3.0 – Environmental Resources, Impacts and Mitigation

Pacific Surfliner Sorrento to Miramar Phase 2 Double-Track Project 3.10-1 July 2016 Final EA

3.10 Noise and Vibration The information provided in this section is summarized from the Noise Analysis Report for the Pacific Surfliner

Sorrento to Miramar Phase 2 Double-Track Project prepared by Entech Consulting Group (Entech, 2013b).

The Noise Analysis Report is provided as Appendix K of this EA.

3.10.1 Regulatory Setting FTA provides guidelines for the assessment of noise and vibration impacts. There are also state and local

guidelines related to potential noise impacts associated with rail projects at sensitive receiving properties.

Federal

Federal Transit Administration Noise Criteria

The FRA relies upon FTA guidelines to assess noise impacts from passenger rail and freight trains. The FTA has

identified various noise impact criteria for mass transit projects involving rail or bus facilities. These guidelines

vary as a function of receiving land use, ambient noise level and project noise exposure.

Federal Transit Administration Operational Vibration Criteria

FTA operational vibration criteria are based in part on the frequency of events and related groundborne

vibration that can cause human annoyance or interference with the use of vibration-sensitive equipment.

Vibration-sensitive receptors include single- and multi-family residences, hotels, schools, and parks.

3.10.2 Affected Environment The primary noise sources adjacent to the project site include aircraft operations from MCAS Miramar,

vehicular traffic along I-805, Sorrento Valley Road and Miramar Road, and passenger and freight train

operations along the San Diego Northern Railroad. Noise is also generated by existing commercial and

light industrial uses adjacent to the proposed project site, as well as vehicular traffic noise along the

adjacent industrial park roads.

The noise at the industrial parks is primarily associated with heavy truck traffic and loading dock activities,

which generate intermittent noise in the vicinity of the industrial parks. Under Existing Conditions (Year

2013), there are approximately 50 passenger and freight trains that travel through the corridor. Passenger

trains generally consist of one engine and three to five cars. Amtrak trains generally consist of one engine

and five to ten cars. The majority of the Coaster and Amtrak trains operate between the hours of 7 a.m. to

10 p.m. Freight trains are not on a set time schedule. It was assumed that the freight trains operate

between the hours of 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. under existing conditions (year 2013) in addition to 7 a.m. to 10

p.m.. For Future No Project conditions (year 2020), it is estimated the approximately 67 trains will travel

through the corridor.

3.0 – Environmental Resources, Impacts and Mitigation

Pacific Surfliner Sorrento to Miramar Phase 2 Double-Track Project 3.10-2 July 2016 Final EA

3.10.2.1 Surrounding Land Use Sensitive Receptors A field reconnaissance of the proposed project area was performed to identify FTA noise criteria land uses.

The Project Alternatives are located within a canyon, just south of Nancy Ridge Drive. Located on the

northern and southern ridges overlooking the canyon are office, commercial and light industrial land uses,

which have a direct line of sight of the Project Alternatives area. However, commercial and light industrial

land uses are not included in the FTA noise land use categories. Approximately 1,500 ft north of the

Alternative 2 alignment limits is the Sorrento Canyon Golf Center, which is considered an outdoor

recreational use area. However, 1,200 ft is FTA’s screening distance for noise impacts to sensitive receptors.

As such, there are no known sensitive land use receptors within 1,200 ft of the railroad.

3.10.2.2 Sensitive Habitats Near Transit Noise Noise levels in exceedance of 60 dBA can potentially interrupt ongoing activities within the habitat of

sensitive species. Disruption caused by noise near these sensitive habitats can greatly alter the behavior of

the sensitive species mating habits, migration patterns and other behavioral characteristics.

3.10.2.3 Existing Noise Levels Sound is a physical phenomenon consisting of minute vibrations that travel through a medium, such as air,

and are sensed by the human ear. Sound is generally characterized by several variables, including

frequency and intensity. Frequency describes the sound’s pitch and is measured in cycles per second, or

hertz (Hz), whereas intensity describes the sound’s loudness and is measured in decibels (dB). Decibels are

measured using a logarithmic scale. The A-weighted sound pressure level (abbreviated as dBA) is the

sound level with the “A-weighting” frequency correction. Because community noise fluctuates over time, a

single measure called the Equivalent Sound Level (Leq) is used to describe the time-varying character of

community noise. The Leq is the energy-averaged A-weighted sound level during a measured time interval.

