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Northern Beaches Hospital

Connectivity and Network Enhancements

Stage 2 Noise and Vibration Assessment

Construction and Operation

Report Number 610.13422-R4

9 July 2015

Roads and Maritime Services

Level 8, 27 Argyle Street

PARRAMATTA NSW 2150

Version: Revision 1


Northern Beaches Hospital Connectivity and Netw ork Enhancements Stage 2 Noise and Vibration Assessment Construction and Operation


9 July 2015 Revision 1

SLR Consulting Australia Pty Ltd

Northern Beaches Hospital

Connectivity and Network Enhancements

Stage 2 Noise and Vibration Assessment

Construction and Operation

PREPARED BY:

SLR Consulting Australia Pty Ltd ABN 29 001 584 612

2 Lincoln Street Lane Cove NSW 2066 Australia

(PO Box 176 Lane Cove NSW 1595 Australia)

T: 61 2 9428 8100 F: 61 2 9427 8200

E: [email protected] www.slrconsulting.com

This report has been prepared by SLR Consulting Australia Pty Ltd

with all reasonable skill, care and diligence, and taking account of the

timescale and resources allocated to it by agreement with the Client.

Information reported herein is based on the interpretation of data collected,

which has been accepted in good faith as being accurate and valid.

This report is for the exclusive use of Roads and Maritime Services .

No warranties or guarantees are expressed or should be inferred by any third parties.

This report may not be relied upon by other parties without written consent from SLR Consulting.

SLR Consulting disclaims any responsibility to the Client and others in respect of any matters outside the agreed scope of the work.

DOCUMENT CONTROL

Reference Status Date Prepared Checked Authorised

610.13422-R4 Revision 1 9 July 2015 Robert Trieu Antony Williams

Tom Cockings

Tom Cockings

610.13422-R4 Revision 0 20 May 2015 Robert Trieu Antony Williams Robert Trieu






Executive Summary

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Roads and Maritime Services (Roads and Maritime) propose to undertake road upgrades to improve connectivity and provide network enhancements around the Northern Beaches Hospital at Frenchs

Forest. The Northern Beaches Hospital – Road Connectivity and Network Enhancements Project Concept Proposal is being assessed in two stages, with a separate EIS prepared for each stage. This report has been prepared to assess the noise and vibration impacts of the Stage 2 Project. However,

due to a predicted reduction of traffic volume along Frenchs Forest Road (Stage 1) following completion of Stage 2, this report has provided a detailed assessment of the cumulative impact of both stages.

The Concept Proposal includes two stages:

Stage 1 Hospital Connectivity Works which aims to enhance the existing road network to facilitate the opening of the proposed Northern Beaches Hospital by 2018. This consists of roads north of Warringah Road and includes a section of Warringah Road, east of Rodborough Road.

Stage 2 Network Enhancement Works which is directed towards broader network capacity enhancement particularly along Warringah Road and roads south of Warringah Road.

SLR has been commissioned by Roads and Maritime to provide a noise and vibration assessment

which will form part of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Stage 2 of the Concept Proposal.

EXISTING ENVIRONMENT

Noise and vibration sensitive receivers within the study area (refer Figure 2) have been identified in

order to undertake the noise and vibration assessment and determine appropriate mitigation measures.

Noise monitoring (both operator-attended and continuous unattended logging) was undertaken at 16

locations within the study area in December 2013, June 2014 and October/November 2014.

The purpose of the noise monitoring is to assist in the validation of the operational noise model (which predicts noise to all identified buildings/receivers adjacent to the road), and to establish construction

Noise Management Levels (NMLs) for the assessment of potential noise impacts during construction.

The noise levels display a typical diurnal trend with lower noise levels during the night -time than the daytime and evening periods. Traffic counting was also conducted concurrently and displayed a

corresponding diurnal trend in traffic volumes.

This is characteristic of urban and suburban areas where the ambient noise environment is primarily influenced by road traffic. The measurements show that existing levels of road t raffic noise are, in the

majority of cases, already above the Roads and Maritime Noise Criteria Guideline (NCG) target criteria of 60 dBA LAeq(15hour) and 55 dBA LAeq(9hour).






OPERATIONAL ROAD NOISE

Assessment Overview

Operational road traffic noise predictions have been undertaken and assessed against the road traffic noise criteria at sensitive receivers potentially impacted by noise from Stage 1 and Stage 2 in accordance with the Roads and Maritime Noise Criteria Guideline (NCG) and Noise Mitigation

Guideline (NMG).

Noise levels associated with Stage 1 and Stage 2 have been predicted using a three-dimensional noise model for the full study area. The noise model allows for various parameters to be accurately

simulated such as road geometry, traffic volume, mix, type of road surface, vehicle speed, reflections off building surfaces, physical noise barriers, etc.

The results for the validation model were found to correlate reasonably well (albeit slightly

conservatively) with the monitoring data with average predictions 1.0 dB above the monitoring results during the daytime and 2.0 dB above during the night time. The daytime and night time noise models used to assess the impact of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects have been calibrated by applying the

median difference correction.

While there is an increase in traffic volumes and widening of the road corridors (particularly Warringah Road), exceedances of the NCG target criteria are reduced as a result of the both Stage 1

and Stage 2 projects being built.

Following completion of Stage 1, but before completion of Stage 2, an increase in traffic volumes and noise levels was predicted on Naree Road to Frenchs Forest Road East due to the operation of the

hospital (refer SLR report 610.13422-R1 “Stage 1 and Concept Proposal Noise and Vibration Assessment” dated 9 October 2014). However, with the completion of Stage 2, traffic is diverted away from Naree Road to Frenchs Forest Road East as drivers utilise Warringah Road following its

upgrades. The Warringah Road slotted underpass design results in fewer vehicles at surface level and thus a reduction in noise levels is realised at some receiver locations.

Noise Mitigation

Priority noise mitigation measures (ie road design/traffic management, quieter pavement surfaces and

noise barriers/mounds) have been considered for all sensitive receivers where predicted noise levels in the Build scenarios are above the noise goals.

The use of low noise pavements have been discounted due to the relatively low posted speeds

however subsequent feasible and reasonable noise mitigation measures, including noise barriers and property treatments, have been considered for receivers which qualify on the basis of predicted noise levels and/or project related increase in noise

A total of three noise barriers have been considered along the southern edge of Warringah Road west of Fitzpatrick Avenue East up to Bantry Bay Road.

Further to the inclusion of optimised project noise barriers, a total of 333 sensitive ‘receivers’ are

predicted to be eligible for consideration of property treatment from the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects. This number consists of:

273 residential receivers.

60 other non-residential receivers.






Of the 60 non-residential receivers:

Nine receiver locations are childcare centre buildings.

37 receiver locations are school buildings.

14 receiver locations are places of worship buildings.

Of the receiver locations considered eligible for consideration for noise mitigation, 247 buildings are residential and 42 buildings are non-residential.

As discussed in the “Stage 1 and Concept Proposal Noise and Vibration Assessment”, the completion

of the Stage 2 project would result in reduced noise levels along Naree Road to Frenchs F orest Road East. This is the result of reduced traffic flows along these roads as drivers utilise Warringah Road following its upgrade.

With the completion of the Stage 2 project, 21 fewer residential receivers along Naree Road to Frenchs Forest Road East are eligible for consideration for noise mitigation when compared against the Stage 1 assessment.

CONSTRUCTION NOISE AND VIBRATION

The approach taken in this assessment has been to assess noise impacts of representative construction activities at set time periods, to inform scheduling of works and to minimise impacts on

sensitive receivers where practicable.

Consistent with the requirements of the ICNG, the construction noise impacts are based on a realistic worst-case assessment. For most activities, it is expected that the construction noise levels would be

lower than have been (conservatively) predicted in this report.

Due to the proximity of residential and other noise sensitive receivers surrounding the proposed construction works, most construction scenarios have the potential to result in high noise impacts.

Construction of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects occurring concurrently with the NBH construction site are not anticipated to result in significantly increased noise impacts at surrounding receivers. Road corridor works, which in many cases occur adjacent to properties, would be the dominant noise source

and the NBH construction site would be comparatively less significant due to greater separation distance to properties. Similarly, noise levels at a given receiver location are unlikely to increase significantly from concurrent construction of Stage 1 and 2, due to the proximity of works which would

be the dominant noise source.

Where possible, works would be completed during standard day time construction hours; however, the nature of the project means evening and night work would also be required for various construction

activities.

A CNVMP would be developed to document all necessary measures to manage a nd mitigate potential noise and vibration levels during standard daytime and out-of-hours construction activities.





GLOSSARY


Item Description

AS Australian Standard

BS British Standard

CEMP Construction Environmental Management Plan

CNVMP Construction Noise And Vibration Management Plan

CORTN Calculation of Road Traffic Noise

dBA A-weighted decibels

DECC Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW – Now EPA

DECCW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW – Now EPA

DGA Dense Graded Asphalt

DGRs Director-General’s Requirements

ECRTN Environmental Criteria for Road Traffic Noise (replaced by the RNP)

EIS Environmental Impact Statement

ENMM Environmental Noise Management Manual

EPA (NSW) Environment Protection Authority

ICNG Interim Construction Noise Guideline

LA90 The noise level exceeded for 90% of the sample period. This noise level is described as the average minimum background sound level (in the absence of the source under consideration), or simply the background level.

LAeq(1hour) The ‘energy average noise level’ evaluated for a specific one-hour period.

LAeq(9hour) The ‘energy average noise level’ evaluated over the night-time period (10.00 am to 7.00 am).

LAeq(15hour) The ‘energy average noise level’ evaluated over the daytime period (7.00 am to 10.00 pm). The LAeq can be likened to a noise dose representing the cumulative effects of all the noise events occurring in the relevant time period.

LAmax The maximum noise level from road traffic noise occurring at a particular location.

NATA National Association of Testing Authorities

NCA Noise Catchment Area

NCG Noise Criteria Guideline

NMG Noise Mitigation Guideline

NML Noise Management Level

OEH Office of Environment and Heritage – now EPA

OGA Open Graded Asphalt

OOHW Out of Hours Work

RBL Rating Background Level

RMS (NSW) Roads and Maritime Services

RNP Road Noise Policy

SLR SLR Consulting Australia

SPL Sound Pressure Level

SWL Sound Power Level

VDV Vibration Dose Value





Table of Contents


1 INTRODUCTION 12

1.1 Introduction 12

1.2 Background 12

1.3 Report Objectives 13

1.4 Relevant Guidelines 13

1.5 Terminology 13

2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 14

2.1 Project Location 14

2.2 Project Description 15

3 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS 16

3.1 Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements for State Significant Infrastructure

Application 16

3.2 Operational Assessment Methodology Overview 17

3.3 Construction Assessment Methodology Overview 17

4 DESCRIPTION OF THE EXISTING ENVIRONMENT 18

4.1 Study Area and Sensitive Receivers 18

4.2 Identification of Noise and Vibration Sensitive Rec eivers in Study Area 20

4.3 Ambient Noise Surveys and Monitoring Locations 21

4.4 Methodology for Unattended Noise Monitoring 23

4.5 Unattended Noise Monitoring Results 23

4.6 Attended Airborne Noise Measurements 24

5 OPERATIONAL NOISE GOALS AND NOISE MITIGATION GUIDANCE 29

5.1 Introduction 29

5.2 Operational Noise Metrics 29

5.3 Noise Criteria –Roads and Maritime Noise Criteria Guideline and NSW Road Noise Policy29

5.3.1 Noise Assessment Criteria 30

5.3.2 Sleep Disturbance 32

5.4 Noise Mitigation Guideline 32

5.5 Project Criteria for Consideration of Additional Noise Mitigation 33

5.6 Operational Vibration 33

6 ASSESSMENT OF AIRBORNE NOISE DURING OPERATION 34

6.1 Assessment Procedure 34

6.2 Operational Noise Modelling 34

6.3 Noise Model Inputs 35

6.3.1 Pavement Surface 35

6.3.2 Traffic Data 36





Table of Contents


6.3.3 Project Proposed Design 36

6.3.4 Congestion Factor – Warringah Road between Forest Way and Wakehurst

Parkway 36

6.3.5 Noise Assessment Input Parameters 37

6.4 Noise Model Validation 38

6.5 Predicted Operational Noise Levels 40

6.6 Summary of Noise Assessment – NSW Noise Criteria Guideline Target Criteria 40

6.6.1 Receivers Eligible for Consideration of Mitigation – Base Case 44

7 ASSESSMENT OF REASONABLE AND FEASIBLE MITIGATION MEASURES 46

7.1 Procedure Overview 46

7.2 Noise Mitigation Guideline – Feasible and Reasonable Definition 46

7.3 Project Criteria for Consideration of Additional Noise Mitigation 47

7.4 Road Design and Traffic Management 47

7.5 Pavement Surface 48

7.6 Noise Barriers 48

7.6.1 Noise Wall Design and Optimisation Process 48

7.7 Project Noise Barriers 49

7.8 Final Build Predictions 50

7.9 Residual Architectural Property Treatments 53

7.10 Sensitivity Analysis 55

7.11 Maximum Noise Levels 56

7.11.1 Maximum Noise Level Measurements 56

7.11.2 Maximum Noise Level Predictions 57

7.12 Review of Operational Noise Impacts on Forest High School 58

7.13 Review of Operational Noise Impacts on Frenchs Forest Public School 60

8 REVIEW OF AMBULANCE VEHICLE ACCESS TO THE NBH 62

9 CONSTRUCTION AIRBORNE NOISE ASSESSMENT 63

9.1 Proposed Construction Activities 63

9.1.1 Proposed Works 63

9.1.2 Construction Hours 64

9.2 Construction Noise Metrics 65

9.3 Noise Management Levels for Construction Activity 65

9.3.1 Residential Receivers 65


9.3.3 Other Sensitive Land Uses 68

9.3.4 Commercial and Industrial Premises 69

9.3.5 Construction Traffic Noise 69

9.4 Overview of Construction Noise Modelling 69





Table of Contents


9.5 Noise Assessment at the Nearest Noise Sensitive Receivers 71

9.5.1 Predicted Construction Noise Levels 71

9.5.2 Highly Noise Affected Receivers 79

9.5.3 Predicted Construction Noise Levels – Qualitative Interpretation 80


9.5.5 Review of Construction Noise Impacts on The Forest High School 86

9.5.6 Review of Construction Noise Impacts on Frenchs Forest Public School 89

9.6 Cumulative Noise Impacts 92

9.6.1 Predicted Cumulative Construction Noise Levels 92

9.7 Construction Noise Mitigation 93

9.7.1 Restriction of Construction Hours 94

9.7.2 Restriction of Construction Noise Levels 94

9.7.3 Construction Noise Mitigation Measures 95

9.7.4 Mitigation Summary 96

9.7.5 Construction Environmental Management Plan 96

10 CONSTRUCTION ROAD TRAFFIC NOISE ASSESSMENT 97

10.1 Construction Road Traffic Noise Goals 97

10.2 Discussion of Construction Traffic Noise 98

10.3 Discussion of Traffic Diversion Noise Impacts 99

11 GROUND-BORNE CONSTRUCTION NOISE 100

12 CONSTRUCTION VIBRATION ASSESSMENT 101

12.1 Vibration Damage Goals 101

12.2 Human Comfort Goals for Construction Vibration 102

12.3 Safe Working Distances for Vibration Intensive Plant 103

12.4 Construction Vibration Assessment 104

12.4.1 Estimated Working Distances and Vibration Intensive Plant 104

12.4.2 Cosmetic Damage Assessment 107

12.4.3 Human Comfort Vibration Assessment 107

12.5 Vibration Mitigation 107

13 SUMMARY OF IMPACTS AND MITIGATION 108

13.1 Airborne Operational Traffic Noise 108

13.2 Construction Noise and Vibration 109

14 REFERENCES 110





Table of Contents


TABLES

Table 1 Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements for Stage 2 16 Table 2 Noise Catchment Areas and Surrounding Land Uses 18 Table 3 Other Non-Residential Noise and Vibration Sensitive Receivers 20 Table 4 Ambient Noise Survey Locations 22 Table 5 Summary of Unattended Noise Logging Results 24 Table 6 Summary of Attended Noise Monitoring Results 25 Table 7 NCG Criteria – Residential 30 Table 8 NCG Criteria – Other Sensitive Land Uses 31 Table 9 Summary of Noise Model Inputs and Parameters 37 Table 10 Model Validation – Comparison of Predicted Noise Levels to Measured Noise Levels 38 Table 11 Summary of Receivers Exceeding NMG Cumulative Limit – Base Case 41 Table 12 Summary of Receivers over the NCG Noise Goals- Base Case 43 Table 13 Summary of Sensitive Receivers Eligible for Consideration of Mitigation per NCA –

Base Case 45 Table 14 Assessed Noise Barriers 49 Table 15 Summary of Receivers Exceeding NMG Cumulative Limit – Final Build 51 Table 16 Summary of Receivers over the NCG Noise Goals- Final Build 52 Table 17 Summary of Residual Architectural Property Treatments per NCA – Final Build 55 Table 18 Maximum Noise Level Events 57 Table 19 Assessment of Forest High School 59 Table 20 Assessment of Frenchs Forest Public School 61 Table 21 Out-of-Hours Work Activities and Justification 64 Table 22 Determination of NMLs for Residential Receivers 66 Table 23 Residential Receiver NMLs in Study Area for Construction 67 Table 24 Noise Management Levels for Other Sensitive Receivers 68 Table 25 AS/NZS 2107:2000 Recommended Maximum Internal Noise Levels 69 Table 26 Sound Power Levels for Construction Equipment 70 Table 27 Summary of Airborne Construction Noise Scenarios Considered 72 Table 28 Summary of Airborne Construction NML Exceedances 77 Table 29 Summary of Highly Noise Affected Receivers 80 Table 30 Qualitative Construction Noise Assessment 81 Table 31 Highest LAeq(15minute) Noise Levels at Locations across The Forest High School for

Construction Activities 87 Table 32 Highest LAeq(15minute) Noise Levels at Locations across Frenchs Forest Public

School for Construction Activities 90 Table 33 Noise Mitigation Summary 96 Table 34 Predicted Construction Traffic Noise Impacts 99 Table 35 Summary of Road Closure Periods 100 Table 36 Transient Vibration Guide Values – Minimal Risk of Cosmetic Damage 101 Table 37 Preferred and Maximum Vibration Dose Values for Intermittent Vibration 103 Table 38 Recommended Safe Working Distances for Vibration Intensive Plant 104 Table 39 Construction Vibration Assessment 105





Table of Contents


FIGURES

Figure 1 Schematic of Stage 2 Project 14 Figure 2 Noise Catchment Areas, Noise Logging Locations and Traffic Count Locations 19 Figure 3 Example Noise Model Screenshot 35 Figure 4 Change in Noise Levels (Build minus No Build) – Base Case 44 Figure 5 Assessed Noise Barriers 50 Figure 6 NCG Sensitivity Analysis – Receivers Eligible for Consideration of Mitigation 55 Figure 7 Noise Levels in Undercover Assembly Area during a Typical School Day 89 Figure 8 Noise Levels in Main Play Area during a Typical School Day 91 Figure 9 Transient Vibration Guide Values for Cosmetic Damage 102

APPENDICES

Appendix A Acoustic Terminology Appendix B Noise Catchment Areas and Sensitive Receivers

Appendix C Ambient Noise Monitoring Results Appendix D Traffic Data Appendix E Operational Noise Level Predictions

Appendix F Predicted Residential Receiver Noise Level Maps Appendix G Noise Barrier Optimisation Appendix H Predicted Residential Receiver Noise Level Maps – Final Build Scenario

Appendix I Residual Property Treatment Map Appendix J Maximum Noise Levels Assessment Appendix K Construction Scenarios

Appendix L Construction Noise Predictions Appendix M Cumulative Construction Noise Assessment Maps

Roads and Maritime Services Northern Beaches Hospital Connectivity and Netw ork Enhancements

Stage 2 Noise and Vibration Assessment Construction and Operation

Report Number 610.13422-R4 9 July 2015 Revision 1


1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

Roads and Maritime is seeking approval for the Stage 2 Project Network Enhancement Works

(Stage 2 Project) which forms part of the Northern Beaches Hospital – Road Connectivity and Network Enhancements Project Concept Proposal. The approval is sought under Part 5.1 (State significant infrastructure) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) (EP&A Act).

The Stage 1 and Stage 2 Project comprises road upgrades directed towards broader network capacity enhancement of the existing road network surrounding the Northern Beaches Hospital at Frenchs Forest, within the Warringah local government area (LGA) on Sydney’s Northern Beaches (refer

Figure 1). These upgrades focus on Warringah Road which caters for the dominant traffic movement.

1.2 Background

Roads and Maritime Services (Roads and Maritime) placed the EIS for the Concept Proposal and Stage 1 Project Hospital Connectivity Works on public exhibition between 22 October 2014 to 21

November 2014. A Submissions Report which responds to issues raised during exhibition has been prepared and is currently being considered by the Department of Planning and Environment as part of its assessment. Based on this assessment the Department will decide whether to recommend

concept approval of the Northern Beaches Hospital – Road Connectivity and Network Enhancements Project, and Project approval for the Stage 1 Project.

Northern Beaches Hospital is proposed by NSW Health Infrastructure (HI) and would be located at the

intersection of Warringah Road and Wakehurst Parkway. The hospital concept proposal and the first stage (clearing and utility works) of the hospital project were approved on 22 June 2014, and the second stage of the Northern Beaches Hospital project (hospital construction and operation) is

currently being considered by the Department of Planning and Environment.

