7-19 Ball Square Station Station Plan 3.7-20 Ball Square Station Circulation 3.7-21 Ball Square Station Elevation 3.7-22 College Avenue Station Medford Hillside Terminus (Alt 1, 3) Station Layout 3.7-23 College Avenue Station (Alt 2, 4, 5) Station Layout 3.7-24 College Avenue Station Station Plan 3.7-25 College Avenue Station Circulation 3.7-26 College Avenue Station Elevation Table of Contents viii Prepared by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. 10/15/2009
Figure Description Page 3.7-27 Mystic Valley Parkway/Route 16 Station Station Layout 3.7-28 Mystic Valley Parkway/Route 16 Station Station Plan 3.7-29 Mystic Valley Parkway/Route 16 Station Circulation 3.7-30 Mystic Valley Parkway/Route 16 Station Elevation 3.7-31 Union Square Station Station Layout 3.7-32 Union Square Station Station Plan 3.7-33 Union Square Station Circulation 3.7-34 Union Square Station Elevation 3.7-35 Existing Section Looking North (in text) 3-53 3.7-36 Proposed Section Looking North (in text) 3-53 3.7-37 Typical Construction Staging (Sheet 1 of 2) 3.7-38 Typical Construction Staging (Sheet 2 of 2) 3.8-1 Typical Section of Somerville Community Path (in text) 3-58 4.1-1 Existing Conditions (Sheet 1 of 10) 4.1-2 Existing Conditions (Sheet 2 of 10) 4.1-3 Existing Conditions (Sheet 3 of 10) 4.1-4 Existing Conditions (Sheet 4 of 10) 4.1-5 Existing Conditions (Sheet 5 of 10) 4.1-6 Existing Conditions (Sheet 6 of 10) 4.1-7 Existing Conditions (Sheet 7 of 10) 4.1-8 Existing Conditions (Sheet 8 of 10) 4.1-9 Existing Conditions (Sheet 9 of 10) 4.1-10 Existing Conditions (Sheet 10 of 10) 4.2-1 Existing Land Use Index 4.2-2 Existing Land Use Existing Lechmere Station 4.2-3 Existing Land Use Brickbottom Station 4.2-4 Existing Land Use Gilman Square Station 4.2-5 Existing Land Use Lowell Street Station 4.2-6 Existing Land Use Ball Square Station 4.2-7 Existing Land Use College Avenue Station 4.2-8 Existing Land Use Mystic Valley Parkway/Route 16 Station 4.2-9 Existing Land Use Union Square Station 4.2-10 Primary Use Zoning Cities of Somerville, Medford, and Cambridge 4.4-1 State-Defined Environmental Justice Populations 4.5-1 Existing and Proposed MBTA Bus and Transit System 4.5-2 Existing MBTA Commuter Rail Routes 4.5-3 Existing Freight Rail Routes 4.6-1 Traffic Study Intersections 4.7-1 Microscale Air Quality Study Intersections 4.8-1 Typical A-Weighted Sound Levels (in text) 4-64 4.8-2 Examples of Typical Outdoor Noise Exposure (in text) 4-65 4.8-3 Noise and Vibration Measurement Sites 4.9-1 Typical Ground-Borne Vibration Levels and Criteria (in text) 4-71 4.9-2 Existing Vibration Measurement Results (in text) 4-73 4.15-1 Location of Historic Resources Identified within the Green Line Extension Project APE (Sheet 1 of 10) Table of Contents ix Prepared by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. 10/15/2009
Figure Description Page 4.15-2 Location of Historic Resources Identified within the Green Line Extension Project APE (Sheet 2 of 10) 4.15-3 Location of Historic Resources Identified within the Green Line Extension Project APE (Sheet 3 of 10) 4.15-4 Location of Historic Resources Identified within the Green Line Extension Project APE (Sheet 4 of 10) 4.15-5 Location of Historic Resources Identified within the Green Line Extension Project APE (Sheet 5 of 10) 4.15-6 Location of Historic Resources Identified within the Green Line Extension Project APE (Sheet 6 of 10) 4.15-7 Location of Historic Resources Identified within the Green Line Extension Project APE (Sheet 7 of 10) 4.15-8 Location of Historic Resources Identified within the Green Line Extension Project APE (Sheet 8 of 10) 4.15-9 Location of Historic Resources Identified within the Green Line Extension Project APE (Sheet 9 of 10) 4.15-10 Location of Historic Resources Identified within the Green Line Extension Project APE (Sheet 10 of 10) 5.2-1 Proposed Property Acquisitions Lechmere Station 5.2-2 Proposed Property Acquisitions Brickbottom Station 5.2-3 Proposed Property Acquisitions Gilman Square Station 5.2-4 Proposed Property Acquisitions Lowell Street Station 5.2-5 Proposed Property Acquisitions Ball Square Station 5.2-6 Proposed Property Acquisitions College Avenue Station 5.2-7 Proposed Property Acquisitions Mystic Valley Parkway/ Route 16 Station 5.2-8 Proposed Property Acquisitions Union Square Station (Fitchburg Corridor Alternative) 5.2-9 Proposed Property Acquisitions Union Square Station (In-Street Running Alternative) 5.6-1 Mesoscale 2030 Mobile Source Analysis Results (kilograms per day) (in text) 5-92 5.6-2 Mobile Source Air Toxics Emissions (in text) 5-95 5.7-1 Increase in Cumulative Noise Allowed by FTA Criteria (in text) 5-106 5.7-2 Noise Impacts and Mitigation Measures (Sheet 1 of 5) 5.7-3 Noise Impacts and Mitigation Measures (Sheet 2 of 5) 5.7-4 Noise Impacts and Mitigation Measures (Sheet 3 of 5) 5.7-5 Noise Impacts and Mitigation Measures (Sheet 4 of 5) 5.7-6 Noise Impacts and Mitigation Measures (Sheet 5 of 5) 5.7-7 Examples of Noise Barrier Materials (in text) 5-116 5.8-1 Criteria for Detailed Vibration Analysis (in text) 5-125 5.8-2 Vibration Impacts and Mitigation Measures (Sheet 1 of 5) 5.8-3 Vibration Impacts and Mitigation Measures (Sheet 2 of 5) 5.8-4 Vibration Impacts and Mitigation Measures (Sheet 3 of 5) 5.8-5 Vibration Impacts and Mitigation Measures (Sheet 4 of 5) 5.8-6 Vibration Impacts and Mitigation Measures (Sheet 5 of 5) 5.9-1 Proposed Stormwater Drainage 5.15-1 Proposed and Reasonably Foreseeable Projects Table of Contents x Prepared by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. 10/15/2009