It is equal to the level of continuous steady sound containing the same total acoustical energy over the

averaging time period as the actual time-varying sound. Additionally, it is often desirable to know the

acoustic range of the noise source being measured. This is accomplished through the Lmax and Lmin

indicators, which represent the root-mean-square maximum and minimum noise levels obtained during the

measurement interval. The Lmin value obtained for a particular monitoring location is often called the

“acoustic floor” for that location.

Table 3.10-1 shows the typical measured maximum noise levels for the passenger and freight trains, the

typical SEL value for various passbys along the site and the average CNEL value found along the railroad

alignment.

Existing noise levels were determined at two separate locations along the proposed alignments using the

FTA recommended distance of 50 ft from the railroad tracks. It was assumed that the highest noise levels

would occur at this distance. One long-term (24-hour) measurement and seven short-term measurements

were taken at monitoring location #1, shown in Figure 3.10-1. In addition, six short-term measurements were

taken at monitoring location #2, shown in Figure 3.10-2. The two monitoring locations represent the

variations in the grade of the existing track, which may influence the speed of passenger and freight trains.

The current maximum speeds for this segment are 25 mph for passenger trains and 20 mph for freight trains.

3.0 – Environmental Resources, Impacts and Mitigation

Pacific Surfliner Sorrento to Miramar Phase 2 Double-Track Project 3.10-3 July 2016 Final EA

Table 3.10-1 Existing Passenger and Freight Noise Levels

From Miramar Road to Carroll Creek

Train Type Passby Speed Approximate

Maximum Sound Level (dBA)

Approximate Sound Exposure

Level (dBA) CNEL (dBA)

Coaster 30 89 94 -- Amtrak 30 97 95 -- Freight 20 107 112 -- All Passenger and Freight Trains1 73 Note: CNEL based on Coaster: 24 trains; Amtrak: 22 trains; Freight: 8 trains. Source: Entech, 2013.

Long-Term Measurements

One long-term measurement was taken at location #1, which started on Tuesday, March 30, 2010 at 10:00

a.m. and ended on Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. The peak hour noise level was found to be

79 dBA Leq between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. The average hourly Leq was found to range from

45 to 79 dBA Leq. The cumulative average CNEL was determined to be approximately 73 dBA at a

reference distance of 50 ft to the track. A summary of the long-term results is presented in Figure 8 of the

Noise Analysis Report.

Short-Term Measurements

Short-term measurements for location #1 were taken for three Coaster trains and four Amtrak trains. At

location #2, short-term measurements were taken for three Coaster trains and three Amtrak trains. Coaster

sound levels ranged from 73 to 78 dBA Leq and Amtrak sound levels ranged from 73 to 85 dBA Leq. A

summary of short-term results can be found in Table 4-1 of the Noise Analysis Report.

The maximum sound level and sound exposure level (SEL) for several train events were measured to identify

any instantaneous sound levels generated from existing train operations. At a reference distance of 50 ft to

the middle of the track, the measured maximum noise level varied from 83 to 90 dBA Leq for the Coaster

trains and 84 to 97 dBA for the Amtrak trains. The maximum noise level for freight trains was approximately

98 to 107 dBA Leq. The sound level produced by each train passby is immediate and lasts no longer than 30

seconds. Between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., which are the approximate hours of Coaster and

Amtrak operation, the long-term and short-term measurements average hourly Leq sound levels range from

53 to 79 dBA Leq. Nighttime sound levels were found to range from 45 to 49 dBA Leq when there is an

absence in train passbys. However, when freight trains passby, sound levels range from 51 to 61 dBA Leq

between the hours of 12:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. The existing 24-hour average of 71 dBA Leq and the

cumulative CNEL of 73 dBA is representative of all train types and passby events that have an influence on

contributing to the existing noise environment at a reference distance of 50 ft.

FIGURE

3.10-1Monitoring Location #1

Pacific Surfliner Sorrento to Miramar Phase 2 Double-Track EASOURCE: Entech, 2013 3/16/16

FIGURE

3.10-2Monitoring Location #2

Pacific Surfliner Sorrento to Miramar Phase 2 Double-Track EASOURCE: Entech, 2013 3/16/16

Miramar Rd

3.0 – Environmental Resources, Impacts and Mitigation

Pacific Surfliner Sorrento to Miramar Phase 2 Double-Track Project 3.10-6 July 2016 Final EA

3.10.3 Environmental Consequences The FTA Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment (FTA, 2006) guidance manual has grouped noise

sensitive land uses into three categories: Category 1, Category 2, and Category 3. Additionally, FTA

guidance recommends a screening distance of 1,200 ft from the centerline of the noise generating activity.

Adverse impacts can potentially occur if noise levels exceed the threshold for Severe Impact, shown in

Figure 3.10-3, at any of the three categories within the FTA recommended screening distance.