The Long Term Transport Master Plan (Transport for NSW, 2012) identifies Warringah Road as a key strategic transport corridor linking Dee Why and Chatswood. Heavy traffic flows and congestion along Warringah Road during commuter peak periods and, to a lesser degree, during business hours result

in low average peak travel speeds, unreliable travel times and disruptions to traffic movements. This impacts both road users and the adjoining community. Warringah Road is already operating at or beyond capacity during peak periods and is expected to experience continued traffic growth in the

future.

Based on the anticipated future land use changes, both within and surrounding the Northern Beaches Hospital Precinct, under Warringah Council’s structure plan (currently being prepared by Warringah

Council), and the current level of congestion on Warringah Road (a key strategic transport corridor linking Dee Why and Chatswood), the Stage 2 Project is needed at a strategic level to:

Assist in the management of journeys in connection with anticipated future intensification of

medical, commercial and residential land uses surrounding the new hospital

Mitigate the worsening of traffic congestion on the Warringah Road and Wakehurst Parkway arterial road corridors and their principal feeder roads

Enhance access arrangements by car, bus and active transport for the Northern Beaches Hospital employees, patients, outpatients and visitors

Facilitate improved access to the Northern Beaches Hospital and the surrounding employment precincts

Have key infrastructure components in place for the proposed hospital opening in 2018.





1.3 Report Objectives

This report has been prepared to assess the construction and operational noise and vibration impacts of the Stage 2 Project. However, due to a predicted reduction of traffic volume along Frenchs Forest

Road (Stage 1) following completion of Stage 2, this report has provided a detailed assessment of the cumulative impact of both stages. This report forms part of the EIS for Stage 2.

1.4 Relevant Guidelines

The noise and vibration guidelines for construction and operations are based on the publications

managed by the Environment Protection Authority 1 (EPA). The guidelines applicable to this

assessment include:

Operational Noise

a) Road Noise Policy (RNP), DECCW 2011i

b) Noise Criteria Guideline (NCG), Roads and Maritime 2014ii

c) Noise Mitigation Guideline (NMG), Roads and Maritime 2014iii

Construction Noise – Interim Construction Noise Guideline (ICNG), DECC 2009iv

Construction Vibration (human comfort) – Assessing Vibration - A technical guideline, DEC 2006v

Australian Standard AS 2187: Part 2-2006 Explosives - Storage and Use - Part 2: Use of

Explosivesvi

British Standard BS 7385 Part 2-1993 Evaluation and measurement for vibration in buildings Part 2.

v ii

The following additional guidelines and standards are also referenced in this study:

Noise measurement procedure (operational) – AS 2702:1984 Acoustic Methods of Measurement of Road Traffic Noise

viii

Noise measurement procedure (construction) – AS 1055:1997 Acoustics – Description and

Measurement of Environmental Noiseix

Acoustic instrumentation – AS IEC 61672.1-2004 Electroacoustics - Sound Level Meters, Part 1: Specifications

x

Industrial Noise Policy (INP) (DECCW, 2000)xi

Roads and Maritime assessment requirements – Preparing an Operational Noise and Vibration Assessment, Roads and Maritime November 2013

xii

Roads and Maritime noise management response – Environmental Noise Management Manual (ENMM), RTA 2001

xiii

1.5 Terminology

Specific acoustic terminology is used within this assessment. An explanation of common acoustic terms is included as Appendix A.

1 Noise and Vibration guidelines are available at the follow ing web address: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/noise





2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

2.1 Project Location

The Stage 2 Project is generally proposed to be carried out in the following locations:

Warringah Road between west of Fitzpatrick Ave East to west of Allambie Road

Forest Way between Warringah Road and the Stage 1 Project tie in (about 100 metres north of the Warringah Road intersection)

Wakehurst Parkway from the intersection with Warringah Road to about 120 metres south of

Aquatic Drive

Aquatic Drive for about 100 metres east from the intersection with Wakehurst Parkway

Allambie Road between Warringah Road and Rodborough Road.

On Warringah Road, the Stage 2 Project is incorporated largely within the existing road-reserve to the

north, and extends beyond the existing road-reserve to the south by up to 30 metres.

The indicative location of the Stage 2 Project is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 Schematic of Stage 2 Project





2.2 Project Description

The Stage 2 Project would broadly include the following key project elements (subject to detailed design):

Provision of four through lanes on Warringah Road (two lanes in each direction for east-west through traffic) within a grade separated open slot for about 1.3 kilometres

Ingress and egress points from and to the slot include:

Western extent - Warringah Road near Fitzpatrick Avenue East

Eastern extent - Warringah Road from about 350 metres east of the Wakehurst Parkway grade separated intersection

Provision of a two-lane on-ramp (merging into one lane) from Wakehurst Parkway

(southbound) into the slot (westbound)

Widening of Warringah Road from west of Fitzpatrick Avenue East to west of Allambie Road to include:

Westbound travel lanes, at surface level on the southern side of the Warringah Road corridor for the length of the project

Eastbound travel lanes, at surface level on the northern side of the Warringah Road corridor

(using existing road pavement), for the length of the project

The intersections of Warringah Road with Forest Way, Hilmer Street and Wakehurst Parkway to form a surface level bridge over the slot to provide all traffic movements at surface level and allow east-west through traffic in the slot to pass beneath uninterrupted.

Upgrades or adjustments to existing intersections of Warringah Road with the following local roads and approaches:

Fitzpatrick Avenue East (including the closing of the left turn into Fitzpatrick Avenue East from

Warringah Road westbound)

Rodborough Road

Allambie Road

Widening of Wakehurst Parkway from the intersection of Warringah Road to south of Aquatic Drive

Provision of a new connection at Aquatic Drive inc luding right in from Wakehurst Parkway

(northbound), left in from Wakehurst Parkway and left out movements from Aquatic Drive and Wakehurst Parkway.

Provision of shared (pedestrian and cyclist) bridges at the following locations:

Across Warringah Road west of the intersection of Forest Way (removal and replacement of

the existing pedestrian bridge).

Across Warringah Road on the western side of the intersection with Hilmer Street (new pedestrian bridge).

Removal of the existing pedestrian crossing across Warringah Road at Hilmer Street.

The Stage 2 Project would also include drainage works, landscaping, property acquisition and adjustments. The ancillary works would include but not be limited to, construction compounds, and

stockpile sites. For the purposes of this EIS, the scope of the Stage 2 Project would not include ongoing maintenance works.





3 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS

3.1 Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements for State Significant Infrastructure Application

The Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) specific to the assessment of

noise and vibration resulting from The Stage 2 Project are provided in Table 1.

Table 1 Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements for Stage 2

Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirement Where Assessed in this Report

Key issues Noise and Vibration – including but not limited to:

A detailed assessment of the noise impacts of the proposal during operation, consistent with the NSW Road Noise Policy (Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water 2011). The assessment must include specific consideration of the impacts to sensitive receivers (residential, child care centres, educational establishment (The Forest High School and Frenchs Forest Public School), hospitals, motels, nursing homes, or places of worship) and commercial and industrial land uses, as relevant and identify feasible and reasonable mitigation measures.

Section 6 to 7

An assessment of construction noise and vibration impacts, consistent with the Interim Construction Noise Guideline (Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water 2009),and Assessing Vibration: a technical guideline (Department of Environment and Conservation 2006). This assessment must consider traffic diversion noise impacts and the cumulative noise impacts in the event of concurrent construction associated with Stages 1 and 2 of this proposal and/or the Northern Beaches Hospital proposal.

Sections 9 to 12

An assessment of construction noise and vibration impacts on The Forest High School and Frenchs Forest Public School, including:

Existing noise levels within the schools grounds;

Consideration of buildings and covered outdoor learning areas within close proximity to proposed construction activities and new traffic conditions associated with the hospital and increased road capacity within the project area; and

Vibration impacts during construction.

Sections 4, 7.12, 7.13, 9.5.5, 9.5.6 and 12.4.1

The construction noise assessment must present, as relevant, an indication of the potential for work outside standard construction hours, including predicted levels and exceedances of the construction noise goals, justification for the activity and discus sion of available mitigation and management measures.

Sections 9 to 12

Details of stakeholder consultation, including The Forest High School, Frenchs Forest Public School and the Northern Beaches Hospital, regarding disruptions due to construction noise impacts.

Sections 9 to 12

Details of any required construction and/or operational noise abatement structures.

Sections 7 and 9





3.2 Operational Assessment Methodology Overview

Operational noise impacts encompassing Stage 1 and Stage 2 road designs have been cumulatively assessed in detail in accordance with the requirements of the Roads and Maritime Noise Criteria

Guideline (NCG). Methodology is discussed in Section 6 and feasible and reasonable mitigation measures are discussed in Section 7.

3.3 Construction Assessment Methodology Overview

The construction noise levels have been predicted using the base noise model encompassing the study area. Construction scenarios based on work methodologies and equipment schedules supplied

by SMEC were incorporated into the model. Predicted noise levels were then assessed against Noise Management Levels (NMLs) established in accordance with the Interim Construction Noise Guideline (ICNG). The methodology is discussed in detail in Section 9.

The potential cumulative impact of Stage 1, Stage 2 and works at the NBH site are also discussed in Section 9.





4 DESCRIPTION OF THE EXISTING ENVIRONMENT

4.1 Study Area and Sensitive Receivers

The study area is typically seen to be of a relatively dense residential nature. Three non-residential

areas, however, are evident:

The industrial precinct between Frenchs Forest Road East and Warringah Road

The industrial precincts south of Warringah Road

The Forest High School and NBH site

Frenchs Forest Public School and Forestway Shopping Centre.

The study area has been divided into Noise Catchment Areas (NCAs) which reflect the changing land uses and ambient noise environments adjacent to the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects and are detailed

in Table 2. The location of the various NCAs and sensitive receivers are indicated in Figure 2 and are provided in detail in Appendix B.

Table 2 Noise Catchment Areas and Surrounding Land Uses

NCA Distance (m) to Works1

Description

NCA-01 15 Residential receivers west of Warringah Road, south of Frenchs Forest Public School.

NCA-02 16 Residential receivers east of Warringah Road, south of Fitzpatrick Avenue East.

NCA-03 13 Open space, commercial and educational receivers west of Warringah Road and Forest Way, between NCA-01 and Russell Avenue.

NCA-04 6 Residential receivers west of Forest Way, north of Russell Avenue.

NCA-05 9 Residential receivers north of Naree Road and Frenchs Forest Road West, between Forest Way and Sylv ia Place.

NCA-06 11 Residential receivers east of Forest Way, between Naree Road, Frenchs Forest Road West, Warringah Road, and The Forest High School.

NCA-07 12 Residential receivers south of Warringah Road, between Fitzpatrick Avenue East and Hilmer Street.

NCA-08 130 Residential receivers west of Bantry Bay Road, south of Fitzpatrick Avenue East.

NCA-09 16 Open space, commercial and residential receivers west of Wakehurst Parkway, between Fitzpatrick Avenue East and Hilmer Street.

NCA-10 13 Open space, Frenchs Forest Police Station and The Forest High School.

NCA-11 n/a Northern Beaches Hospital project site. No sensitive receivers.

NCA-12 7 Residential receivers north of Frenchs Forest Road West, between Wakehurst Parkway, Sylv ia Place the dwellings south of Epping Drive.

NCA-13 70 Residential receivers west of Wakehurst Parkway, north of NCA-13.

NCA-14 110 Open space, commercial and residential receivers east of Wakehurst Parkway, south of Aquatic Drive.

NCA-15 4 Commercial receivers south of Warringah Road, between Wakehurst Parkway and Aquatic Drive.

NCA-16 5 Commercial receivers north of Warringah Road, between Wakehurst Parkway and Frenchs Forest Road East.

NCA-17 5 Residential receivers north of Frenchs Forest Road East, between Wakehurst Parkway and Patanga Road.

NCA-18 7 Residential receivers north of Warringah Road, east of Patanga Road.

NCA-19 25 Residential receivers south of Warringah Road, west of NCA-15.

Note 1: Approximate minimum horizontal offset distance from the nearest receiver building facade (receiver of any type) to the centre of the nearest lane of the w orks for the project.





Figure 2 Noise Catchment Areas, Noise Logging Locations and Traffic Count Locations





4.2 Identification of Noise and Vibration Sensitive Receivers in Study Area

The sensitivity of receivers to noise and vibration is dependent upon the occupancy type and the nature of the activities performed within the affected premises. Sensitivity to noise is a subjective

response varying for different individuals and can depend on the existing noise environment.

For the purpose of this assessment, receivers potentially sensitive to noise and vibration have been categorised as:

Residential

Commercial

Industrial

Educational institutions

Child care centres

Hotels

Places of Worship

Other (such as passive or active recreation areas, etc)

Sensitive receivers located within each NCA are illustrated in Figure 2. Non-residential sensitive

receivers which have the potential to be affected by noise and vibration from the proposal are detailed in Table 3.

Table 3 Other Non-Residential Noise and Vibration Sensitive Receivers

NCA Address Description Receiver Type Horizontal Distance (m)1

NCA-01 4 Altona Avenue, Forestv ille Beehive Kindy Child care centre 300

NCA-01 1 Angel Place, Forestv ille Forestv ille Montessori School

Educational 560

NCA-01 520 Warringah Road, Frenchs Forest The Forest Kirk Uniting Church

Place of worship 16

NCA-02 617 Warringah Road, Forestv ille Frenchs Forest Baptist Church

Place of worship 180

NCA-02 601 Warringah Road, Frenchs Forest Guanyin Temple Place of worship 16

NCA-03 510 Warringah Road, Frenchs Forest Making a Difference Frenchs Forest

Child care centre 13

NCA-03 502 Warringah Road, Frenchs Forest Frenchs Forest Public School

Educational 14

NCA-03 502 Warringah Road, Frenchs Forest Frenchs Forest Public School oval and playgrounds

Open space (active) 55

NCA-05 33 Forest Way, Frenchs Forest Wareham Reserve Open space (passive) 40

NCA-05 Rabbett Street, Frenchs Forest Rabbett Reserve Open space (passive) 120

NCA-06 1A Naree Road, Frenchs Forest Forest Alliance Church Place of worship 13

NCA-07 Akora Street Akora Reserve Open space (passive) 70

NCA-08 Currie Road, Frenchs Forest Sports field Open space (active) 530

NCA-09 Bantry Bay Road, Frenchs Forest St. Alban’s Anglican Church

Place of worship 55

NCA-09 Bantry Bay Road, Frenchs Forest Brick Pit Reserve Open space (passive) 18

NCA-10 135 Frenchs Forest Road, Frenchs Forest The Forest High School Educational 17





NCA Address Description Receiver Type Horizontal Distance (m)1

NCA-10 135 Frenchs Forest Road, Frenchs Forest The Forest High School oval and tennis courts


NCA-14 Aquatic Drive, Frenchs Forest Sports field Open space (active) 200

NCA-14 4-6 Aquatic Drive, Frenchs Forest Valerie Smith Stage School

Educational 400

NCA-14 4-6 Aquatic Drive, Frenchs Forest Valerie Smith Stage School tennis court


NCA-15 3/10 Rodborough Road, Frenchs Forest The Forest Childcare Centre


NCA-15 2 Tilley Lane, Frenchs Forest Kindalin Early Childhood Learning Centre


NCA-15 254 Allambie Road, Frenchs Forest Rodborough Road Children’s Centre


NCA-15 24 Rodborough Road, Frenchs Forest Community Kids Frenchs Forest


NCA-15 5 Aquatic Drive, Frenchs Forest Arranounbai School Educational 100

NCA-16 49 Frenchs Forest Road East, Frenchs Forest

Parkway Hotel Hotel 50

NCA-17 2 Patanga Road, Frenchs Forest Patanga Reserve Open space (passive) 50

NCA-17 Ilford Road, Frenchs Forest Reserve Open space (passive) 530

NCA-17 Coster Street, Frenchs Forest Reserve Open space (passive) 390

NCA-17 Jimanda Avenue, Frenchs Forest Reserve Open space (passive) 410

NCA-18 244 Warringah Road, Beacon Hill St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church

Place of worship 130

NCA-19 Mills Place, Frenchs Forest Mills Reserve Open space (passive) 300

Note 1: Approximate horizontal offset distance from the nearest point of the receiver building to the centre of the nearest lane of w orks for the project.

Note 2: Assessment criteria are evaluated at the most affected point w ithin receiver boundary.

4.3 Ambient Noise Surveys and Monitoring Locations

To quantify and characterise the existing ambient noise environment across the study area, a baseline noise survey was undertaken in December 2013, with additional monitoring undertaken in June 2014,

and October to December 2014.

The measured noise levels have been used to establish existing road traffic noise levels to allow for validation of the operational noise model, and as a basis for assessing potential noise impacts during

construction.

Traffic counting was undertaken concurrently during the December 2013 ambient noise survey for the purposes of operational noise model validation.

The noise monitoring locations detailed in Table 4 and Appendix C were selected to be representative of receivers and communities potentially affected by the construction and operation of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects. Locations were selected to provide a representative coverage of all

NCAs in the study area. As such, some logger locations are representative of multiple NCAs (eg NM1 which is representative of NCA01 and NCA02).

Noise monitoring equipment was deployed with consideration of other noise sources that may

influence the measurements, accessibility and security, and with the consent of relevant land owners. The noise monitoring locations are indicated on the site plan drawings in Figure 2 and Appendix B.





Table 4 Ambient Noise Survey Locations

Noise Monitoring Location ID

Relevant NCAs

Address Details Equipment Serial Number

NM1 NCA01

NCA02

605 Warringah Road, Frenchs Forest

Front yard on northern side of dwelling, approx imately 5m from facade.

SVAN 957 (SN: 23244)

NM2 NCA04

NCA05

43 Forest Way, Frenchs Forest

Front yard on western side of dwelling, approx imately 8m from facade.

SVAN 957 (SN: 20669)

NM3 NCA05

NCA06

5 Naree Road, Frenchs Forest

Front yard on northern side of dwelling, approx imately 5m from facade.

SVAN 957 (SN: 20667)

NM4 NCA03 17 Forest Way, Frenchs Forest

Front yard on western side of dwelling, approx imately 1m from facade.

SVAN 957 (SN: 23293)

NM5 NCA06 36 Holland Crescent, Frenchs Forest

Rear yard on southern side of dwelling, approx imately 8m from facade.

SVAN 957 (SN: 23245)

NM6 NCA13 46 Epping Drive, Frenchs Forest

In clearing to the east of the property , approx imately 8m east of the dwelling facade and 45m west of Wakehurst Parkway.

SVAN 957 (SN: 20666)

NM7 NCA12 126 Frenchs Forest Road, Frenchs Forest

Front yard on southern side of dwelling, approx imately 1m from dwelling facade.

SVAN 957 (SN: 27578)

NM8 NCA11 7 Bantry Bay Road, Frenchs Forest (NBH Site)

Semi cleared area approx imately 80m south of Frenchs Forest Road, 85m west of Wakehurst Parkway and 165m north of Warringah Road.

SVAN 957 (SN: 23247)

NM9 NCA09

NCA15

East of 63 Bantry Bay Road, Frenchs Forest

Clearing to the east of the property , approx imately 1m from the property ’s eastern boundary fence.

SVAN 957 (SN: 23815)

NM10 NCA08

NCA14

Opposite 92 Bantry Bay Road, Frenchs Forest

In bushland, approx imately 5m east of Bantry bay Road and 105m west of Wakehurst Parkway.

SVAN 957 (SN: 20665)

NM11 NCA16

NCA17

26 Frenchs Forest Road, Frenchs Forest

Front yard on southern side of dwelling, approx imately 1m from facade.

SVAN 957 (SN: 20644)

NM12 NCA18

NCA19

266 Warringah Road, Frenchs Forest

Front yard on southern side of dwelling, approx imately 1m from facade.

SVAN 957 (SN: 27522)

NM13 NCA10 The Forest High School, Frenchs Forest

Garden bed between school canteen and assembly quadrangle.

SVAN 957 (SN: 27522)

NM14 NCA07 Warringah Road Reserve, Frenchs Forest, north of 34 Karingal Crescent

Approx imately 10m south of Warringah Road. SVAN 957 (SN: 27578)

NM15 NCA09 Brick Pit Reserve, Frenchs Forest

Approx imately 15m south of Warringah Road and 90m west of Wakehurst Parkway.

SVAN 957 (SN: 23244)

NM16 NCA03 Frenchs Forest Public School

Above entrance awning of Block H. SVAN 957 (SN: 23243)

Note 1: Surveys at locations NM1-NM12 w ere conducted in in December 2013. Survey at NM13 w as conducted in June 2014. Surveys at NM14 and NM15 w ere conducted in October/November 2014. Survey at NM16 w as conducted in December 2014. See Appendix C for specific dates at each location.





4.4 Methodology for Unattended Noise Monitoring

The noise loggers continuously measured noise levels in 15 minute sampling periods to determine the existing LAeq, LA90 and other relevant statistical noise levels during the daytime, evening and night -

time periods.

The noise measurements were carried out with Svantek 957 Noise Loggers. The equipment was set up with microphones at 1.5 metres above the ground level. All microphones were fitted with wind

shields.

All noise measurement instrumentation used in the surveys was designed to comply with the requirements of Australian Standard AS IEC 61672.1-2004 Electroacoustics - Sound level meters,

Part 1: Specifications and carried appropriate and current National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) calibration certificates. The calibration of the loggers was checked both before and after each measurement survey and the variation in calibration at all locations was found to be within acceptable

limits at all times.

The results of the noise monitoring have been processed to exclude noise identified as extraneous and/or data affected by adverse weather conditions (ie wind or rain) so as to establish representative

noise levels in the area at the residence.

The results of several of the noise monitoring locations are at times affected by significant insect noise (primarily cicadas). The following is stated in Section 3.4 of the Industrial Noise Policy (INP) in relation

to noise monitoring affected by seasonal variations:

The EPA recognises that background noise levels may vary due to seasonal changes in weather conditions and wildlife activity (for example, insects, birds and other fauna)…

…Such changes may be accounted for by excluding the season-related noise levels from the background noise measurements by filtering or other means…

On this basis, noise associated with insects/cicadas identified in the ambient noise monitoring results

has been excluded, where possible, from the dataset to determine the noise levels without the influence of these extraneous noise sources. Where a significant portion of an assessment period has been identified as affected by insect noise, that period has been excluded completely.

4.5 Unattended Noise Monitoring Results

The results of the unattended ambient noise surveys are summarised in Table 5 as the Rating

Background Level (RBL)2 noise levels for the ICNG daytime, evening and night-time periods. By

analysing the monitoring data, RBLs were obtained. These data provide the basis for setting construction NMLs.

The LAeq (energy averaged) noise levels for the NCG daytime and night-time periods are also

summarised in Table 5. The LAeq(15hour) and LAeq(9hour) represented noise levels at the time of monitoring were correlated with simultaneous traffic counts. The 24 hour daily noise levels at each monitoring location are graphically presented in Appendix C.

The noise levels display a typical diurnal trend with lower noise levels during the night -time than the daytime and evening periods. This is characteristic of urban and suburban areas where the ambient noise environment is primarily influenced by road traffic.

2 As defined by the INP – “the overall single-figure background level representing each assessment period (day/evening/night) over the whole monitoring period (as opposed to over each 24-hour period used for the assessment background level). The

rating background level is the level used for assessment purposes”. The measured RBLs are used to define the construction NMLs as in accordance with the ICNG.





This is consistent with observed traffic flows on the existing roads throughout the study area which have a relatively small reduction in traffic volumes during the evening compared to the daytime period,

and a more significant reduction in volumes during the night-time.

Table 5 Summary of Unattended Noise Logging Results

Noise Monitoring Location

Noise Level (dBA)

ICNG Defined Time Periods1 NCG Defined Time Periods

2

Daytime - RBL

Evening - RBL

Night-time - RBL

Daytime - LAeq(15hour)

Night-time - LAeq(9hour)

NM1 57 54 34 66 62

NM2 57 52 31 68 63

NM3 44 40 27 55 47

NM43

55 51 32 64 60

NM5 52 47 35 58 51

NM6 48 46 30 56 48

NM73

48 41 29 60 50

NM8 51 45 34 59 48

NM93

53 48 34 60 52

NM10 49 43 33 56 47

NM113

50 42 30 62 54

NM123

53 46 29 64 57

NM13 48 45 38 54 48

NM14 61 53 32 68 63

NM15 57 52 35 65 61

NM16 50 46 36 58 49

Note 1: ICNG Governing Periods – Day: 7.00 am to 6.00 pm Monday to Saturday, 8.00 am to 6.00 pm Sunday; Evening: 6.00 pm to 10.00 pm; Night: 10.00 pm to 7.00 am Monday to Saturday, 10.00 pm to 8.00 am Sunday.

Note 2: NCG Assessment Time Periods – Day: 7.00 am to 10.00 pm; Night: 10.00 pm to 7.00 am.

Note 3: Monitoring location near to building facade. Measured noise levels considered to represent facade reflected noise levels w hich are up to 2.5 dB higher than the equivalent free-field condition.

Reference to the background noise logging data contained in Table 5 shows that where receivers are situated adjacent to Forest Way, Warringah Road and Wakehurst Parkway, the existing levels of road traffic noise are, in the majority of cases, already above the NCG target criteria of 60 dBA LAeq(15hour)

and 55 dBA LAeq(9hour).

Monitoring at NM14 and NM15 was requested by Roads and Maritime in order to determine a calibration factor for the ‘no-build’ noise models, representative of the current congested traffic

conditions on Warringah Road between Forest Way and Wakehurst Parkway. The methodology is discussed in Section 6.3.4.

4.6 Attended Airborne Noise Measurements

Attended measurements of ambient noise were completed during the noise logging survey to determine the various noise sources that influence the existing noise environment. During each

measurement the operator noted the various noise sources and the contributing noise level.

At each location the attended measurements were performed for 15 minutes using a calibrated Br üel and Kjær 2260 Precision Sound Level Meter. Wind speeds were less than 5 metres per second at all

times, and all measurements were performed at a height of 1.5 metres above ground level.





Calibration of the sound level meter was checked before and after each measurement and the variation in calibration at all locations was found to be within acceptable limits at all times.

The noise envi ronment at each of the attended monitoring locations is summarised in Table 6. Detailed observation notes are also provided in Appendix C.

Table 6 Summary of Attended Noise Monitoring Results

Measurement Location

Measurement Details

Measured Noise Levels (dBA) (15 minute period)

Description of Ambient Noise Sources Typical LAmax Levels

LA90 LAeq LAmax

NM1 6/12/2013

09:35

60 67 90 Light-vehicle traffic: 63-67 dBA

Heavy-vehicle traffic: 65-78 dBA

Ambulance Siren: 90 dBA

Aeroplane: 69 dBA

Birds: 47 dBA

20/12/2013

09:49

59 66 79 Light-vehicle traffic 61-70 dBA


Distant traffic: 44-53 dBA

NM2 6/12/2013

10:47



Birds: 64-66 dBA

Distant traffic: 55 dBA

20/12/2013

10:35



Cicadas: 66-79 dBA

NM3 6/12/2013

11:37


Heavy-vehicle traffic (buses): 64-68 dBA

Birds: 52-55 dBA

Distant traffic: 43 dBA

20/12/2013

11:53



Cicadas: 50-51 dBA

Birds: 60 dBA

Helicopter: 65 dBA


NM4 6/12/2013

15:50



20/12/2013

12:38



Cicadas: 58-60 dBA

NM5 6/12/2013

14:45



Birds: 62 dBA


20/12/2013

13:16



Cicadas: 55-60 dBA

Birds: 62-72 dBA






Measurement Details



LA90 LAeq LAmax

NM6 6/12/2013

16:46



Birds: 58 dBA

Aeroplane: 63 dBA

20/12/2013

13:47

62 70 75 Cicadas: 60-75 dBA

Vehicle traffic: inaudible over cicadas

NM7 6/12/2013

14:34



Birds: 50-57 dBA


Cicadas: 50-52 dBA

20/12/2013

09:22



Cicadas: 65-83 dBA

Birds: 60-72 dBA

Aeroplanes: 65-73 dBA

NM8 6/12/2013

17:41

51 55 73 Light-vehicle & heavy-vehicle traffic (combined): 52-73 dBA

Birds: 52-61 dBA

Aeroplane: 65 dBA

20/12/2013

13:11

71 73 76 Light-vehicle & heavy-vehicle traffic (combined): 65-75 dBA

Cicadas: 70-75 dBA

Birds: 65-72 dBA


NM9 6/12/2013

16:14



Birds: 50-67 dBA


20/12/2013

11:40



Cicadas: 58-62 dBA

Aeroplane: 55-63 dBA

NM10 20/12/2013

17:31

45 53 72 Light-vehicle traffic on local road (Bantry Bay Rd): 47-72 dBA

Light-vehicle & heavy-vehicle traffic (combined) on main road (Wakehurst Pkwy): 44-49 dBA

Birds: 40-60 dBA

Cicadas: 49-50 dBA


6/12/2013

12:24

70 73 76 Light-vehicle traffic on local road (Bantry Bay Rd): 66-73 dBA

Light-vehicle & heavy-vehicle traffic (combined) on main road (Wakehurst Pkwy): audible

Cicadas: 70-76 dBA







Measurement Details



LA90 LAeq LAmax

NM11 20/12/2013

11:07



Birds: 40-67 dBA

Aeroplane: 45-56 dBA


6/12/2013

10:01



Birds: 55-70 dBA

Cicadas: 55-62 dBA

NM12 20/12/2013

12:20



Birds: 50-66 dBA


6/12/2013

10:47



Cicadas: 57-73 dBA

NM131

ATT1

3/06/2014

12:25

51 55 69 ATT 1, 2, 4 & 5

Quadrangle during lunch time: 69-74 dBA

Kids playing in quadrangle during free period: 54-62 dBA

Classroom breakout noise and neighbourhood noise: 44-50 dBA


ATT 3

Light-vehicle and heavy-vehicle traffic (combined) on Warringah Road: 55-61 dBA

ATT2

3/06/2014

12:36

48 52 63

ATT3

3/06/2014

12:47

54 58 69

ATT4

3/06/2014

12:56

45 49 68

ATT5

3/06/2014

13:10 (Lunch Time)

67 73 88

NM14 30/10/2014

15:50



Bus: 66 dBA

Horn: 76 dBA

14/11/2014

08:00



NM15 30/10/2014

15:20



Bus: 67-70 dBA

Motorbike: 70 dBA

14/11/2014 - - - Measurement not conducted due to nearby temporary construction works.






Measurement Details



LA90 LAeq LAmax

NM162

ATT1

24/11/2014

11:28

53 56 71 ATT1

Insects: 50-52 dBA

Road traffic: 53-58 dBA

Children: 52-64

ATT2

Insects: 60 dBA

Road traffic: 63-69dBA

Children: 62-71 dBA

ATT3

Insects: 60-62 dBA

Children: 68-79

ATT4

Insects: 48-50 dBA


Children: 70-72 dBA

ATT5

Insects: 59-60 dBA


Birds:65-73 dBA

ATT6

Insects: 66-68 dBA


Birds: 55-58 dBA

ATT2

24/11/2014

11:37

54 61 71

ATT3

24/11/2014

11:44

63 68 79

ATT4

24/11/2014

11:53

53 58 72

ATT5

24/11/2014

11:59

58 61 73

ATT6

24/11/2014

12:06

51 64 69

Note 1: Refer to Appendix C-NM13 to identify attended monitoring locations.

Note 2: Refer to Appendix C-NM16 to identify attended monitoring locations.





5 OPERATIONAL NOISE GOALS AND NOISE MITIGATION GUIDANCE

5.1 Introduction

The most common form of noise experienced by people is termed ‘airborne’ noise, indicating that it

propagates between the source and receiver primarily through the air. This is the main form of noise that occurs adjacent to a road corridor or construction site.

The primary source of airborne noise from road traffic sources originates from the engine at low speed

and from the interaction of the tyre and road at higher speeds. Heavy vehicle (t rucks) exhausts are also a significant source of airborne noise during heavy acceleration or engine braking events.

The key influences on road traffic airborne noise are the speed of the passing vehicles, the condition

of the pavement surface, the volume of traffic on the road and the number of heavy vehicles. The level of airborne noise experienced at a receiver is also dependent upon the distance to the road corridor and the presence of any natural or man-made barriers between the corridor and the receiver

which can impede the propagation of noise.

5.2 Operational Noise Metrics

The noise metrics applied in the modelling and assessment of airborne noise from road traffic are:

LAeq(15hour) the ‘energy average noise level’ evaluated over the daytime period (7:00 am to

10:00 pm). The LAeq can be likened to a noise dose representing the cumulative effects of all the noise events occurring in the relevant time period.

LAeq(9hour) the ‘energy average noise level’ evaluated over the night -time period (10:00 am to

7:00 am).

LAeq(1hour) the ‘energy average noise level’ evaluated for a specific one-hour period.

LAmax The maximum noise level from road traffic noise occurring at a particular location.

The subscript ‘A’ indicates that the noise levels are filtered to match normal human hearing characteristics (ie A-weighted).

5.3 Noise Criteria –Roads and Maritime Noise Criteria Guideline and NSW Road Noise Policy

The Noise Criteria Guideline (NCG) documents Roads and Maritime’s interpretation of the NSW RNP. The NCG provides a consistent approach to identifying road noise criteria fo r Roads and Maritime

projects.

The NCG provides guidance for assessing traffic noise impacts through setting design objectives for a range of development types. The document identifies strategies that address the issue of road traffic

noise at adjacent potentially sensitive receivers. Road traffic noise is assessed for the following scenarios:

Existing roads.

New road projects.

Road redevelopment projects.

New traffic-generating developments.





The NCG noise criteria aim to protect amenity inside and immediately around permanent residences, schools, hospitals and other sensitive land uses, rather than at all points in a given locality, which

would not be practical or possible.

Although it is not mandatory to achieve the noise assessment criteria in the NCG, project proponents need to provide justification if it is not considered feasible or reasonable to achieve them.

The guideline recognises that there are generally more opportunities to minimise noise impacts from new roads and road corridors, especially those in greenfield locations, through judicious road design and land use planning. The scope to reduce noise impacts from existing roads and corridors is

typically more limited. The NCG criteria are applicable both at the time of project opening and also in a future design year, typically taken to be ten years after project completion.

Note that for multi-level residential buildings, only the first two floors of a receiver is considered in the

assessment under the Roads and Maritime noise guidelines.

5.3.1 Noise Assessment Criteria

The roads to be upgraded in the study area are considered arterial and sub-arterial roads with the

exception of Frenchs Forest Road which is considered a collector road (as per Roads and Maritime advice).

As per guidance provided in the Noise Criteria Guideline (NCG), the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects are

considered a redevelopment project. Redevelopments are defined as works that:

“…will result in one or more of the following:

- Increases in the traffic-carrying capacity

- Increases in the number of heavy vehicles by 50 per cent or more on the road where the physical works are located.”

The NCG assessment criteria for residences adjacent to such projects are summarised in Table 7.

Table 7 NCG Criteria – Residential

Road Category Type of Project/Land Use Assessment Criteria (dBA)

Daytime (7 am – 10 pm)

Night-time (10 pm – 7 am)

Freeway/

arterial/

sub-arterial

roads1

2. Existing residences affected by noise from redevelopment of existing freeway/arterial/sub-arterial roads

3. Existing residences affected by additional traffic on existing freeways/arterial/sub-arterial roads generated by land use developments

LAeq(15hour) 60

(external)

LAeq(9hour) 55

(external)

Note 1: As per Table 2 of the RNP, sub-arterial roads w ere previously designated as ‘collector’ roads in the ECRTN.

The Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects have the potential to impact on a number of other non-residential

sensitive receivers that are situated within the study area. These are detailed in Table 8. Further information on the other sensitive land use receivers are provided in Section 4.2.





Table 8 NCG Criteria – Other Sensitive Land Uses

Existing Sensitive Land Use

Assessment Criteria (dBA) Additional Considerations

Daytime (7 am – 10 pm)

Night-time (10 pm – 7 am)

School Classrooms LAeq(1hour) 40

(internal)

- In the case of buildings used for education or health care, noise level criteria for spaces other than classrooms and wards may be obtained by interpolation from the ‘maximum’ levels shown in Australian Standard 2107:2000 (Standards Australia 2000).

Places of Worship LAeq(1hour) 40

(internal)

LAeq(1hour) 40

(internal)

The criteria are internal, ie the inside of a church. Areas outside the place of worship, such as a churchyard or cemetery, may also be a place of worship. Therefore, in determining appropriate criteria for such external areas, it should be established which activ ities in these areas may be affected by road traffic noise.

Open Space (Active Use)

LAeq(15hour) 60

(external) when in use

- Active recreation is characterised by sporting activ ities and activ ities which generate their own noise or focus for participants, making them less sensitive to external noise intrusion.

Open Space (Passive Use)

LAeq(15hour) 55

(external) when in use

- Passive recreation is characterised by contemplative activ ities that generate little noise and where benefits are compromised by external noise intrusion, eg play ing chess, reading.

Childcare Facilities Sleeping rooms LAeq(1hour) 35 (internal)

Indoor play areas LAeq(1hour) 40 (Internal)

Outdoor play areas LAeq(1hour) 55 (External)

- Multi-purpose spaces, eg shared indoor play/sleeping rooms should meet the lower of the respective criteria.

Measurements for sleeping rooms should be taken during designated sleeping times for the facility , or if these are not known, during the highest hourly traffic noise level during the opening hours of the facility .

For sensitive receivers such as schools and places of worship, the NCG criteria presented in Table 8 are based on internal noise levels. A minimum (conservative) outside -to-inside attenuation of 10 dB, on the basis of openable windows, has been assumed to determine external noise criteria for such

receivers.

Commercial and industrial receivers within the study area are assumed to be non-sensitive. Review of typical usage relates typically to warehouse and distribution facilities.

In addition to the noise criteria in Table 7 and Table 8, the NCG describes a ‘Relative Increase Criteria’ of 12 dB above existing traffic noise. This criterion is primarily intended to protect existing quiet areas from excessive changes in amenity. For a road in the same location, and with the same

mix in traffic, a 12 dB increase in road t raffic noise levels would require a 16-fold increase in traffic. This would not occur in the urban context of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 study area.





5.3.2 Sleep Disturbance

Guidance for the assessment of sleep disturbance given in the RNP is reproduced as follows:

Triggers for, and effects of sleep disturbance from, exposure to intermittent noise such as noise from road traffic are still being studied. There appears to be insufficient evidence to set new indicators for potential sleep disturbance due to road traffic noise. The NSW Roads and

Traffic Authority’s Practice Note 3 (NSW Roads and Traffic Authority 2008) outlines a protocol for assessing and reporting on maximum noise levels and the potential for sleep disturbance.

The protocol for assessing the potential for sleep disturbance, detailed within Practice Note III of the

Environmental Noise Management Manual (ENMM), is determined by performing an LAFmax – LAeq(1hr) calculation on individual vehicle passby noise measurements. A maximum noise level event is then defined as a passby for which the night-time LAFmax – LAeq(1hr) difference is greater than

15 dB.

With regard to reaction to potential sleep disturbance events, the RNP gives the following guidance:

From the research on sleep disturbance to date it can be concluded that:

- maximum internal noise levels below 50–55 dB(A) are unlikely to awaken people from sleep

- one or two noise events per night, with maximum internal noise levels of 65 –70 dB(A), are not likely to affect health and wellbeing significantly.

It is generally accepted that internal noise levels in a dwelling with the windows open are 10 dB lower than external noise levels. Based on this conservative minimum attenuation of 10 dB, the first conclusion above suggests that short term external noises of 60 dBA to 65 dBA are unlikely to cause

awakening reactions.

The second conclusion suggests that one or two noise events per night with maximum external noise levels of 75 dBA to 80 dBA are not likely to affect health and wellbeing significantly.

5.4 Noise Mitigation Guideline

The Noise Mitigation Guideline (NMG) (Roads and Maritime 2014) was issued in December 2014 and provides guidance in managing and controlling road traffic generated noise. The NMG supersedes Practice Note (iv), (iv-a) and (iv-c) of the ENMM (RTA 2001).

The NMG recognises that the target criteria recommended by the NCG are not always practicable and that it is not always feasible or reasonable to expect that they should be achieved. The NMG outlines the approach Roads and Maritime takes in the evaluation, selection and design of feasible and

reasonable noise mitigation measures.

The NMG notes that the most effective way of minimising noise from vehicles and traffic is to control vehicle noise at the source. Where source measures are not practical, or do not provide sufficient

noise reduction, additional methods are required to reduce levels to within acceptable margins. Such additional methods may include the use of noise barriers and/or consideration for architectural treatment of residences.

The NMG introduces the term ‘cumulative limit’. When the total noise level in the build year is 5dBA or more above the NCG criterion it is considered to have exceeded the cumulative limit. Receivers where the exceedance occurs qualify for consideration of noise mitigation. Furthermore, a receiver

with noise levels at or above 65dBA LAeq(15hour) and 60dBA LAeq(9hour) may be referred to as acute.





5.5 Project Criteria for Consideration of Additional Noise Mitigation

In accordance with Section 6 of the NMG, Roads and Maritime consider it reasonable to consider additional noise mitigation (beyond the adoption of road design and traffic management measures)

where:

Trigger 1

The predicted Build noise level exceeds the NCG target criteria for redeveloped roads and the noise level increase due to the project (ie the noise predictions for the Build minus the No Build)

is greater than 2 dB.

or:

Trigger 2

The total noise level in the build year is 5 dB or more above the NCG criterion for that receiver type (termed an exceedance of the cumulative limit). A receiver with noise levels at or above 65 dBA LAeq(15hour) and 60 dBA LAeq(9hour) may be referred to as acute.

It is noted that the Roads and Maritime noise guidelines were subject to review in late 2014, during the period that the noise assessment was being undertaken. The cumulative limit when applied to non-residential receivers requires consideration of internal noise criteria. This internal noise criteria

needs to be converted to an external noise criteria for the purposes of assessment with external noise level predictions. The RNP recommends a 10 dB factor to convert internal to external noise levels on the basis that facades with windows open typically provide approximately 10 dB attenuation from

inside to outside. For non-residential receivers this assumption may be overly conservative as the facade area to window ratios are often larger when compared to residential receivers. During detailed design stage the cumulative limit with respect to internal noise levels should be investigated

considering less conservative internal to external conversion factors. This investigation may show a change in the number of non-residential receivers that have been identified as eligible for consideration of treatment in this document.