Figure 3.10-3 FTA Noise Impact Criteria for Transit Projects

Source: FTA, 2006.

3.0 – Environmental Resources, Impacts and Mitigation

Pacific Surfliner Sorrento to Miramar Phase 2 Double-Track Project 3.10-7 July 2016 Final EA

Alternative 1

FTA Noise Impacts

During Entech’s field reconnaissance of the Project Alternatives area, only office, commercial and light

industrial uses were identified within the FTA recommended 1,200 ft screening distance. There are no FTA

noise sensitive land uses, including parks, found within the 1,200 ft screening distance. It has been

determined that the FTA noise criteria is not applicable to the proposed project because no FTA noise

sensitive land uses were found within the project area. Therefore, no operational impacts would be

generated from implementation of the Full Build-Out (Year 2035) of Alternative 1.

Sensitive Habitat Impacts

Although there are no immediate FTA Land Use Categories within the Project Alternatives area, a series of

biological surveys observed the presence of the sensitive species. These surveys indicate there may be

potential breeding locations within the Project Alternatives area that are sensitive to noise. These

environments are located within the vegetation communities consisting of the coastal sage scrub, forest,

and woodlands.

Disruption caused by noise near these sensitive habitats can greatly alter the behavior of the sensitive

species mating habits, migration patterns and other behavioral characteristics. The FTA Noise Assessment

model was utilized to calculate future noise levels generated from the additional four freight trains and 47

passenger trains traveling through the project corridor. The existing noise level, 50 feet from the centerline

of the train tracks, is 71 dBA Leq. The estimated cumulative noise level for the Full Build-out (Year 2035) of

Build Alternatives 1 and 2 was found to be 73 dBA Leq at a reference distance of 50 feet. This is a 2 dB

increase over the existing noise environment; anything below a 3 dB increase is not discernible to the

human ear. The maximum acceptable sound level for the sensitive habitat is 60 dBA Leq. However, existing

noise levels within 200 feet or less from the centerline of the train tracks are currently above this level. It is

reasonable to assume that the sensitive species currently residing within the Project Alternatives area have

adapted to the existing noise levels. Predicted noise levels from the proposed alternatives were calculated

for various locations where sensitive habitats were identified for distances ranging from 100 feet, 200 feet

and 400 feet. The corresponding noise levels are 67 dBA Leq, 61 dBA Leq and 55 dBA Leq, respectively.

Although, distances within 200 feet or less of the centerline of the track produce noise levels above 60 dBA

Leq, the noise level increase from the operation of Alternative 1 will not cause a discernible increase over

existing noise levels within the surrounding area. Despite existing high noise levels, the sensitive species

remain within the Project Alternatives area. Therefore, there would be no adverse operational noise

impacts to sensitive species.

Vibration Impacts

There are no vibration-sensitive land uses located within the Project Alternatives area; therefore there

would be no operational impacts associated with vibration.

3.0 – Environmental Resources, Impacts and Mitigation

Pacific Surfliner Sorrento to Miramar Phase 2 Double-Track Project 3.10-8 July 2016 Final EA

Alternative 2

FTA Noise Impacts

Implementation of Alternative 2 would have similar impacts as Alternative 1. Therefore, no operational

impacts would be generated from implementation of Alternative 2.

Sensitive Habitat Impacts

Implementation of Alternative 2 would have similar impacts as Alternative 1. Therefore, Alternative 2 would

not generate a noticeable increase in noise levels that would affect sensitive habitat areas.

Vibration Impacts

There are no vibration-sensitive land uses located within the Project Alternatives area; therefore there

would be no operational impacts associated with vibration.

Alternative 3 Under Alternative 3, no development would occur. Noise and vibration levels from train operations would

remain at the same levels as they exist today. Therefore, there would be no impacts relating to noise or

vibration.

3.10.4 Avoidance, Minimization, and/or Mitigation Measures

Alternative 1 and Alternative 2 Neither Alternative 1 nor Alternative 2 would have noise or vibration related adverse impacts to the office,

commercial or light industrial land uses identified within the project corridor. Additionally, there would be

no anticipated train operation noise or vibration impacts to sensitive habitat areas, including potential

breeding locations of sensitive species. Therefore, the project is in compliance with FTA noise criteria and

no mitigation measures are necessary.

Alternative 3 No mitigation is proposed under Alternative 3, as no impact relating to noise or vibration would occur.

3.10.5 Impact Analysis of Mitigation Measures There would be no adverse impacts from noise or vibration to surrounding land uses or sensitive habitat

areas and no mitigation measures are necessary. Therefore, there are no impacts associated with

implementation of mitigation measures.