5.6 Operational Vibration

The RNP notes that vehicles operating on a roadway are unlikely to cause a perceptible level of vibration unless there are significant road irregularities. It is understood that as part of the redevelopment works, roads will be repaired where required and in many cases new pavements will

be constructed. Consistent with previous similar road projects, operational vibration is anticipated to be insignificant

Furthermore, vibration of lightweight building elements such as windows is often wrongly thought to be

cause by ground-borne traffic vibration travelling up into the building via the building’s foundations . However, this phenomenon is often due to airborne low frequency noise emissions, typically from heavy vehicles and buses, which cause lightweight building elements to vibrate.





6 ASSESSMENT OF AIRBORNE NOISE DURING OPERATION

6.1 Assessment Procedure

The NCG requires that road traffic noise levels from road infrastructure projects are evaluated at the

following two points in time:

Road Redevelopment Project

Within one year of changed traffic conditions:

- Stage 1 and Stage 2 2018.

For a future design year (typically ten years) after changed traffic conditions:

- Stage 1 and Stage 2 2028.

For each of the above timeframes, a comparison is to be made between the following two scenarios:

The road traffic noise levels if the project proceeds (termed the Build option).

The corresponding ‘do minimum’ road traffic noise levels due to general traffic growth that would have occurred if the project had not proceeded (termed the No Build option).

For this assessment, the base case ‘No Build’ option is compared against the collective operation of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects. This differs from the “Stage 1 and Concept Proposal Noise and Vibration Assessment” which compared the base case ‘No Build’ option against the Stage 1 project

only.

Traffic growth was provided by Roads and Maritime and assumes the Northern Beaches Hospital is in operation. Refer to Section 6.3.2 for further details on traffic data.

The comparison for 2018 impacts will indicate the potential for any noise issues at the commencement of the project, such as community reaction to significant changes in noise levels. The comparison for 2028 impacts will indicate the potential for noise impacts in the longer term once the project is well

established and the surrounding road network has stabilised.

An additional scenario was also modelled for the purposes of validating the noise model against the ambient noise survey data measured as part of the project.

- The existing VALIDATION year is 2013 (ie when the noise logging was undertaken).

6.2 Operational Noise Modelling

Noise modelling of the study area was carried out using the Calculation of Road Traffic Noise (CORTN) (UK Department of Transport, 1988)

xiv algorithms incorporated in SoundPLAN V7.1. The

modelling allows for traffic volume and mix, type of road surface, vehicle speed, road gradient,

reflections off building surfaces, ground absorption and shielding from ground topography and physical noise barriers.

The algorithm output of CORTN (fundamentally an LA10 predictor) has been modified to calculate the

relevant daytime LAeq(15hour) and night-time LAeq(9hour) road traffic noise emission levels at noise sensitive receivers, as required by the NCG.





The CORTN traffic stream source lines modelled in SoundPLAN have also been modified to incorporate four effective noise sources (and associated heights) for each roadway. These comprise

a ‘CAR’ source with height of 0.5 m above pavement and three ‘TRUCK’ sources at three separate heights representing the noise emission from truck tyres (0.5 m), truck engines (1.5 m) and truck exhausts (3.6 m). This is because the three distinct sources of heavy vehicles (representing the tyres,

engine and the exhaust, with different noise emission levels and different heights) are crucial in determining the predicted attenuation from barriers.

The noise model was constructed from a combination of survey road corridor ground topography,

aerial photography and Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) information. The future road alignment was supplied by Roads and Maritime.

An example screenshot from the noise modelling is provided in Figure 3.

Figure 3 Example Noise Model Screenshot

Note 1: Perspective looking northeast over the study area.

The SoundPLAN noise models calculate noise levels at receiver points for all facades of each noise sensitive receiver identified within the study area.

6.3 Noise Model Inputs

6.3.1 Pavement Surface

Existing Surface

The existing roadway pavement surfaces are typically variable in age and condition and are understood to be Dense Graded Asphaltic Concrete (DGA).





Future Surface

Proposed new pavement surfaces as part of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 works will be DGA. This is

consistent with existing pavements that will be repaired as required.

6.3.2 Traffic Data

Existing 2013 Scenario

A comprehensive traffic counting survey was undertaken concurrently with the ambient noise monitoring survey. Traffic counting equipment was deployed at strategic locations adjacent to noise logging locations.

Counting equipment was located so that noise generated by traffic passing over the tube counters did not influence noise measurements. The measured traffic data for the existing situation is summarised in Appendix D-1.

NCG Assessment 2018 and 2028 Scenarios

Traffic modelling data for the NCG Build and No Build assessment scenarios for both 2018 and 2028 was provided by Roads and Maritime and is contained in Appendix D-2.

Traffic modelling was undertaken by GTA Consultants with the volumes being provided in the Traffic and Transport Working Paper for the project. The traffic and transport paper considered the future growth in traffic numbers, including hospital induced traffic for year of opening 2018 and design year

2028 within the Build and No Build scenarios.

6.3.3 Project Proposed Design

All design information (altered road corridor, roadway levels, etc) in areas where widening and

upgrade works are proposed within the study area was supplied by Roads and Maritime.

6.3.4 Congestion Factor – Warringah Road between Forest Way and Wakehurst Parkway

Reduced noise levels may be observed in congested conditions possibly due to factors such as

reduced tyre noise and the banking of vehicles resulting in a barrier effect.

Based on Roads and Maritime advice, an additional calibration factor to account for the existing congestion observed in this section is required for the ‘no-build’ noise models on Warringah Road

between Forest Way and Wakehurst Parkway.

This is required because the CORTN algorithm assumes free flowing traffic, which may result in an over-prediction of noise levels in areas where traffic is congested, such as this section of Warringah

Road. It is noted that as per Roads and Maritime advice, free flowing conditions are assumed for the ‘build’ noise models.

To determine the correction, noise monitoring was conducted at NM14 and NM15. Noise levels

measured during an off-peak/non-congested period (eg 10:00 am to 2:00 pm) were validated against noise modelling results for the same period (using measured speeds and traffic volumes).

The non-congested period measured and modelled noise levels did not correlate. Roads and

Maritime also conducted independent monitoring and modelling and concluded that this section of Warringah Road is never entirely free flowing during the daytime, particularly at the sections near NM14 and NM15. This is due to the proximity of the Forest Way, Hilmer Street and Wakehurst

Parkway intersections with Warringah Road, resulting in frequent stop/start movements whereby vehicles do not reach posted speeds or a free flowing condition during 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.





The congestion factor was determined to be minus 5 dB in consultation with Roads and Maritime, and was applied as a source correction within the model.

6.3.5 Noise Assessment Input Parameters

A summary of the modelling parameters and inputs is provided in Table 9.

Table 9 Summary of Noise Model Inputs and Parameters

Input Parameter Source of Data

Ground topography Combination of surveyed road corridor data and LIDAR point cloud survey

Receiver Locations Aerial photography and LIDAR point cloud

Vehicle Speed (Existing Situation)

Forest Way Naree Road Frenchs Forest Road West Wakehurst Parkway Frenchs Forest Road East Allambie Road Warringah Road

As measured during traffic survey

Vehicle Speed (2018 and 2028 Build and No Build)

Forest Way Naree Road Frenchs Forest Road West Wakehurst Parkway Frenchs Forest Road East Allambie Road Warringah Road

70 km/h 50 km/h 50 km/h 70 km/h 50 km/h 50 km/h 70 km/h

Source Heights Car exhaust Truck tyres Truck engines Truck exhausts

0.5 m 0.5 m 1.5 m 3.6 m

Congestion Factor ‘No-Build’ noise model, Daytime period, on Warringah Road between Forest Way and Wakehurst Parkway

-5 dB (No-Build)

0 dB (Build)

Road Surface Corrections Dense Grade Asphalt 0 dB

Surface Types All roads DGA

Modelled Ground Surface Absorption Coefficients

1

Roads All other ground surfaces

0.0 0.75

Receiver Location (@ 1m from Facade)

Ground floor2

First floor2

1.5m 4.5m

Facade Correction +2.5 dB

ARRB -1.7 dB for facade conditions

LA10 to LAeq -3 dB

Governing Time frame 2028

Governing Assessment Period Daytime LAeq(15hour)

Note 1: Ground surface absorption coefficients range from 0.0 (hard ground) to 1.0 (soft ground).

Note 2: These are typical heights above ground level, the height of some receivers were adjusted according to site survey information.





6.4 Noise Model Validation

The predicted operational noise levels for the 2013 existing scenario have been compared to the noise levels measured during the ambient noise survey, discussed in Section 4, for the purpose of model

validation.

Comparison of measured and predicted levels has been performed by undertaking single point receiver calculations at noise model locations coinciding with the ambient monitoring locations. The

results from this are shown in Table 10.

Noise levels have been validated at noise logger locations which are adjacent to major roads where traffic data was measured.

When referencing the validation results it is noted that school zones are apparent for sections of Frenchs Forest Road West adjacent to The Forest High School and Forest Way and Warringah Road which are adjacent to Frenchs Forest Public School.

In these sections, temporary speeds restrictions to 40 km/h are in place during the hours of 8:00 am, to 9:30 am and 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm. The posted speeds on these sections of road outside of these times are 50 km/h for Frenchs Forest Road West and 70 km/h for Forest Way and Warringah Road.

No account has been made in the modelling for presence of school zones. It is , however, considered that the presence of school zones would only have a minor impact on the average daytime speed in these sections and hence only a minor reduction of noise levels. Not accounting for school zones

results in slight conservatism in the noise model.

Table 10 Model Validation – Comparison of Predicted Noise Levels to Measured Noise Levels

Ref.1 Noise Logging Address Noise Level (dBA)

Measured Existing Predicted Existing Difference – Predicted Minus Measured

Daytime LAeq(15hour )

Night-time LAeq(9hour )





NM1 605 Warringah Road, Frenchs Forest 66 62 69 63 3 1

NM2 43 Forest Way, Frenchs Forest 68 63 69 64 1 1

NM3 5 Naree Road, Frenchs Forest 55 47 58 51 3 4

NM4 17 Forest Way, Frenchs Forest 64 60 64 59 0 -1

NM9 East of 63 Bantry Bay Road, Frenchs Forest

60 52 60 55 0 3

NM11 26 Frenchs Forest Road East, Frenchs Forest

62 54 63 56 1 2

NM12 266 Warringah Road, Frenchs Forest 64 57 66 60 2 3

Median Difference 1.0 2.0

Standard Deviation 1.2 1.6

Note 1: Noise logging locations NM6, NM7, NM8, NM10 and NM13 w ere removed from the validation process as these noise loggers were typically located away from major roads and/or found to be signif icantly influenced by extraneous noise sources such as insects and not road traff ic noise dominated. Location NM5 w as removed from the validation process as it was located adjacent to a complex intersection where traff ic f igures and vehicle speeds

for the each individual section of road were not known, particularly on the Warringah Road to Forest Way northbound and Forest Way to Warringah Road eastbound turning lanes. The absence of such data results in limitations for validation at NM5.





Location NM1

The discrepancy between the predicted and measured noise levels at this location is expected to be

due to foliage which is of mixed density and continuity between the noise logger and Warringah Road.

Location NM3

The largest discrepancy in the noise model validation, shown in Table 10, occurred at location NM3,

where a 3 dB and 4 dB over-prediction was apparent during the daytime and night -time, respectively. The over-prediction at this noise logging location is likely due to a number of factors, including:

The location being adjacent to a section of Naree Road that currently consists of relatively low

and intermittent vehicle flows, particularly during the night-time.

The closest traffic counting station where vehicle speeds were able to be measured being around 400 metres away to the east. This means that exact vehicle speeds adjacent to the noise logger

were not able to be determined.

The residential nature of the area means residents vehicles are likely to be closely parked together at the side of the road for potentially significant periods of time which, to some degree, would act as a partial noise barrier to traffic noise generated by passing vehicles. This is not able

to be simulated in the noise model and would result in an over -prediction of road traffic noise levels.

The conservative noise predictions in the validation scenario at this location are likely a combination of

the above factors.

Location NM9

An over-prediction of 3 dB was apparent during the night-time period. The relevant traffic counter

(TC9) measured higher vehicle speeds during the night-time, corresponding with the posted speed limit of 80 km/h in the section of Wakehurst Parkway in which it was located. The measured speed applied to the noise model therefore results in an over-prediction at NM9 where the posted speed limit

is 70 km/h.

Conversely, measured vehicle speeds at TC9 during the daytime correlate with the 70 km/h speed limit near NM9 and thus the predicted and measured noise levels are consistent.

Location NM12

Over-predictions of 2 dB and 3 dB were apparent during the daytime and night -time, respectively. The over-prediction at this noise logging location is likely due to the lower relative level of the logger

location compared to the road surface, therefore affording in minor shielding effect.

Summary of Validation

Comparison of the above shows a reasonably good correlation between the predicted and measured

data sets along the study area.

The ENMM notes that “it should be recognised that noise prediction modelling has some accuracy limitations and will commonly produce acceptable errors of around 2 dBA”. On the basis of the

comparison of the noise model predictions with the baseline measurement results, it is concluded that the noise model provides results which enable a reliable assessment of the project.

The daytime and night-time noise models used to assess the impact of the project have been

calibrated by applying the median difference correction factors shown in Table 10. The standard deviation factors of 1.2 dB and 1.6 dB for the daytime and night-time respectively have also been applied to the Build and No Build noise models to account for uncertainty in the modelling process.





For the controlling daytime period, this equates to a +0.2 dB correction (calculated from a -1.0 noise model calibration and a +1.2 standard deviation) being added to the noise model.

6.5 Predicted Operational Noise Levels

A noise level summary at receivers where the operational noise levels are predicted to exceed the adopted criteria (refer to Section 5) are shown in Appendix E. The table in Appendix E shows predicted noise levels for the study area in 2018 and 2028, for both the No Build and Build scenarios,

as well as the change in noise levels and the appropriate NCG criteria.

Predicted noise level maps showing individual noise levels at all assessed residential receivers are provided in Appendix F for the various assessment scenarios, as per the following:

Appendix F-1 – 2018, No Build

Appendix F-2 – 2018, Build

Appendix F-3 – 2028, No Build

Appendix F-4 – 2028, Build

The predictions for the No Build scenarios make use of the existing road alignment geometry of the roadways and surrounding road networks, as well as a daytime congestion factor on Warringah Road between Forest Way and Wakehurst Parkway. All existing features within the road corridor are also

included in the No Build noise modelling scenarios.

The Build scenarios make use of the proposed design of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects which includes all proposed widening works of the roadway, underpasses, changes to existing turn shoulders, free flowing traffic conditions, etc.

6.6 Summary of Noise Assessment – NSW Noise Criteria Guideline Target Criteria

The predicted number of receivers with noise levels over the NMG cumulative limit, receivers with noise levels over the NCG goals and change in noise levels (Build minus No Build) are shown in Table 11, Table 12 and Figure 4 respectively.

It is noted that the assessment counts single floors of properties as individual ‘receivers’. This means that properties with multiple floors could have multiple ‘receivers’ included in the summary counts shown below if multiple floors of the same property are predicted to be above the criteria. Note that

for multi-level residential buildings, only the first two floors of a receiver is considered in the assessment under the Roads and Maritime noise guidelines.

Noise criteria for the Stage 1 and Stage 2 project have previously been discussed in Section 5.

Considerations of feasible and reasonable noise mitigation measures for the project are discussed in more detail in Section 7.

A detailed summary of operational noise levels at individual receivers, NCG criteria, changes in noise

level, cumulative limit exceedances, and properties considered for mitigation is shown in Appendix E, and graphically in Appendix F, Appendix H and Appendix I.





Table 11 Summary of Receivers Exceeding NMG Cumulative Limit – Base Case

Receiver1

NCA Stage 1 and Stage 2 2018 Stage 1 and Stage 2 2028

No Build Build No Build Build

Day Night Day Night Day Night Day Night

RES 01 43 39 37 37 45 39 37 37

RES 02 39 35 32 31 39 35 33 30

RES 03 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RES 04 37 34 35 34 37 34 36 34

RES 05 43 35 35 30 43 36 36 30

RES 06 28 22 24 19 28 22 24 20

RES 07 14 29 29 28 17 30 29 28

RES 08 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RES 09 0 0 3 2 0 0 2 2

RES 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RES 12 18 11 11 8 20 11 12 9

RES 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RES 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RES 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RES 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RES 17 29 24 26 24 29 24 26 24

RES 18 40 34 38 35 41 36 39 38

RES 19 22 22 22 22 23 22 23 22

RES All 313 285 292 270 322 289 297 274





Receiver1




Others 01 5 2 5 2 5 2 5 2

Others 02 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Others 03 19 0 19 0 19 0 19 0

Others 04 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Others 05 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Others 06 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

Others 07 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Others 08 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Others 09 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Others 10 16 0 16 0 16 0 16 0

Others 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Others 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Others 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Others 15 14 0 14 0 14 0 14 0

Others 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Others 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Others 18 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Others 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Others All 66 14 66 14 66 14 66 14

Note 1: RES = Residential. Others = Aged Care Centres, Child Care Centres, Educational, Hotels, Places of Worship,

Outdoor Areas (Active and Passive), Medical Facilities

Note 2: NCG criteria defined in Section 5.3.1.





Table 12 Summary of Receivers over the NCG Noise Goals- Base Case

Receiver1




RES 01 67 58 51 47 69 61 51 47

RES 02 61 46 43 39 62 48 44 40

RES 03 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RES 04 51 42 47 42 52 42 47 42

RES 05 51 43 46 43 51 43 47 43

RES 06 29 30 30 29 29 30 31 29

RES 07 37 38 37 37 39 39 37 37

RES 08 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RES 09 2 3 11 8 3 3 10 8

RES 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RES 12 28 22 25 23 28 23 26 23

RES 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RES 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RES 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RES 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RES 17 34 30 30 30 34 30 30 30

RES 18 48 44 48 45 49 45 49 46

RES 19 27 25 27 26 28 25 28 26

RES All 435 381 395 369 444 389 400 371

Others 01 5 2 5 2 5 2 5 2

Others 02 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Others 03 19 0 19 0 19 0 19 0

Others 04 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Others 05 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Others 06 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

Others 07 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Others 08 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Others 09 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Others 10 16 0 16 0 16 0 16 0

Others 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Others 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Others 14 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0

Others 15 15 0 15 0 16 0 16 0

Others 16 4 2 5 3 5 2 5 4

Others 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Others 18 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Others 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Others All 71 16 73 17 73 16 74 18

Note 1: RES = Residential. Others = Aged Care Centres, Child Care Centres, Educational, Hotels, Places of Worship, Outdoor Areas (Active and Passive), Medical Facilities






Figure 4 Change in Noise Levels (Build minus No Build) – Base Case

The information presented in Table 11, Table 12 and Figure 4 indicates the following:

363 sensitive receivers are predicted to have noise levels over the NMG cumulative limit in the controlling 2028 daytime Build scenario. This is a decrease from 388 sensitive receivers in the No Build case.

474 sensitive receivers are predicted to have noise levels above NCG goals in the controlling 2028 daytime Build scenario. This is a decrease from 517 receivers in the No Build case.

At the majority of receivers within the study area, the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects are predicted to result in a minor decrease in noise levels during the daytime and a less than 1.0 dB increase in

noise levels during the night-time.

In summary, the above shows that in both 2018 and 2028, the Build scenario has fewer receivers with predicted noise levels that are above the NCG criteria. This is the result of reduced traffic volume on

Frenchs Forest Road as drivers utilise Warringah Road following upgrades. Additionally, the sub-surface underpass will partly mitigate its own noise emissions where line-of-sight to vehicles at receiver locations is blocked by the reduced depth of the road way and retaining walls.

6.6.1 Receivers Eligible for Consideration of Mitigation – Base Case

In summary, a total of 366 sensitive receivers are predicted to be eligible for consideration of noise mitigation across the Stage 1 and Stage 2 study area in the base case. This number consists of:












Within NCAs 05, 06, 10, 12, and 17 next to Naree Road, Frenchs Forest Road West and Frenchs Forest Road East, there are 21 less residential receivers which are eligible for consideration for noise

mitigation when compared to the Stage 1 operational noise assessment. This is the result of reduced traffic flows along these roads as drivers utilise Warringah Road following its upgrade as part of Stage 2. This is contrary to the Stage 1 traffic noise model which did not include the upgraded

Warringah Road design. At these 21 residential receiver locations, noise levels are above NCG noise criteria, however there is not a greater than 2 dB increase (but rather a decrease) in noise levels and thus the receivers are not considered eligible for consideration of mitigation.

A summary of the sensitive receivers eligible for consideration of mitigation, separated into NCAs, is shown in Table 13.

Table 13 Summary of Sensitive Receivers Eligible for Consideration of Mitigation per NCA –

Base Case

NCA Does project increase noise levels by more than 2 dB?

Are the noise levels at sensitive receivers above cumulative limit?

Number of properties eligible for consideration of noise mitigation

1 No Yes 42

2 Yes Yes 40

3 No Yes 19

4 No Yes 36

5 No Yes 36

6 No Yes 27

7 Yes Yes 31

8 No No 0

9 Yes Yes 9

10 Yes Yes 16

12 No Yes 12

13 No No 0

14 No No 0

15 Yes Yes 8

16 No No 0

17 No Yes 26

18 No Yes 41

19 No Yes 23

Total 366

All traffic data used in the prediction of operational road traffic noise impacts has been provided by Roads and Maritime and is based on outputs from the NBH Stage 2 Road Traffic Model. Reference should be made to the Northern Beaches Hospital - Connectivity and Network Enhancement Works –

Stage 2 – Traffic and Transport Assessment for further details relating to the methodology and potential limitations of the data.

It is noted that noise levels which are above the NCG criteria do not necessarily result in exceedances

of the adopted project criteria which trigger the need for additional noise mitigation measures to be considered (as per the NMG).





7 ASSESSMENT OF REASONABLE AND FEASIBLE MITIGATION MEASURES

7.1 Procedure Overview

Section 6 of the NMG states:

When evaluating if a receiver qualified for consideration of noise mitigation, Roads and Maritime considers how far above the criterion the noise level is and also how much the noise

level is increased by.

For identifying noise mitigation measures, Section 7 of the NMG states:

For receivers that qualify for consideration of additional noise mitigation measures, identify

potential noise mitigation measures from the list below. Options for noise mitigation measures are listed below in the order of preference for application given in the RNP:

1. Quieter pavement surfaces

2. Noise mounds

3. Noise walls

4. At property treatments

Community views should be considered when evaluating and selecting noise treatments as should the wider community benefits arising from noise mitigation of the proposed road or road redevelopment.

7.2 Noise Mitigation Guideline – Feasible and Reasonable Definition

Where the noise goals (refer Section 7.3) in the Build scenarios are found to be exceeded as a result of a project, the project is required to adopt all feasible and reasonable mitigation measures to meet the targets.

Section 7 of the NMG defines what feasible and reasonable factors may be cons idered when investigating noise mitigation measures.

‘Feasibility’ relates to engineering considerations (what can be practically built) and may include:

The inherent limitations of different techniques to reduce noise emissions from road traffic noise sources.

Safety issues, such as restrictions on road vision.

Road corridor site constraints such as space limitations.

Floodway and stormwater flow obstruction.

Access requirements.

Maintenance requirements.

The suitability of building conditions for at-property treatments.

‘Reasonableness’ relates to the application of wider judgements. The factors to be considered are:

The noise reduction provided and the number of people protected.

The cost of mitigation, including the total cost and cost variations with different benefits provided.





Community views and wishes.

Visual impacts.

Existing and future noise levels, including changes in noise levels.

The benefits arising from the proposed road or road development.

Relative weighting of treatments with respect to protection of outdoor areas or only internal living areas.

7.3 Project Criteria for Consideration of Additional Noise Mitigation

In accordance with Section 6 of the NMG, Roads and Maritime consider it reasonable to consider

additional noise mitigation (beyond the adoption of road design and traffic management measures) where:

Trigger 1

The predicted Build noise level exceeds the NCG target criteria for redeveloped roads and the noise level increase due to the project (ie the noise predictions for the Build minus the No Build) is greater than 2 dB.

or:

Trigger 2

The total noise level in the build year is 5 dB or more above the NCG criterion for that receiver

type (termed an exceedance of the cumulative limit). A receiver with noise levels at or above 65 dBA LAeq(15hour) and 60 dBA LAeq(9hour) may be referred to as acute.

It is noted that the Roads and Maritime noise guidelines were subject to review in late 2014, during the

period that the noise assessment was being undertaken. The cumulative limit when applied to non-residential receivers requires consideration of internal noise criteria. This internal noise criteria needs to be converted to an external noise criteria for the purposes of assessment with external noise

level predictions. The RNP recommends a 10 dB factor to convert internal to external noise levels on the basis that facades with windows open typically provide approximately 10 dB attenuation from inside to outside. For non-residential receivers this assumption may be overly conservative as the

facade area to window ratios are often larger when compared to residential receivers. During detailed design stage the cumulative limit with respect to internal noise levels should be investigated considering less conservative internal to external conversion factors. This investigation may show a

change in the number of non-residential receivers that have been identified as eligible for consideration of treatment in this document.

7.4 Road Design and Traffic Management

There are limited opportunities to acoustically optimise the design of Stage 1 roads given that the existing road network is surrounded by existing communities and properties.

Similarly, traffic management strategies are not considered to be a feasible option for the project given the high daily volumes of traffic that use the roadways in both the existing and future scenarios.

For Stage 2, the proposed design incorporates a slotted underpass along the centre of Warringah

Road. The design is acoustically advantageous in providing noise attenuation by reduced line-of-sight to vehicles travelling in the underpass. Additionally, the underpass results in fewer cars using surface roads, potentially offsetting the noise impacts associated with the new westbound lanes.





7.5 Pavement Surface

According to the ENMM, quieter pavements are not considered to be a cost -effective noise treatment option where posted speeds are less than 70 km/h, as is the case for the study area. This is because

engine noise tends to dominate road side noise levels at lower vehicles speeds, as opposed to tyre noise (which quiet pavements aim at reducing) at higher speeds.

Additionally, the roads within the study area are subject to notable amounts of heavy vehicles in the

form or buses and commercial delivery vehicles which would be required to frequently stop and start at traffic lights. The use of a low noise surface such as Open Grade Asphaltic Concrete (OGA) would therefore be considered impractical under such circumstances from a durability standpoint.

7.6 Noise Barriers

Where the optimisation of the roadway design is insufficient to meet the target noise levels in the Build

assessment scenarios, a project is required to apply all feasible and reasonable additional noise control methods (ie noise barriers and architectural treatments) in an attempt to meet the goals.

Where additional mitigation measures are identified as being required, preference is to be given to the

use of ‘built’ wayside noise barriers, as all dwellings (and associated external/outdoor areas) behind the barriers benefit from the resulting reduction in noise.

Reference should be made to the 2028 daytime Build scenario receiver predicted noise levels drawing

in Appendix F which indicate where individual residential exceedances of noise criteria are predicted.

7.6.1 Noise Wall Design and Optimisation Process

Assessment overview

In sensitive receiver locations where exceedances of the operational noise criteria are predicted, new or increased height noise barriers have been considered where more than three exceeding properties are found to be closely spaced. Where the number of exceeding receivers is found to be three or less,

the specification of noise barriers is not considered to be a reasonable or cost -effective approach and architectural treatment of these receivers should be considered. This appr oach is consistent with the NMG.

Noise barriers are typically most efficient when the receivers that it is protecting are located at ground floor level. As the height above ground of a receiver increases, the noise reduction due to the barrier is usually seen to reduce due to the increased line-of-sight over the top of the barrier to the road

corridor (ie reduced path length difference).

It is not uncommon for upper floors of multi-storey buildings to see little to no reduction in noise levels from nearby barriers because of their elevation. The process of determining reasonable barrier

heights would therefore generally be less likely to result in noise barriers being considered a reasonable option where the most affected receiver is located on the higher floors. With consideration of this, the assessment and optimisation of noise barriers for the study area makes use of noise

predictions at ground and first floor only.

NMG requirements

The underlying principle in the NMG document is to give preference to at-road noise mitigation

measures over at-property measures.





The NMG approach identifies the number of receivers (noting that a two storey residence is counted as two receivers) that receive at -residence treatment versus barrier height to establish an initial design

height and then conducts a weighted analysis to find the optimal mix of barrier height and at -property treatment. This prioritises at-road mitigation and minimises the use of at residence treatments, as per the intent of the NCG.

This approach first identifies the maximum barrier height (up to 8 metres) where no receivers require at residence treatment. The initial design height is then established by identifying the height where, of the receivers that benefit from the noise barrier, two thirds no longer require at residence treatment. A

value of two thirds has been chosen as further increases in barrier height have been shown to have diminishing benefits per increase in height increment.

Weightings are then applied which consider cost and the benefits the barrier provides to the wider

community. The total points weighting at each barrier height is the sum of the weightings for barrier area, number of at property treatments and exceedances of the 50 dBA day or 45 dBA night World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria.

A low point in the weighting curve between the initial design height and the maximum barrier height corresponds to the most reasonable barrier height in terms of community benefit and weighted cost . The feasibleness and reasonableness of the design and maximum barrier heights are then reviewed.

As a guide, noise barriers are considered to be a reasonable noise mitigation option where they are capable of providing an insertion loss of:

5 dB at representative receivers for heights of up to 5 metres high.

10 dB at representative receivers for heights above 5 metres high and up to 8 metres high.

In certain situations the requirements for the barrier cannot always be met. In this case further feasible and reasonable considerations are undertaken with guidance from Roads and Maritime.

7.7 Project Noise Barriers

The noise barriers which have been assessed are detailed below in Table 14.

For the receivers where the noise criteria are exceeded along Forest Way and Frenchs Forest Road, the use of noise barriers is not considered to be a feasible noise mitigation measure. This is mainly due to sensitive receivers in these densely populated areas being accessed mostly via driveways off

of the project roads.

The locations of all design noise barriers in the study area are illustrated in Figure 5. Reference should be made to Appendix G for further discussion on the noise barrier optimisation process for

individual locations.

Table 14 Assessed Noise Barriers

Reference Length (m) Height (m)

Initial Maximum Final

NW.01.W 94 3.5 8.0 4.0

NW.02.C 646 3.0 5.5 3.5

NW.03.E 97 3.0 8.0 3.0





Figure 5 Assessed Noise Barriers

7.8 Final Build Predictions

The final design of the noise barriers shown in Table 14 has been included in the modelling of the final 2028 Build scenario.

The predicted number of receivers with noise levels over the NMG cumulative limit and receivers with noise levels over the NCG goals are shown in Table 15 and Table 16 respectively.

Predicted noise level maps showing individual noise levels at all residential receivers for the final Build

scenario in the controlling daytime period are provided in Appendix H.

In summary, the results show a reduction in the number of receivers considered eligible for consideration of noise mitigation between the 2028 Build scenario and the 2028 Final Design Build

scenario. This is due to the Final Design scenario including all recommended new noise barriers. No change between the 2028 Build predictions and the Final Build predictions are apparent for receivers away from the designed noise barriers.

NW.01.W

NW.02.C

NW.03.E





Table 15 Summary of Receivers Exceeding NMG Cumulative Limit – Final Build

Receiver1

NCA Final Build

2018 2028

Day Night Day Night

RES 01 37 37 37 37

RES 02 28 28 29 28

RES 03 0 0 0 0

RES 04 35 34 36 34

RES 05 35 30 36 30

RES 06 24 19 24 20

RES 07 2 0 2 1

RES 08 0 0 0 0

RES 09 1 0 1 0

RES 10 0 0 0 0

RES 12 11 8 12 9

RES 13 0 0 0 0

RES 14 0 0 0 0

RES 15 0 0 0 0

RES 16 0 0 0 0

RES 17 26 24 26 24

RES 18 38 35 39 38

RES 19 22 22 23 22

RES All 259 237 265 243

Others 01 5 2 5 2

Others 02 5 5 5 5

Others 03 19 0 19 0

Others 04 0 0 0 0

Others 05 0 0 0 0

Others 06 3 3 3 3

Others 07 0 0 0 0

Others 08 0 0 0 0

Others 09 2 2 2 2

Others 10 16 0 16 0

Others 12 0 0 0 0

Others 13 0 0 0 0

Others 14 0 0 0 0

Others 15 14 0 14 0

Others 16 0 0 0 0

Others 17 0 0 0 0

Others 18 2 2 2 2

Others 19 0 0 0 0

Others All 66 14 66 14







Table 16 Summary of Receivers over the NCG Noise Goals- Final Build

Receiver1

NCA Final Build

2018 2028

Day Night Day Night

RES 01 51 47 51 47

RES 02 39 36 39 37

RES 03 0 0 0 0

RES 04 47 42 47 42

RES 05 46 43 47 43

RES 06 30 29 31 29

RES 07 5 3 5 3

RES 08 0 0 0 0

RES 09 8 5 8 5

RES 10 0 0 0 0

RES 12 25 23 26 23

RES 13 0 0 0 0

RES 14 0 0 0 0

RES 15 0 0 0 0

RES 16 0 0 0 0

RES 17 30 30 30 30

RES 18 48 45 49 46

RES 19 27 26 28 26

RES All 356 329 361 331

Others 01 5 2 5 2

Others 02 5 5 5 5

Others 03 19 0 19 0

Others 04 0 0 0 0

Others 05 0 0 0 0

Others 06 3 3 3 3

Others 07 0 0 0 0

Others 08 0 0 0 0

Others 09 2 2 2 2

Others 10 16 0 16 0

Others 12 0 0 0 0

Others 13 0 0 0 0

Others 14 1 0 1 0

Others 15 15 0 16 0

Others 16 5 3 5 4

Others 17 0 0 0 0

Others 18 2 2 2 2

Others 19 0 0 0 0

Others All 73 17 74 18







7.9 Residual Architectural Property Treatments

At some locations where the noise criteria are exceeded as a result of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 project, the feasibility and reasonableness considerations discussed previously have concluded that

the construction of noise barriers are not feasible, reasonable or cost-effective (eg along Forest Way and Frenchs Forest Road).

At such locations, where residual impacts remain after all feasible and reasonable approaches have

been exhausted, noise mitigation in the form of acoustic treatment of existing individual dwellings is to be considered, where feasible and reasonable.

At-property architectural acoustic treatments should aim to achieve internal noise levels in habitable

rooms 10 dB below the external noise level criteria. In some cases this will be limited by the existing construction and condition of the residence.

Building element treatments are more effective when they are applied to masonry structures than

lightly clad timber frame structures. Caution should be exercised before providing treatments for buildings in a poor state of repair, as they will be less effective and may not provide any app reciable noise reduction benefit.

The acoustic treatments provided by Roads and Maritime are typically limited to:

Fresh air ventilation systems that meet the Building Code of Australia requirements with the windows and doors closed (in certain circumstances air conditioning that includes fresh air intake may also be considered, particularly where adverse climate conditions prevail).

Upgraded windows and glazing and solid core doors on the exposed facades of the substantial structures only (eg masonry or insulated weather board cladding with sealed underfloor). These techniques would be unlikely to produce any noticeable benefit for light frame structures with no

acoustic insulation in the walls.

Upgrading window or door seals and appropriately treating sub-floor ventilation.

The sealing of wall vents.

The sealing of the underfloor below the bearers.

The sealing of eaves.

In accordance with the NMG, where facade t reatment is undertaken, there is no guarantee that remedial works will achieve any specific noise levels.

Note that for multi-level residential buildings, only the first two floors of a receiver is considered in the assessment under the Roads and Maritime noise guidelines.

Furthermore, the above numbers count single floors of properties as individual ‘receivers’. This means

that where, for example, a property is predicted to have exceedances of the criteria at both the ground and first floor levels, that property would then be counted as two separate ‘receivers’ in the summary counts.

For the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects, the recommended residual noise impact mitigation package for all habitable rooms of eligible locations is as follows:





Architectural Treatment of Exceeding Dwellings <=10 dB over NCG Target

Where external noise levels are up to 10 dB above the NCG target criteria (refer to Table 7),

acceptable internal noise levels may be achieved with windows closed on exposed facades.

A light framed building with single glazed (closed) windows with sealed wall vents will typically provide an external to internal noise reduction of 20 dB. Where the NCG internal target criteria in

habitable rooms can only be achieved with windows and vents closed, then mechanical ventilation should be provided (subject to individual consultation with dwelling owners) to ensure sufficient airflow inside the dwelling, so as to meet the requirements of the Building Code of

Australia.

Architectural Treatment of Exceeding Dwellings >10 dB over NCG Target

Where the external levels are greater than 10 dB above the NCG target criteria, then upgraded windows, doors and/or seals (depending on individual assessment and generally only suitable for

masonry type buildings) is necessary, in addition to the above.

Stage 1 and Stage 2 Architectural Property Treatments

The location of all exceeding properties which have been identified for consideration for architectural

treatment are detailed in Appendix E, whilst the location of individual receivers is illustrated on the residual property treatment maps in Appendix I.

It should be noted that all sensitive receivers in the vicinity of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 project roads

are controlled by the daytime noise levels.

In summary, a total of 333 sensitive ‘receivers’ are predicted to be eligible for consideration of property treatment as part of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects. This number consists of:







Of the receiver locations considered eligible for consideration for noise mitigation, 247 buildings are

residential and 42 buildings are non-residential.

A summary of the sensitive receivers eligible for consideration of mitigation, separated into NCAs, is shown in Table 17.





Table 17 Summary of Residual Architectural Property Treatments per NCA – Final Build

NCA Does project increase noise levels by more than 2 dB?

Are the noise levels at sensitive receivers above cumulative limit?

Number of properties eligible for consideration of noise mitigation

1 No Yes 42

2 Yes Yes 37

3 No Yes 19

4 No Yes 36

5 No Yes 36

6 No Yes 27

7 Yes Yes 4

8 No No 0

9 Yes Yes 6

10 Yes Yes 16

12 No Yes 12

13 No No 0

14 No No 0

15 Yes Yes 8

16 No No 0

17 No Yes 26

18 No Yes 41

19 No Yes 23

Total 333

7.10 Sensitivity Analysis

A sensitivity analysis of the operational road traffic noise assessment and noise modelling methodology has been undertaken.

The likely change in the predicted number of receivers that are considered eligible for consideration of property treatment has been determined by applying a nominal correction factor to the 2028 noise model predictions in 0.5 dB increments (including risk allowance factors discussed at the end of

Section 6.4). This exercise is summarised in Figure 6.

Reference to Figure 6 indicates that an additional 34 receivers would be eligible for consideration of property treatment if a +1 dB correction were to be added to the noise model predictions. A reduction

of 22 receivers would be apparent if 1 dB was to be subtracted.

Figure 6 NCG Sensitivity Analysis – Receivers Eligible for Consideration of Mitigation





7.11 Maximum Noise Levels

A maximum noise level assessment has been conducted in accordance with the procedure Preparing

an Operational Noise and Vibration Assessment (Roads and Maritime, 2011).

It is noted that the RNP and ENMM both state that whilst a maximum noise level assessment is required to be undertaken for new and upgraded road infrastructure projects, it should only be used as

a tool to help prioritise and rank mitigation strategies, and should not be applied as a decisive criterion in itself.

The objective of the maximum noise level assessment is to determine whether maximum noise levels

are likely to increase or decrease as a result of the project.

7.11.1 Maximum Noise Level Measurements

Maximum noise level events were measured as part of the ambient noise study undertaken at noise

monitoring locations NM1 to NM12 during December 2013. Noise monitoring locat ions and measurement methodologies are described in detail in Section 4.

The maximum noise level assessment includes an evaluation of the number and distribution of

night-time passby events in accordance with the ENMM. A maximum noise level event is defined within the ENMM as being any pass by where:

The maximum noise level of the event is greater than 65 dBA, and





The LAFmax – LAeq(1hour) is greater than or equal to 15 dB.

The results of the maximum noise level assessments are provided in Appendix J and include the

maximum noise level range for the passby events. A summary of the maximum noise level assessments is presented in Table 18.

Table 18 Maximum Noise Level Events

Monitoring Location

Monitoring Dates Total Night-time Events within the Monitoring Period

Measured Maximum Noise Level LAmax,fast (dBA)

Range Average

NM1 6/12/13 - 20/12/13 361 69-93 74

NM2 6/12/13 - 20/12/13 577 69-91 76

NM3 6/12/13 - 20/12/13 201 65-88 68

NM4 6/12/13 - 20/12/13 561 67-89 74

NM5 6/12/13 - 20/12/13 234 65-78 69

NM6 6/12/13 - 20/12/13 37 65-73 67

NM7 6/12/13 - 20/12/13 247 65-84 68

NM8 6/12/13 - 20/12/13 59 65-78 68

NM9 6/12/13 - 20/12/13 209 65-83 71

NM10 6/12/13 - 20/12/13 207 65-79 68

NM11 6/12/13 - 20/12/13 713 65-84 69

NM12 6/12/13 - 20/12/13 505 65-86 71

Note 1: A maximum noise level assessment has not been conducted for monitoring location NM13 as this location w as not at a residential receiver and therefore the sleep disturbance criteria do not apply.

From the results presented within it can be seen that average maximum noise level events typically range from 67 dBA to 76 dBA at monitoring locations NM1 to NM12.

7.11.2 Maximum Noise Level Predictions

A worst-case increase in the magnitude of maximum noise events of up to approximately 6 dB is predicted at receivers along Frenchs Forest Road. This is due to proposed widening of the existing

roadway which will reduce the distance between dwellings and vehicles by up to approximately 50%. An increase in the number of events would also be expected in accordance with the increase in t raffic volumes.

The new Warringah Road westbound surface lanes will also be bring the road alignment closer to residents in NCA07, however such increases will be offset by the noise barriers discussed in Section 7.6. Furthermore, a decrease in the number of events would be expected in accordance with

the decrease in traffic volumes on surface roads.

Notwithstanding, it should be noted that strategies are currently being implemented to reduce road traffic noise across the state’s road network which may reduce the number of maximum noise levels

events over the longer term.

These strategies include local council requirements to include noise mitigation in new dwellings, metropolitan plans to increase the use of public transport, state wide plans for upgrades of major

transport routes, and national initiatives to reduce heavy vehicle engine brake noise and road freight haulage.

In addition, state wide strategies for sharing freight with rail modes are expected to result in reduced

noise from heavy vehicle freight on roads in many areas and a corresponding reduction in high noise level events from road traffic.





7.12 Review of Operational Noise Impacts on Forest High School

The SEARs for the Stage 2 Project require a specific assessment of Forest High School. As such, Table 19 summarises the predicted operational noise levels for Forest High School.

For the school buildings, the most affected point is typically the building facade with the clearest line-of-sight to the nearest project road. For outdoor areas, this is typically the nearest point on the boundary of which students are allowed to play within. The levels are taken from Appendix E.





Table 19 Assessment of Forest High School

Location/ Building and Affected Floor1 2

Applicable Criteria

Highest Predicted Operational Noise Level (LAeq(1hour) dBA)3

(No-Build)


(Build)

Change in Noise Level (Build Minus No Build) (dB)


(Build)

Cumulative Limit Exceedance

Eligible for Consideration of Mitigation?

2018 2028 2018 2028 2018 2028 2018 2028

G / D Block - Ground School Classrooms

LAeq(1hour) 50 dB (External)

55 56 58 58 2.5 2.2 54 54 Yes Yes

G / D Block - First 69 69 67 68 -1.8 -1.5 63 64 Yes Yes

F / Hall - Ground 66 67 65 66 -1.1 -0.8 61 62 Yes Yes

F / Hall - First 68 68 67 67 -1.3 -1 63 63 Yes Yes

E / A Block - Ground 57 57 59 59 2.1 1.8 55 59 Yes Yes

E / A Block - First 66 66 65 65 -1 -0.7 61 61 Yes Yes

B / Canteen 59 59 61 61 1.8 1.6 57 57 Yes Yes

C / F Block 64 64 65 65 1.2 1 61 61 Yes Yes

I / Gym - Ground 66 67 68 68 1.3 1 64 64 Yes Yes

I / Gym - First 68 68 69 69 1.4 1.1 65 65 Yes Yes

H / Library - Ground 63 63 63 63 0.6 0.4 59 59 Yes Yes

H / Library - First 63 64 64 64 0.6 0.4 60 60 Yes Yes

A / C Block - Ground 53 54 56 56 2.3 2.1 52 52 Yes Yes

A / C Block - First 63 63 64 64 1.4 0.6 60 60 Yes Yes

D / B Block - Ground 55 54 57 56 2.2 2.1 53 52 Yes Yes

D / B Block - First 66 67 65 66 -1.1 -0.9 61 62 Yes Yes

Soccer field and multi-purpose outdoor courts

Open Space (Active Use)

LAeq(15hour) 60dB (External) when in use

n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 62 62 No No

Undercover assembly area


Note 1: Where a building is referenced, the single letter designation follow s the Department of Education and Communities naming convention, w hereas the descriptor represents the naming

convention used by The Forest High School.

Note 2: Where there is an appreciable level difference between the ground and f irst f loor, this is because the ground floor experiences a greater than 2 dB change in noise level, but that triggered facade is not necessarily the highest noise level at that f loor. The increase in noise level is show n as a priority. In all cases, the ground floor maximum level is comparable to the f irst f loor.

Note 3: For buildings, noise levels are facade reflected. For outdoor areas, noise levels are free f ield. Operational noise levels are rounded to the nearest integer.





The highest predicted LAeq(1hour) noise levels at The Forest High School show exceedances of the NCG criteria and NMG cumulative limit.

A change in noise level of greater than 2.0 dB is evident at the ground floors of D Block, A Block, B Block and C Block.

All buildings and their identified floors are eligible for consideration of mitigation due to exceedances of

the NMG cumulative limit.

Note that the RNP recommends a 10 dB factor to convert internal to external noise levels on the basis that facades with windows open typically provide approximately 10 dB attenuation from inside to

outside. For non-residential receivers this assumption may be overly conservative as the facade area to window ratios are often larger when compared to residential receivers. During detailed design stage the cumulative limit with respect to internal noise levels should be investigated considering less

conservative internal to external conversion factors. This investigation may show a change in the number of non-residential receivers that have been identified as eligible for consideration of treatment in this document.

7.13 Review of Operational Noise Impacts on Frenchs Forest Public School

The SEARs for the Stage 2 Project require a specific assessment of Frenchs Forest Public School. As such, Table 19 summarises the predicted operational noise levels for Frenchs Forest Public School.

For the school buildings, the most affected point is typically the building facade with the clearest line-

of-sight to the nearest project road. For outdoor areas, this is typically the nearest point on the boundary of which students are allowed to play within. The levels are taken from Appendix E.





Table 20 Assessment of Frenchs Forest Public School

Location/ Building and Affected Floor1

Applicable Criteria

Highest Predicted Operational Noise Level (LAeq(1hour) dBA)2 3 (No-Build)

Highest Predicted Operational Noise Level (LAeq(1hour) dBA)2 3 (Build)

Change in Noise Level (Build Minus No Build) (dB)

Highest Predicted Operational Noise Level (LAeq(15hour) dBA)2 3

(Build)

Cumulative Limit Exceedance

Eligible for Consideration of Mitigation?

2018 2028 2018 2028 2018 2028 2018 2028

I Block School Classrooms

LAeq(1hour) 50 dB (External)

65 65 63 63 -2.1 -2.4 59 59 Yes Yes

J Block 63 63 63 63 -0.6 -0.8 59 59 Yes Yes

O Block 62 62 61 61 -1 -1.2 57 57 Yes Yes

H Block – Ground 62 63 60 60 -1.8 -2 56 56 Yes Yes

H Block – First 65 65 63 63 -1.6 -1.9 59 59 Yes Yes

R Block – Ground 60 60 59 59 -0.6 -0.9 55 55 Yes Yes

R Block – First 62 62 61 62 -0.7 -0.9 57 58 Yes Yes

P Block 61 61 60 60 -1.1 -1.4 56 56 Yes Yes

A Block 58 58 57 57 -0.6 -0.8 53 53 Yes Yes

C Block 59 59 58 58 -0.7 -0.9 54 54 Yes Yes

B Block 58 58 57 57 -0.3 -0.5 53 53 Yes Yes

Q Block 59 59 58 58 -0.6 -0.9 54 54 Yes Yes

F Block 72 72 70 70 -1.3 -1.5 66 66 Yes Yes

K Block 74 74 72 72 -1.4 -1.6 68 68 Yes Yes

E Block 71 72 71 71 -0.1 -0.3 67 67 Yes Yes

U Block 61 62 61 61 -0.7 -0.9 57 57 Yes Yes

D Block 71 72 71 71 -0.1 -0.3 67 67 Yes Yes

Sports field Open Space (Active Use)

LAeq(15hour) 60dB (External) when in use


Note 1: Naming convention used by Frenchs Forest Public School.

Note 2: For buildings, noise levels are facade reflected. For outdoor areas, noise levels are free f ield.

Note 3: Operational noise levels are rounded to the nearest integer.





The highest predicted LAeq(1hour) noise levels at Frenchs Forest Public School show exceedances of the NCG criteria and NMG cumulative limit.

A change in noise level of greater than 2.0 dB from the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects is not predicted.

All buildings and their identified floors are eligible for consideration of mitigation due to exceedances of the NMG cumulative limit.

Note that the RNP recommends a 10 dB factor to convert internal to external noise levels on the basis that facades with windows open typically provide approximately 10 dB attenuation from inside to outside. For non-residential receivers this assumption may be overly conservative as the facade area

to window ratios are often larger when compared to residential receivers. During detailed design stage the cumulative limit with respect to internal noise levels should be investigated considering less conservative internal to external conversion factors. This investigation may show a change in the

number of non-residential receivers that have been identified as eligible for consideration of treatment in this document.

8 REVIEW OF AMBULANCE VEHICLE ACCESS TO THE NBH

It is noted that noise from ambulance emergency sirens are typically not considered in road traffic operational noise assessments. As a comparison, for the application of train horns during normal operations, it is generally understood that they are a safety device and are therefore exempt from the

standard assessment criteria.

Furthermore, no guideline or policy currently exists to allow for the determination of noise criteria and assessment of siren noise. Details regarding the frequency of emergency vehicle access to the NBH

are also unavailable.

With regards to normal operations of emergency service vehicles (ie sirens inactive), unless visually sighted, such vehicles would not be differentiated from other vehicles on the surrounding road

network, including those entering the hospital site.





9 CONSTRUCTION AIRBORNE NOISE ASSESSMENT

People are usually more tolerant to noise and vibration during the construction phase of proposals

than during full operations. This response results from recognition that the construction emissions are of a temporary nature – especially if the most noise-intensive construction impacts occur during the less sensitive daytime period. For these reasons, acceptable noise and vibration levels are normally

higher during construction than during operation.

Construction often requires the use of heavy machinery which can generate high noise and vibration levels at nearby buildings and receivers. For some equipment, there is limited opportunity to mitigate

the noise and vibration levels in a cost-effective manner and hence the potential impacts should be minimised by using feasible and reasonable management techniques.

At any particular location, the potential impacts can vary greatly depending on factors such as the

relative proximity of sensitive receivers, the overall duration of the construction works, the intensity of the noise and vibration levels, the time at which the construction works are undertaken and the character of the noise or vibration emissions.

The following sections detail the assessment of potential airborne noise and gr ound vibration impacts associated with the construction of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects. Construction noise and vibration goals have been determined based on the relevant government guidelines and industry standards.

Potential noise and vibration levels have been predicted at sensitive receivers for the expected activities and where levels are above the goals, feasible and reasonable impact mitigation measures are considered.

9.1 Proposed Construction Activities

9.1.1 Proposed Works

This report provides an assessment of the potential noise and vibration impacts associated with the proposed activities required to construct the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects.

The construction noise and vibration assessment has considered the following construction scenarios:

Installation of traffic control including setting up of barriers and signs

Site clearance including installation of silt fences and drainage protection measures

Property adjustment work including driveway adjustment, retaining walls, fencing, utility relocation

Drainage amplification work

Kerb and gutter work

Road construction

Concrete footpath construction

Line marking and sign posting

Traffic signalling works

Carpark construction

Vegetation clearing

Demolition works

Site compound activities

Slot construction

Pedestrian/cyclist bridge construction





9.1.2 Construction Hours

Where possible, works would be completed during the standard day time construction hours of

Monday to Friday 7:00 am to 6:00 pm and Saturdays 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. However, the nat ure of the project means evening and night work would also be required. The anticipated construction hours for the proposal are discussed further in Section 9.7.1.

Activities listed in Table 21 are anticipated to be required, at times, to be performed as Out-of-Hours Work (OOHW).

Table 21 Out-of-Hours Work Activities and Justification

Activity Justification

Utility adjustments Utility adjustments typically need to be undertaken during out of hours work periods to minimise the impact on consumers, road traffic and ensure the safety to improve the safety of workers involved.

Completion of tie-ins and temporary diversions and traffic switches.

Completing or installing these items at night when traffic flows on Warringah Road and Wakehurst Parkway would minimise disruption to traffic and minimise any potential safety conflict between construction personnel and traffic.

Delivering large pre-cast concrete components, such as slot planks and deck units, and over-dimensioned plant and equipment.

To minimise disruption to traffic flows.

Project support and site compound operation

Operation of the site compound would be required to support proposed out of hours work.

Erection of slot cover planks and deck units During construction, the slot cover planks and deck units would be placed in close proximity to operating roadways. Due to the potential safety risks to road users and construction personnel associated with operating near the existing alignment, these works would need to be undertaken outside peak traffic hours or at night when there are lower traffic flows. Avoiding peak periods would also minimise the disruption to traffic.

Erection of pedestrian/cyclist bridges To minimise safety risks to local traffic and residents

Pavement works, temporary medians and linemarking

Pavement works would involve the milling and re-sheeting of asphalt overlay for existing roads , and full depth asphalt paving of the additional lanes on Warringah Road. While these works are to be completed in stages, they require lane closures and, in some cases, total closure of roads in order to safely carry out the works. This means that asphalting cannot be undertaken during periods of high traffic volumes and would need to occur during evening and night-time periods.

Refuelling operations and maintenance To maximise the plant and machinery operations during the recommended standard hours, and thus reduce the overall duration of the project, refuelling operations of plant and machinery are proposed at:

- 5:00 am to 7:00 am Monday to Saturday or

- 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm Monday to Friday or

- 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm Saturday.





9.2 Construction Noise Metrics

The noise metrics used to describe construction noise emissions in the modelling and assessments are:

LA1(1minute) The typical ‘maximum noise level for an event’, used in the assessment of potential sleep disturbance during night-time periods. Alternatively, the assessment may be conducted using the LAmax or maximum noise level.

LAeq(15minute) The ‘energy average noise level’ evaluated over a 15-minute period. This parameter is used to assess the potential construction noise impacts.

LA90 The ‘background noise level’ in the absence of construction activities. This

parameter represents the average minimum noise level during the daytime, evening and night-time periods respectively. The LAeq(15 minute) construction noise management levels are based on the LA90 background noise levels.

The subscript ‘A’ indicates that the noise levels are filtered to match normal human hearing characteristics (ie A-weighted).

9.3 Noise Management Levels for Construction Activity

The NSW EPA ICNG requires proposal speci fic NMLs to be established for noise affected receivers. In the event construction noise levels are predicted to be above the NMLs, all feasible and reasonable

work practices are investigated to minimise noise emissions.

Having investigated all feasible and reasonable work practices, if construction noise levels are still predicted to exceed the NMLs then the potential noise impacts would be managed via site specific

construction noise management plans, to be prepared in the detailed design phase.

9.3.1 Residential Receivers

The ICNG provides an approach for determining LAeq(15minute) NMLs at residential receivers along the

alignment applying the measured LA90(15minute) background noise levels, as described in Table 22.





Table 22 Determination of NMLs for Residential Receivers

Time of Day NML LAeq(15minute)

How to apply

Standard Hours

Monday to Friday 7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Saturday 8:00 am to 1:00 pm

No work on Sundays or public holidays

RBL + 10 dBA The noise affected level represents the point above which there may be some community reaction to noise.

Where the predicted or measured LAeq(15minute) is greater than the noise affected level, the proponent should apply all feasible and reasonable work practices to meet the noise affected level.

The proponent should also inform all potentially impacted residents of the nature of works to be carried out, the expected noise levels and duration, as well as contact details.

Highly noise affected

75 dBA

The highly noise affected level represents the point above which there may be strong community reaction to noise.

Where noise is above this level, the relevant authority (consent, determining or regulatory) may require respite periods by restructuring the hours that the very noisy activities can occur, taking into account:

Times identified by the community when they are less sensitive to noise (such as before and after school for works near schools or mid-morning or mid-afternoon for works near residences.

If the community is prepared to accept a longer period of construction in exchange for restrictions on construction times.

Outside recommended standard hours

RBL + 5 dBA A strong justification would typically be required for works outside the recommended standard hours.

The proponent should apply all feasible and reasonable work practices to meet the noise affected level.

Where all feasible and reasonable practice have been applied and noise is more than 5 dB above the noise affected level, the proponent should negotiate with the community.

Note 1: Noise levels apply at the property boundary that is most exposed to construction noise, and at a height of 1.5 m

above ground level. If the property boundary is more than 30 m from the residence, the location for measuring or predicting noise levels is at the most noise-affected point w ithin 30 m of the residence. Noise levels may be higher at upper f loors of the noise affected residence.

Note 2: The RBL is the overall single-f igure background noise level measured in each relevant assessment period (during

or outside the recommended standard hours). The term RBL is described in detail in the NSW Industrial Noise Policy.

Adopting the measured background noise levels in Table 5, the residential NMLs derived for the study

area are detailed in Table 23.





Table 23 Residential Receiver NMLs in Study Area for Construction

NCA Receiver Type1

NM ID Receiver Type Standard Construction (RBL +10dBA)

Out of Hours (RBL +5dBA) Sleep Disturbance Screening (RBL+15)

Daytime Period

Daytime Period

Evening Period

Night-time Period

NCA01-RES NM1 Residential 67 62 59 39 49














Note 1: Omitted NCAs do not contain any residential receivers.

Note 2: NML includes - 2.5 dB facade correction to account for RBL measured close to building facade (refer to Table 4).


Where construction is required to be undertaken during the night -time period the potential for sleep disturbance should be assessed. The current approach to identifying potential sleep disturbance impacts is to set a screening criterion 15 dB above the RBL during the night -time period (10:00 pm to

7:00 am).

The term ‘screening criterion’ indicates a noise level that is intended as a guide to identify the likelihood of sleep disturbance. It is not a firm criteria to be met, however where the criterion is

complied with sleep disturbance is not likely. When the screening criterion is not met, a more detailed analysis is required.

The detailed analysis should assess the maximum noise level or LA1(1minute), the extent that the

maximum noise level exceeds the background noise level and the number of times any exceedance occurs during the night-time period.

The RNP contains a section on sleep disturbance that includes a summary of current literature,

concluding that:

Maximum internal noise levels below 50 dBA to 55 dBA are unlikely to cause awakening reactions

One or two events per night, with maximum internal noise levels of 65 dBA to 70 dBA, are not likely to affect health and wellbeing significantly.





9.3.3 Other Sensitive Land Uses

The proposal specific LAeq(15minute) NMLs for other non-residential noise sensitive receivers from the

ICNG are provided in Table 24.

Table 24 Noise Management Levels for Other Sensitive Receivers

Land Use NML LAeq(15minute)

(Applied when the property is in use)

Classrooms at schools and other education institutions

Internal noise level 45 dBA

Hospital wards and operating theatres Internal noise level 45 dBA

Places of worship Internal noise level 45 dBA

Active recreation areas (characterised by sporting activities and activities which genera their own noise or focus for participants, making them less sensitive to external noise intrusion)

External noise level 65 dBA

Passive recreation areas

(characterised by contemplative activities that generate little noise and where benefits are compromised by external noise intrusion, eg reading, meditation)

External noise level 60 dBA

For sensitive receivers such as schools and places of worship, the NMLs presented in Table 24 are

based on internal noise levels. For the purpose of this assessment, it is conservatively assumed that all schools and places of worship have openable windows. On the basis that external noise levels are typically 10 dB higher than internal noise levels when windows are open, an external LAeq(15minute)

NML of 55 dBA has been adopted.

Other noise-sensitive businesses require separate proposal specific noise goals and it is suggested in the ICNG that the internal construction noise levels at these premises are to be referenced to the

‘maximum’ internal levels presented in AS/NZS 2107:2000 Acoustics – Recommended design sound levels and reverberation times for building interiors . Recommended ‘maximum’ internal noise levels from AS/NZS 2107:2000 are reproduced in Table 25 for other sensitive receiver types identified within

the study area.

The ICNG does not provide specific guideline on noise levels for childcare centres. Childcare centres generally have internal play areas and sleep areas which are a common space. An internal NML of

LAeq(15minute) 40 dBA (when in use) has therefore been adopted.

On the assumption that windows and doors of childcare centres may be opened, an external NML of LAeq(15minute) 65 dBA for internal play areas has been applied at the facade and would also be

applicable to external play areas. For sleeping areas on the assumption that windows are open (including open plan play areas sharing the same space), the external NML is LAeq(15minute) 50 dBA.





Table 25 AS/NZS 2107:2000 Recommended Maximum Internal Noise Levels

Description Time Period AS/NZS 2107:2000 Classification

Recommended ‘Maximum’ Internal LAeq (dBA)

1

Hotel1 Daytime and Evening Bars and Lounges 50

2,3

Night-time Sleeping Areas: Hotels near major roads

404

Note 1: Design noise levels specif ied in AS/NZS 2107:2000 internal noise levels.

Note 2: Where no external seating has been identif ied, f ixed w indow glazing and air conditioning is assumed to mitigate existing ambient noise levels and/or control internal noise break-out. A minimum outside-to-inside attenuation of 20dB is assumed. The internal ICNG noise goal then corresponds to a facade level of 70 dBA.

Note 3: Where an open frontage or outdoor seating area has been identif ied, the external noise goal is taken to as 60 dBA.

Note 4: Hotels are conservatively assumed to have open w indows with an ICNG noise goal criterion corresponding to an external noise level at the building facade of 50 dBA.

9.3.4 Commercial and Industrial Premises

For commercial premises, including offices, retail outlets and small commercial premises an external NML of LAeq(15minute) 70 dBA has been adopted. An external NML of LAeq(15minute) 75 dBA has been

adopted for industrial premises. In both land uses, the external noise levels should be ass essed at the most affected occupied point on the premises.

9.3.5 Construction Traffic Noise

When trucks and other vehicles are operating within the boundaries of the various construction sites, road vehicle noise contributions are included in the overall predicted LAeq(15minute) construction site noise emissions.

When construction related traffic moves onto the public road network a different noise assessment methodology is appropriate, as vehicle movements would be regarded as ‘additional road traffic’ rather than as part of the construction site. Construction traffic noise impacts on public roads are discussed

in Section 10.

9.4 Overview of Construction Noise Modelling

To quantify noise levels from the construction activities a noise prediction model was developed using SoundPLAN Version 7.1 noise propagation software. The design of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects, local terrain, receiver buildings and structures have been digitised in the noise model to develop a

three-dimensional representation of the construction sites and surrounding environment.

Maximum sound power levels for the typical operation of construction equipment applied in the modelling are listed in Table 26. To assess construction noise levels to the NMLs the maximum noise

levels have been converted to equivalent LAeq(15minute) noise emissions. Based on SLR’s experience on large construction proposals, typical adjustments of between 2 dB to 5 dB have been applied to convert the LAmax noise levels in to LAeq noise levels for assessment with the NMLs. The overall

sound power level and equipment for each scenario is detailed in Appendix K.





Table 26 Sound Power Levels for Construction Equipment

Equipment Noise Level – LAmax (dBA) Without Noise Mitigation

Sound Power Level Sound Pressure Level @ 7 m

Back Hoe (7.5 tonne JCB) 111 86

Bitumen Spray Truck 108 83

Bogies 107 82

Bolting Jumbo 132 107

Chainsaw 116 91

Chipper 128 103

Compactor 110 85

Concrete Pump 109 84

Concrete Saw1

123 98

Concrete Truck / Agitator 112 87

Concrete Vibrator 105 80

Crane Truck 106 81

Daymakers (4 Aspects) 80 55

Dozer 118 93

Elevated Working Platform 102 77

Excavator (1.5 tonne) 92 67

Excavator (20 tonne) 105 80



Excavator (7.5 tonne) 98 73

Excavator (Breaker)1 124 99

Excavator (Diamond Rock Saw) 1 109 84

Flatbed Truck 106 81

Franna Crane 107 82

Generator 104 79

Grader 113 88

Hand Tools 100 75

Jackhammer1 113 88

Line Marking Plant 106 81

Mobile Crane (100 tonne) 107 82



Multi Tyred Roller 111 86

Paving Machine 112 87

Piling Rig (Bored) 118 93

Road Sweeper 101 76

Shotcrete Rig (based on concrete pump) 114 89

Support Vehicle 106 81

Tipper Truck 107 82





Equipment Noise Level – LAmax (dBA) Without Noise Mitigation

Sound Power Level Sound Pressure Level @ 7 m

Tower Crane 108 83

Trench Roller 110 85

Truck (10 tonne) 103 78

Truck (HIAB) 108 83

Vibratory Roller (10 - 12 tonne) 1 117 92

Water Pump 105 80

Water Tanker (8000 litre) 103 78

Note 1: In accordance with the EPA ICNG for activities identif ied as particularly annoying (such as jackhammering, rock

breaking and pow er saw operation), a 5 dB ‘penalty’ is added to the source sound power level when predicting noise using the quantitative method.

The ICNG recommends that the realistic worst-case or conservative noise levels from the source

should be predicted for assessment locations representing the most noise-exposed residences or other sensitive land uses. For each receiver area the noise levels are predicted at the most noise-exposed location, which would usually be the closest receiver.

For most construction activities, it is expected that the construction noise levels would frequently be lower than predicted at the most-exposed receiver as the noise levels presented in this report are based on a realistic worst-case assessment where all equipment are operating continuously and

concurrently across a given 15 minute assessment period.

Furthermore, other receivers within each receiver area would generally experience lower noise levels compared to the most noise-exposed location as the separation distance from receivers is increased.

To provide an indication of the likely reduction in construction noise levels, the following can be assumed:

A doubling of the distance between the source and receiver would provide an approximate 6 dB

reduction in noise level. For example, the sound pressure levels presented in Table 26 would decrease by typically 6 dB as the distance increases to 15 m and by 12 dB as the distance increases to 30 m.

Buildings and other solid structures located between the construction noise source and sensitive receivers would act as barriers and would typically reduce noise levels by up to 15 dB. For

example, in a residential area adjoining a construction site the first row of houses would provide an effective shield to the second and subsequent rows with resulting noise levels around 10 dB lower than would otherwise be experienced in the absence of the first row.

9.5 Noise Assessment at the Nearest Noise Sensitive Receivers

9.5.1 Predicted Construction Noise Levels

In each of the NCAs, the noise impacts have been quantitatively assessed for several construction activity groups and scenarios. The scenarios considered are summarised in Table 27 (broken down into Stage 1 and Stage 2 works for clarity) and detailed in Appendix K.

The noise sensitive receivers in each area are identified in Section 4.





Table 27 Summary of Airborne Construction Noise Scenarios Considered

Construction Activity

Locations Primarily Affected NCAs

Scenarios1 Equipment Scenario Sound Power Level (dBA)

Approximate Duration of Works at any Locality

Stage 1

Main Corridor Works

Sub-arterial and arterial road corridors within Stage 1

Forest Way, Naree Road, Frenchs Forest Road West, Frenchs Forest Road East, Wakehurst Parkway, Allambie Road (north of Warringah Road) and Warringah Road.

04, 05, 06,10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19

Installation of temporary traffic control (barriers and signs)

Support vehicle, truck, hand tools, crane truck. 104 2 weeks

Site clearance and installation of drainage protection

Tipper truck, compactor, water tanker, excavator, backhoe, hand tools, grader.

113 3 weeks

Utility relocation Truck, crane truck, excavator, elevated working platform, backhoe, trench roller, hand tools.

108 8 months

Drainage amplification work Concrete truck / agitator, concrete pump, concrete v ibrator, franna crane, excavator, flatbed truck, trench roller, hand tools.

110 3 months

Footpath construction and kerb/gutter work

Concrete truck / agitator, concrete pump, water tanker, compactor, trench roller, jackhammer, concrete saw.

112 1 month

Pavement construction Grader, excavator, bitumen spray truck, pav ing machine, water tanker, v ibratory roller, multi-tyred roller.

114 3 months

Line marking and sign posting Truck, hand tools, line marking plant. 102 2 weeks

Forest Way, Naree Road and Frenchs Forest Road 04, 05, 06,10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19

Driveway adjustments, construction of small retaining walls and fencing

Backhoe, hand tools, jackhammer, concrete saw, tipper truck, compactor, water tanker, backhoe, concrete truck / agitator, concrete pump.

114 4 months









Traffic Signal Works

Intersection of Forest Way and Naree Road

Intersection of Frenchs Forest Road West, Gladys Avenue and proposed hospital entrance

Intersection of Frenchs Forest Road East and Romford Road

Intersection of Frenchs Forest Road East and Allambie Road

Intersection of Frenchs Forest Road East and Warringah Road

04, 05, 06,10, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18

Installation of traffic lights Support vehicle, truck, hand tools, line marking plant, crane truck, generator.

106 2 weeks

Intersection of Naree Road, Frenchs Forest Road West and Rabett Street

04, 05, 06 Removal of ex isting roundabouts to install traffic lights

Dozer, grader, road sweeper, support vehicle, truck, hand tools, line marking plant, crane truck, generator.

113 2 weeks

Intersection of Frenchs Forest Road East and Wakehurst Parkway

12, 16, 17 Adjustments to ex isting traffic lights

Support vehicle, truck, hand tools, line marking plant, crane truck, generator.

106 3 weeks

Car Park Works The Forest High School

Frenchs Forest Road East shops

05, 06 10, 12, 16, 17, 18

Landscaping and construction of new car park

Concrete pump, concrete truck / agitator, pav ing machine, excavator, grader, jackhammer, concrete saw.

114 3 months and 2 months respectively

Ancillary Corridor Works

Cobb Street, Wakehurst Parkway and Patanga Road to Iris Street to Myra Street

05, 06, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18

Drainage amplification work Concrete truck / agitator, concrete pump, concrete v ibrator, franna crane, excavator, flatbed truck, trench roller, hand tools.

110 3 months

Stage 2

Main Corridor Works

Sub-arterial and arterial road corridors within Stage 2

Warringah Road and Wakehurst Parkway

01, 02, 03, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 15, 16

Installation of temporary traffic control (barriers and signs)

Support vehicle, truck, hand tools, crane truck. 104 2 weeks

Site clearance and installation of drainage protection

Tipper truck, compactor, water tanker, excavator, backhoe, hand tools, grader.

113 3 weeks

Utility relocation Truck, crane truck, excavator, elevated working platform, backhoe, trench roller, hand tools.

108 12 months

Footpath construction and kerb/gutter work

Concrete truck / agitator, concrete pump, water tanker, compactor, trench roller, jackhammer, concrete saw.

112 1-2 months









Pavement construction Grader, excavator, bitumen spray truck, pav ing machine, water tanker, v ibratory roller, multi-tyred roller.

114 12 months

Line marking and sign posting Truck, hand tools, line marking plant. 102 1-2 months

Enabling Works (Vegetation Clearing)

Edge of new westbound lanes at Warringah Road and both sides of Wakehurst Parkway

Edge of eastbound lanes at Hilmer Street

01, 02, 03, 06, 07, 09, 10

Vegetation clearing Chainsaw, wood chipper/mulcher, support vehicle, hand tools

120 1-6 months

Enabling Works (Demolition Works)

Properties west of Fitzpatrick Avenue, properties immediately west of Hilmer Street and commercial properties between Hilmer Street and Bantry Bay Road

01, 02, 06, 07, 09, 10

Demolition works Excavator, grader, water cart, smooth drum v ibrating roller, back hoe, bogies, excavator (breaker), concrete saw

118 1-6 months

Enabling Works (Retaining Wall Works)

Opposite Forest Way and Warringah Road intersection, west of Bantry Bay Road, east of Wakehurst Parkway

01, 02, 03, 06, 07, 09, 10, 15

Construction of retaining walls Piling Rig (Vibratory), excavator, truck, mobile crane, bogies.

113 1-6 months

Slot Construction Warringah Road 01, 02, 03, 06, 07, 09, 10, 15, 16

Piling Piling rig (bored), mobile crane, concrete pump, concrete truck/agitator, daymakers

111 18 months

Slot excavation Excavator, dozer, excavator (breaker), excavator (diamond rock saw), bolting jumbo, water pump, grader, water tanker, bogies, daymakers

123 18 months

Concreting Shotcrete rig, water pump, mobile crane, grader, water tanker, concrete pump, concrete truck/agitator, elevated work platform, daymakers

113 18 months

Architectural panels installation Mobile crane, bogies, elevated work platform, daymakers

105 18 months

Road surface construction Grader, excavator, bitumen spray truck, pav ing machine, water tanker, v ibratory roller, multi-tyred roller, daymakers

114 18 months

Line marking Truck, hand tools, line marking plant, daymakers

102 18 months









Intersection works (underpass cover construction)

Warringah Road intersections with Forest Way, Hilmer Street and Wakehurst Parkway

03, 07, 09, 10, 15, 16

Piling Piling rig (bored), mobile crane, concrete pump, concrete truck/agitator, daymakers

111 12 months

Excavation and installation of drainage

Excavator, mobile crane, bogies, daymakers 110 12 months

Concreting Mobile crane, concrete pump, concrete truck/agitator, daymakers

108 12 months

Road surface construction Grader, excavator, bitumen spray truck, pav ing machine, water tanker, v ibratory roller, multi-tyred roller

114 12 months

Installation/adjustment of traffic lights and line marking

Support vehicle, truck, hand tools, line marking plant, crane truck, generator

106 1-2 months

New road connections

Intersection of Aquatic Road and Wakehurst Parkway

Intersection of Hilmer Street and Warringah Road

07, 08, 09, 10, 14, 15

Road surface construction Grader, excavator, bitumen spray truck, pav ing machine, water tanker, v ibratory roller, multi-tyred roller

114 15 months

Line marking Truck, hand tools, line marking plant 102 1-2 months

Pedestrian/cyclist bridges

South west of Forest Way over Warringah Road (demolition and rebuild)

West of Hilmer Street over Warringah Road

01, 03, 05, 07, 08, 09, 10, 14, 15

Establish foundation and piers / demolition

Piling rig (bored), excavator, concrete pump, concrete truck/agitator, daymakers

112 9 months

Bridge installation Mobile cranes, tower crane, elevated working platform, daymakers

106 9 months

Resurfacing works

Warringah Road east bound (equivalent in length to adjacent slot)

01, 02, 03, 05, 07, 09, 10, 15, 16

Road surface restorative works Grader, excavator, bitumen spray truck, pav ing machine, water tanker, v ibratory roller, multi-tyred roller, daymakers

114 12 months

Line marking Truck, hand tools, line marking plant, daymakers

102 1-2 months

Stages 1 and 2

Site Compounds

South of Aquatic Drive and Allambie Road intersection

14, 15 Site establishment Dozer, grader, road sweeper, support vehicle, truck, hand tools, crane truck

113 1-3 months

General operations Support vehicle, truck. 101 36 months

Corner of Warringah Road and Wakehurst Parkway 12, 17 Site establishment Dozer, grader, road sweeper, support vehicle, truck, hand tools, crane truck, v ibratory roller

114 2 weeks









General operations Support vehicle, truck, Franna crane, front end loader

107 36 months

Note 1: Refer to Appendix K for an itemised equipment list.





The typical LAeq(15minute) noise levels at the nearest noise sensitive receivers (at the most-affected floor level) are provided in Appendix L for each of the construction activity groups and are

representative of the ‘noisiest’ construction periods allowing for the simultaneous operation of noise intensive construction plant in proximity to adjacent receivers.

In Appendix L, the quantitative assessment results are presented as a range with the lower end of the

range corresponding to the least noise intensive scenario in each activity group and the upper end of the range corresponding to the most noise intensive scenario.

The results of the quantitative noise impact assessment for construction of the Stage 1 and Stage 2

projects are summarised across all activity groups in Table 28. The range of predicted NML exceedances represents the range of exceedances for different construction activities, with some activities being considerably more noise intensive than others.

Table 28 Summary of Airborne Construction NML Exceedances

Works Scenario Receiver Type Worst-case NML Exceedance at Most Affected Receiver (dB)

Standard Construction Hours

OOHW

Main corridor works (Stage 1) Residential 1 – 30 5 – 53

Commercial 2 – 15 2 – 15

Other Sensitive 9 – 31 7 – 31

Traffic Signal Works (Stage 1) Residential 4 – 36 2 – 58



Car park works (Stage 1) 1

Residential 1 – 44 n/a 2

Commercial Up to 31 n/a 2

Other Sensitive 7 – 32 n/a 2

Ancillary corridor works (Stage 1) Residential 16 - 34 n/a 2

Commercial Up to 23 n/a 2


Main corridor works (Stage 2) Residential 2 – 24 1 – 48



Enabling works - Vegetation Clearing (Stage 2)


Commercial 4 – 37 n/a 2


Enabling works - Demolition Works (Stage 2)


Commercial - n/a 2


Enabling works - Retaining Wall Works (Stage 2)


Commercial 2 – 8 n/a 2






Works Scenario Receiver Type Worst-case NML Exceedance at Most Affected Receiver (dB)

Standard Construction Hours

OOHW

Slot Construction (Stage 2)

Residential 1 – 26 1 – 54



Intersection works (underpass cover construction) (Stage 2)


Commercial - -


New road connections (Stage 2) Residential 12 - 26 1 – 50


Other Sensitive 17 - 29 17 - 29

Pedestrian/ cyclist bridges (Stage 2) Residential 5 – 37 1 – 59



Warringah Rd (EB) Resurfacing works (Stage 2)




Site Compounds Residential 3 – 15 1 – 36



Note 1: The upper end of the range relates to car park w orks conducted immediately neighbouring to a residential receiver

in NCA18.

Note 2: OOHWs not proposed as discussed in Section 9.1.2.

Exceedances of the NMLs of up to 44 dB during the day and 58 dB during OOHW are predicted for

activities located in close proximity to receivers.

With regards to works with the Stage 1 project area, the main corridor works are anticipated to affect the greatest number of receivers (albeit for a relatively short period) as these works continually

progress linearly along the entire length of the roads within Stage 1.

Traffic signal works will only occur at designated intersections shown in Table 27. As such, they impact a fewer number of receivers.

Similarly, carpark works and site compounds will be in isolated locations discussed in Table 27. Due to the proximity of neighbouring receivers, high noise impacts are expected. However, considered across the entire study area, the overall impact is relatively minimal, as represented in Table 31.

Ancillary corridor works occurring on Cobb Street and Patanga Road to Iris Street to Myra Street, have potential to impact residents who are otherwise located away from the main corridor works.

With regards to works within the Stage 2 project area, enabling works (ie vegetation clearing,

demolition and retaining walls) are anticipated to cause the highest NML exceedances. This is due to works in some cases being conducted just outside property boundaries , particularly at NCA 07 and 09.





Works being conducted on Warringah Road (ie main corridor works, eastbound resurfacing, new westbound lanes construction and slot construction) are anticipated to affect the greatest number of

receivers as these works are located in the centre of the densely populated study area. These works are also likely to take the longest to complete and will likely require some OOHWs. It is noted however, that noise from slot construction will be partly mitigated as the depth of the underpass

increases and line-of-sight to construction equipment is reduced.

Similarly, construction of new road connections and pedestrian/cyclist bridges are likely to require some OOHWs as discussed in Table 21. However, these work sites are isolated to specific locations

and will impact fewer receivers compared to the Warringah Road works.

Overall, it is noted that these high exceedances are based on the works being at the closest position within the works area to the receiver, should the works be required on, or very close to, the receiver

boundary. In practice, the greatest practicable distance between noise sources and receivers will be maintained.

Construction of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects occurring concurrently with the NBH construction site

(previously assessed as part of the Northern Beaches Hospital Stage 2 EIS3) are not anticipated to

result in significantly increased noise impacts at surrounding receivers. Road corridor works, which in many cases occur adjacent to properties, would be the dominant noise source and the NBH construction site would be comparatively less significant due to greater separation distance to

properties.

Similarly, noise levels at a given receiver location are unlikely to increase significantly from concurrent construction of Stage 1 and 2, due to the proximity of works which would be the dominant noise

source.

Commercial receivers are predicted to be subject to high NML exceedances of up to 37 dB. Other sensitive receivers are predicted to be subject to high NML exceedances of up to 30 dB.

A summary of the number of receivers per NCA with a predicted exceedance of the respective NMLs is summarised in Table 29.

Table 29 Number of Receivers with Exceedances of the Noise Management Levels

ICNG Period

Number of Receivers per NCA with a Predicted Exceedance of NMLs

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

Daytime 37 45 20 15 214 73 127 69 42 11 89 5 27 27 21 194 112 19

Daytime OOHW 53 108 5 26 273 73 138 193 42 2 101 11 68 26 21 398 168 38

Evening OOHW 69 171 0 38 273 69 140 220 40 0 106 12 88 0 6 515 249 73

Night-time OOHW 184 337 0 237 273 69 139 224 39 0 109 140 110 0 6 531 311 118

9.5.2 Highly Noise Affected Receivers

Receivers are considered to be highly noise affected if noise levels from construction exceed

75 dBA Leq. This relates to daytime works only. Table 30 presents a worst-case summary of highly noise affected receivers.

3 “State Significant Infrastructure Application – SSI_6792 – Noise and Vibration Report” prepared by Renzo Tonin and

Associates, dated 13 November 2014





Table 30 Summary of Highly Noise Affected Receivers

Works Scenario Number of Worst-Case Highly Noise Affected Residential Receivers1

by NCA

01 02 04 05 06 07 08 09 12 13 14 17 18 19

Main Corridor Works (Stage 1) 0 0 7 19 21 0 0 0 15 0 0 29 15 0

Traffic Signal Works (Stage 1) 0 0 4 7 7 0 0 0 3 0 0 4 0 0

Car Park Works (Stage 1) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0

Ancillary Corridor Works (Stage 1) 0 0 0 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 14 0

Main Corridor Works (Stage 2) 5 0 0 0 0 12 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0

Enabling Works (Stage 2) Vegetation Clearing 9 16 0 0 0 59 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 0

Enabling Works (Stage 2) Demolition Works 4 10 0 0 0 9 0 12 0 0 0 0 0 0

Enabling Works (Stage 2) Retaining Wall Works 0 0 0 0 0 19 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0

Slot Construction (Stage 2) 18 13 0 0 2 49 0 14 0 0 0 0 0 0

Intersection Works (Underpass Cover Construction) (Stage 2)

0 0 0 0 0 5 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0

New Road Connections (Stage 2) 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0

Pedestrian/cyclist Bridges (Stage 2) 0 0 0 0 0 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Warringah Road (EB) Resurfacing Works (Stage 2) 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Site Compounds 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Note 1: Count is based on the total number of residential receiver buildings predicted to be subject to w orst-case daytime construction noise levels above the highly noise affected level (75 dBA) at any time in the entire construction

schedule. This is generally limited to periods w hen noise intensive activities are located immediately adjacent to residences. It is therefore expected that the number of noise affected receivers on a typical day to day basis w ould be considerably less than presented in this table. NCAs w hich are omitted do not contain residential properties.

9.5.3 Predicted Construction Noise Levels – Qualitative Interpretation

The following sections discuss the predicted noise impacts in each NCA, with reference to a qualitative description of the impacts of each activity relative to the background noise in that area in

the relevant time period.

This qualitative representation of the results of the assessment is provided to clarify interpretation of the quantitative results above and in Appendix L, and to facilitate understanding of the level of

worst-case impact for each of the works. The qualitative descriptions are related to the quantitative predicted noise levels as follows:

Below RBL LAeq(15minute) noise levels below the background.

Noticeable LAeq(15minute) noise levels within 10 dB of the background.

Clearly audible LAeq(15minute) noise levels 10 dB to 20 dB above the background.

Moderately intrusive LAeq(15minute) noise levels 20 dB to 30 dB above the background.

Highly intrusive LAeq(15minute) noise levels more than 30 dB above the background.

A qualitative assessment of the noise predictions, based on the worst -case noise impacts at the nearest residential receivers to each of the proposed works is shown in Table 31. Predicted exceedances above sleep disturbance criteria are also shown and discussed in Section 9.5.4.





Table 31 Qualitative Construction Noise Assessment

Scenario NCA Type Qualitative1 Assessment of Worst-case Noise Levels Exceed. of Sleep Dist. Criteria Day Eve Night

Main corridor works (Stage 1)

NCA01 Residential <RBL <RBL Noticeable 3

NCA02 Residential <RBL <RBL Clearly Audible 5

NCA04 Residential Moderately Intrusive Moderately Intrusive Highly Intrusive 44

NCA05 Residential Highly Intrusive Highly Intrusive Highly Intrusive 51


NCA07 Residential <RBL Noticeable Clearly Audible 11

NCA08 Residential Noticeable Noticeable Clearly Audible 11

NCA09 Residential Noticeable Noticeable Moderately Intrusive 16


NCA13 Residential Clearly Audible Clearly Audible Highly Intrusive 27




NCA19 Residential Moderately Intrusive Highly Intrusive Highly Intrusive 42

Traffic Signal Works (Stage 1)

NCA01 Residential <RBL <RBL Noticeable -














Car park works (Stage 1)

NCA01 Residential <RBL n/a 2 n/a 2 n/a 2



NCA05 Residential Clearly Audible n/a 2 n/a 2 n/a 2


NCA07 Residential Noticeable n/a 2 n/a 2 n/a 2



NCA12 Residential Moderately Intrusive n/a 2 n/a 2 n/a 2




NCA18 Residential Highly Intrusive n/a 2 n/a 2 n/a 2







Ancillary corridor works (Stage 1)















Main corridor works (Stage 2)




NCA05 Residential Noticeable Clearly Audible Moderately Intrusive 13

NCA06 Residential Clearly Audible Moderately Intrusive Highly Intrusive 23








NCA18 Residential Noticeable Clearly Audible Highly Intrusive 21


Enabling works Vegetation Clearing (Stage 2)




















Enabling works Demolition Works (Stage 2)















Enabling works Retaining Wall Works (Stage 2)















Slot Construction (Stage 2)











NCA14 Residential Clearly Audible Clearly Audible Moderately Intrusive 24









Intersection works (underpass cover construction) (Stage 2)

NCA01 Residential <RBL Noticeable Moderately Intrusive 12














New road connections (Stage 2)

NCA01 Residential <RBL <RBL Clearly Audible -














Pedestrian/cyclist bridges (Stage 2)














NCA19 Residential <RBL <RBL <RBL -






Warringah Rd (EB) Resurfacing works (Stage 2)















Site Compounds NCA01 Residential <RBL <RBL Noticeable -














Note 1: See Appendix L for quantitative assessment results

Note 2: OOHWs not proposed as discussed in Section 9.1.2.


Review of the predicted LA1(1minute) noise levels at the nearest noise sensitive receivers provided in Table 31 and Appendix L show correlation with the night-time qualitative assessment ratings. They

indicate that the sleep disturbance screening criterion is likely to be exceeded adjacent to residential receivers for the works scenarios where OOHW is proposed. This level of noise is typical for construction works using noise intensive equipment in built up areas.

At this early stage in the approval process, the assessment has included predictions of maximum noise impacts for assessment of potential sleep disturbance however, it is noted that the ICNG only requires the proposal to consider maximum noise levels where construction works are planned to

extend over more than two consecutive nights.

It is anticipated that the finalised requirements for OOHWs would be determined at a later design stage.





9.5.5 Review of Construction Noise Impacts on The Forest High School

The SEARs for the Stage 2 Project require a specific assessment of Forest High School. As such,

Table 32 summarises the highest predicted construction noise levels at locations across The Forest High School.

For most buildings, this is typically the building facade with the clearest line-of-sight to the construction

works. For outdoor areas, this is typically the nearest point on the boundary of which students are allowed to play within. The levels are taken from Appendix L and direct outputs from the noise model.





Table 32 Highest LAeq(15minute) Noise Levels at Locations across The Forest High School for Construction Activities

Works Scenario Range of LAeq(15minute) Noise Levels for Construction Scenarios (dBA)1 by Location/Building2

G/D Block F/Hall E/A Block B/Canteen C/F Block I/Gym H/Library A/C Block D/B Block Soccer Field and Multi-Purpose Courts

Undercover Assembly Area

Main Corridor Works (Stage 1) 64-77 64-77 59-72 51-63 42-54 41-54 50-62 54-66 63-76 35-48 51-63

Traffic Signal Works (Stage 1) 48-55 52-60 63-70 47-55 44-52 45-53 46-54 43-51 58-65 43-50 47-55

Car Park Works (Stage 1) 87 63 47 47 58 54 74 66 58 59 47

Ancillary Corridor Works (Stage 1) 48 45 43 39 35 40 46 40 38 34 39

Main Corridor Works (Stage 2) 44-55 42-53 48-60 46-58 48-59 52-64 45-57 46-58 46-58 53-65 46-58

Enabling Works (Stage 2) Vegetation Clearing 67 65 71 70 71 76 69 70 69 76 70

Enabling Works (Stage 2) Demolition Works 58 61 66 64 53 71 57 58 63 62 64

Enabling Works (Stage 2) Retaining Wall Works 59 56 59 57 57 59 59 57 58 63 57

Slot Construction (Stage 2) 49-70 47-68 50-71 50-71 53-74 59-80 51-71 52-73 47-68 59-80 50-71


45-53 49-56 55-63 54-62 44-52 59-67 47-54 47-55 52-60 50-58 54-62

New Road Connections (Stage 2) 30-42 42-54 49-61 47-59 47-59 50-62 40-52 41-53 47-59 42-54 47-59

Pedestrian/cyclist Bridges (Stage 2) 49-55 50-56 56-62 56-62 47-53 64-70 49-55 46-52 50-56 52-58 56-62

Warringah Road (EB) Resurfacing Works (Stage 2) 47-58 43-55 48-60 48-60 52-64 59-71 48-60 50-61 45-57 60-71 48-60

Site Compounds 17-38 18-33 23-48 20-44 20-45 21-45 8-32 20-44 22-45 19-41 20-45


Note 2: Where a building is referenced, the single letter designation follow s the Department of Education and Communities naming convention, w hereas the descriptor represents the naming convention used by The Forest High School.





Stage 1 and 2 main corridor works, car park works, vegetation clearing and slot construction have been identified as the construction scenarios of greatest potential noise impact.

For main corridor works, this is apparent for buildings near Frenchs Forest Road and Warringah Road such as Buildings D, E, F, G and I. For car park works, this is apparent for Buildings G and H which have direct line-of-sight of The Forest High School car park to be constructed to the west. For

vegetation clearing and slot construction occurring on Warringah Road, this is apparent for the gym and outdoor fields which are nearest to the works.

A logbook of activities was provided by the school in order to correlate noise levels and activities in the

undercover area. In Figure 7, the four greyed sections between 8:00 am and 2:00 pm represent the before-school, recess, 10 minute interim break, and lunch time periods respectively, in the undercover assembly area. The levels are consistent with other school days as shown in Appendix C.

During these periods, LAeq(15minute) noise levels are in the range of 73-76 dB which are consistent with construction noise predictions for the area shown in Table 32. Maximum noise levels up to 98 dBA were measured.

Out of these periods, LAeq(15minute) noise levels are in the range of 52-62 dB in the undercover assembly area, which is consistent with most predicted construction noise levels shown in Table 32. As such, the influence of construction noise to existing noise levels in the undercover assembly area is

not predicted to change significantly as a result of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects.

Higher construction noise levels are predicted within the soccer fields and multi -purpose courts due to Stage 2 works. However, the impact may be considered minimal as activities held in these areas are

generally of themselves, also noise-generating.

The greatest impacts are likely to be perceived as moderately to highly intrusive at the buildings near aforementioned construction works. As such, noise mitigation measures are discussed in Section 9.6

which may include management procedures such as respite periods during examination periods.





Figure 7 Noise Levels in Undercover Assembly Area during a Typical School Day

9.5.6 Review of Construction Noise Impacts on Frenchs Forest Public School

The SEARs for the Stage 2 Project require a specific assessment of Frenchs Forest Public School. As such, Table 33 summarises the highest predicted construction noise levels at locations acros s Frenchs Forest Public School.

For most buildings, this is typically the building facade with the clearest line of sight to construction works. For outdoor areas, this is typically the nearest point on the boundary of which students are allowed to play within. The levels are taken from Appendix L and direct outputs from the noise

model.





Table 33 Highest LAeq(15minute) Noise Levels at Locations across Frenchs Forest Public School for Construction Activities

Works Scenario Range of LAeq(15minute) Noise Levels for Construction Scenarios (dBA)1 by Location/Building2

I J O H R P A C B Q F K E U D T Main Play

Area

Sports Field

Main Corridor Works (Stage 1) 27-40 25-38 24-36 34-46 38-50 29-41 30-42 29-41 28-40 26-39 32-44 31-44 40-52 32-44 38-50 31-44 30-42 27-40

Traffic Signal Works (Stage 1) 33-41 30-37 29-37 38-45 42-49 32-39 32-39 33-41 33-40 31-39 42-50 36-44 47-55 38-45 40-47 35-42 35-42 33-41

Car Park Works (Stage 1) 35-35 37-37 35-35 49-49 49-49 43-43 43-43 44-44 42-42 31-31 47-47 45-45 51-51 40-40 51-51 43-43 44-44 35-35

Ancillary Corridor Works (Stage 1) 34-34 28-28 26-26 37-37 36-36 27-27 29-29 30-30 29-29 28-28 39-39 34-34 44-44 35-35 46-46 30-30 31-31 34-34

Main Corridor Works (Stage 2) 52-64 51-63 48-59 49-61 47-58 47-58 41-52 44-55 42-54 45-57 54-66 57-69 51-63 46-58 46-58 47-59 46-58 52-64

Enabling Works (Stage 2) Vegetation Clearing 74 73 70 71 69 71 64 67 66 68 76 77 73 69 69 71 69 74

Enabling Works (Stage 2) Demolition Works 54 53 61 60 54 61 60 48 41 53 56 58 53 52 57 52 50 54

Enabling Works (Stage 2) Retaining Wall Works 68 67 65 66 63 66 55 62 61 63 70 71 67 64 61 66 64 68

Slot Construction (Stage 2) 59-80 58-78 53-74 55-75 52-73 53-74 45-66 45-66 43-63 48-69 61-82 64-85 57-78 51-72 52-73 50-71 48-69 59-80


46-54 46-54 48-56 53-60 52-60 51-58 32-40 48-56 44-52 43-51 59-67 58-66 59-67 50-58 52-60 50-58 49-56 46-54

New Road Connections (Stage 2) 19-31 22-34 31-43 32-44 34-46 31-43 13-25 29-40 19-31 31-43 33-45 33-45 33-45 32-44 33-44 32-44 29-41 19-31

Pedestrian/cyclist Bridges (Stage 2) 56-62 56-62 55-62 58-64 59-65 58-64 36-42 52-58 51-57 51-57 68-74 67-73 74-80 54-60 69-75 56-62 52-58 56-62

Warringah Road (EB) Resurfacing Works (Stage 2)

59-71 59-70 52-64 54-66 48-59 52-63 43-55 40-51 38-50 44-56 64-76 71-83 56-68 50-62 52-64 47-59 43-54 59-71

Site Compounds 23-30 29-37 28-36 31-39 31-39 29-36 15-23 26-34 28-36 21-29 30-37 29-37 32-40 29-37 29-37 29-37 26-33 23-30


Note 2: Where a building is referenced, the single letter designation follow s the naming convention used by Frenchs Forest Public School.





Vegetation clearing, retaining wall works, slot construction, underpass cover construction, and construction of the Forest Way pedestrian bridge have been identified as the construction scenarios of

greatest potential noise impact. Across all construction works, Buildings K, F and E will be the most affected due to their proximity and direct line-of-sight to Forest Way and Warringah Road.

An indicative schedule of daily activities was provided by the school in order to correlate noise levels

and activities in the main play area (in and around the basketball court). In Figure 8, the four greyed sections between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm represent the before-school, recess, lunch time, and end of school periods respectively, in the main play area. The levels are consistent with other school days as

shown in Appendix C.

During recess and lunch periods, LAeq(15minute) noise levels are in the range of 60-67 dB which are consistent with construction noise predictions for the area shown in Table 33. Maximum noise levels

up to 91 dBA were measured.

Out of these periods, LAeq(15minute) noise levels are in the range of 55-60 dB in the main play area, which is consistent with most predicted construction noise levels shown in Table 33. As such, the

influence of construction noise to existing noise levels in the main play area is not predicted to change significantly as a result of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects.

Lower construction noise levels are predicted within the sports field due to greater setback from

construction works and intervening buildings. Nonetheless, the impact may be considered minimal as activities held in these areas are generally of themselves, also noise-generating.

The greatest impacts are likely to be perceived as moderately to highly int rusive at the buildings near

aforementioned construction works (Buildings K, F and E). As such, noise mitigation measures are discussed in Section 9.6 which may include management procedures such as respite periods.

Figure 8 Noise Levels in Main Play Area during a Typical School Day





9.6 Cumulative Noise Impacts

The prediction of cumulative noise levels from more than one construction scenario operating close to another scenario within the study area is a complex matter given the number of sources and possible

locations of a particular combination of construction works.

In practice, it is not always possible to specify the precise location of more than one works for the same 15-minute period and the assessment becomes overly conservative to calculate the cumulative

impacts based on all nearby works operating on a worst-case basis at the same time.

Since the works are anticipated to be of a similar nature, the effect of concurrent construction works is likely only to increase the number of 15-minute periods during construction where the predicted worst-

case noise impacts are apparent. In practice, the noise levels will vary due to the fact that plant and equipment will move about the worksites and will not all be operating concurrently at the worst -case scenario used in the assessment (ie there are times where equipment is not operating).

In order to manage potential cumulative noise impacts, it is suggested that an exceedance category system be employed in steps of 5 dB as follows:

NML Exceedance Category 1 : >0 to 5 dB exceedance of NML





NML Exceedance Category 5 : >25 dB exceedance of NML

For the subject works and separation distances involved, the following approach can be used to estimate the likely effect of cumulative impacts and to identify scenarios where such impacts may be significant:

Where the predicted exceedances of the NML at the same receiver for a number of proposed activities fall within different exceedance categories (eg one in 6 -10 dB category and one in the 11-20 dB exceedance category) the works corresponding to the higher of the exceedance

categories should be considered dominant (without further considering cumulative impacts).

Where the predicted exceedances of the NML at the same receiver for a number of proposed activities fall within the same exceedance category, the cumulative impact would be likely to increase the predicted level by up to 3 dB for two activities and up to 6 dB for four activities.

9.6.1 Predicted Cumulative Construction Noise Levels

In practice, construction of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects occurring concurrently with the NBH construction site are not anticipated to result in significantly increased noise impacts at surrounding

receivers. Road corridor works, which in many cases occur adjacent to properties, would be the dominant noise source and the NBH construction site would be comparatively less significant due to greater separation distance to properties. Similarly, noise levels at a given receiver location are

unlikely to increase significantly from concurrent construction of Stage 1 and 2, due to the proximity of works which would be the dominant noise source.

To quantify the potential impacts, a realistic worst-case scenario has been modelled considering the

following concurrent works:

Stage 1 – Main corridor works – Driveway adjustments;

Stage 2 – Enabling works – Vegetation clearing; and





NBH site – Excavation works4.

The scenario is based on Stage 1 works nearing completion and preliminary Stage 2 works commencing. It is noted that the construction of structures at the NBH site is more likely to be

occurring by this time and consideration of the noisier excavation works for the cumulative assessment is conservative. Concurrent works would not occur outside standard daytime hours.

To demonstrate the cumulative impacts, Appendix M includes the following maps:

Predicted noise levels for each individual work scenario (Stage 1, Stage 2 and the NBH site);

The governing/noisiest works scenario at receivers; and

Receivers which experience a greater than 3 dB increase as a result of concurrent works.

A 3 dB increase is nominated as it is considered the smallest perceptible change in noise level (refer

Appendix A) and therefore where such an increase is shown, the receiver may perceive a slight increase in noise levels during concurrent works.

It is noted that the map has been filtered to show such increases only where the predicted cumulative

noise level is greater than LAeq(15minute) 54 dB, which is the lowest daytime NML in the project area (refer Table 23). Cumulative noise levels below this NML would not be considered of adverse impact.

In summary, the maps show the following:

The governing noise at receivers is the nearest construction site.

Consequently, a perceptible increase in construction noise is not predicted at the large majority of receivers, especially adjacent to the project roads.

Notwithstanding this, several 3 dB increases are predicted for residential receivers in NCA12. These

receivers are located at least three dwellings behind Frenchs Forest Road West. The shielding from intervening dwellings produces relatively equal contribution from the three work sites, resulting in a 3 dB increase. The cumulative noise levels however are not more than 3 dB above the respective

NML for NCA12, which would consequently be perceived as “clearly audible” instead of “noticeable” (refer Section 9.5.3).

Therefore, the overall impact of concurrent works is considered insignificant as receivers will continue

to be affected by the nearest work site. Noise impacts will reduce with further setback distances from work sites and additional attenuation provided by intervening buildings.

At receiver locations without direct line-of-sight from the work sites, the governing noise source is

shown to vary. In these cases, the contributions from the three sites are only marginally different (often within 1-2 dB) and are below the NMLs.

Regarding The Forest High School, a 3 dB increase is predicted at two buildings. These are centrally

located within the school grounds. Buildings on the northern and southern end of the school are most affected by Stage 1 and Stage 2 works respectively. An equal contribution is received at the central buildings and thus results in a 3 dB increase during concurrent works.

9.7 Construction Noise Mitigation

The ICNG describes strategies for construction noise mitigation and control that are applicable to this project. The strategies are designed to minimise, to the fullest extent practicable, noise during construction.

4 Details documented in “State Significant Infrastructure Application – SSI_6792 – Noise and Vibration Report” prepared by Renzo Tonin and Associates, dated 13 November 2014





9.7.1 Restriction of Construction Hours

Where reasonable and feasible, preference would be given to scheduling construction works within

the standard construction hours of:

Monday to Friday 7:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Saturday 8:00 am to 1:00 pm.

The nature of the project means evening and night work (10:00 pm to 7:00 am) would also be required. Construction works would be required outside of standard hours where:

Works do not cause construction noise to exceed the NMLs.

For the delivery of materials or oversized structural elements, required outside these hours by the

police or other authorities for safety reasons.

For the construction of tie-ins, intersections, utility cross-overs, and where there is potential for safety issues with pedestrians or vehicles.

Where it is required in an emergency to avoid the loss of lives, property and/or to prevent environmental harm.

As agreed through negotiations between Roads and Maritime, EPA and potentially affected sensitive receivers. Any agreement would be recorded in writing and a copy kept on-site for the

duration of the works.

Where works are proposed during the night-time period site specific Construction Noise and Vibration Management Plans (CNVMPs) would be developed in the detailed design phase. The CNVMPs

would provide a detailed assessment of potential noise levels and site specific measures to control potential noise impacts and minimise the potential for disturbance at affected receivers. A range of feasible and reasonable construction noise mitigation measures is provided in Section 9.7.3.

9.7.2 Restriction of Construction Noise Levels

The ICNG acknowledges that due to the nature of construction activities it is inevitable there would be some noise from construction sites. The NMLs identified in this report have been applied to prescribe

measures for the control of potential construction noise impacts at sensitive receivers. Where exceedances of the NMLs have been predicted during the daytime (standard construction hours), receivers are considered to be noise affected.

As detailed in Table 22, the proponent should apply all feasible and reasonable work practices to meet the NMLs and inform all potentially impacted residents of the nature of works to be carried out, the expected noise levels, duration of noise generating construc tion works, and the contact details for

the proposal.

The information presented in Table 30 indicates that, due to the close vicinity of the works, adjacent residents may experience daytime noise levels above 75dBA during noise intensive activities.

Consequently, site-specific CNVMPs should be developed in the detailed design phase when more information is available on the schedule for the works and the equipment to be used. The proponent and construction contractor(s) should schedule work to provide respite periods from the noisiest

activities, and communicate with the impacted residents by clearly explaining the duration and noise level of the works.

A potential approach would be to schedule a respite period of one hour for every three hours of

continuous construction activity, or scheduling high noise generating works to less sensitive times upon consultation with affected receivers.





Where OOHWs are required, these would be predicted to result in significant exceedances of the NMLs (refer to Table 28). The proponent should identify all feasible and reasonable work practices in

the CNVMPs to reduce potential noise impacts. Where all feasible and reasonable practices have been applied and noise would be more than 5 dB above the noise affected level, the proponent should negotiate with the community to determine the schedule for the works or provide respite to occupants

where sleep disturbance is likely to occur.

9.7.3 Construction Noise Mitigation Measures

Based on the assessment of construction noise impacts in this report a range of noise mitigation

measures have been recommended to reduce and control potential construction noise impacts.

The construction noise mitigation measures are recommended to, where feasible and reasonable, minimise potential for disturbance at receivers, preserve the acoustic amenity of the surrounding

environment and aim to control noise levels within the construction NMLs.

The reasonableness of the identified feasible mitigation measures would be considered during the construction planning and site establishment phases of the proposal, and in the development of

CNVMPs. In general, mitigation measures that should be considered are summarised as follows:

For construction concentrated in a single area, such as worksites and compounds, temporary acoustic fencing/barriers around the site perimeter should be considered where feasible and

reasonable to mitigate off-site noise levels. Noise walls are effective for receivers at or near ground level and not effective for receivers overlooking the sites.

Given the potentially high noise levels at residential receivers, adherence to daytime construction hours is recommended for excavation and for activities concentrated in a single area (ie activities

that do not move along the alignment, and do not require out of hours activities for safety reasons or to minimise disruption to road networks).

Night works should be programmed to minimise the number of consecutive nights work impacting

the same receivers.

When working adjacent to schools, particularly noisy activities should be scheduled outside normal school hours, where possible.

Avoid noisy plant working simultaneously close together and adjacent to sensitive receivers.

Equipment which is used intermittently is to be shut down when not in use.

Where possible, the offset distance between noisy plant items and nearby noise sensitive receivers should be as great as possible.

Where possible, equipment with directional noise emissions should be oriented away from sensitive receivers.

Regular compliance checks on the noise emissions of all plant and machinery used for the proposal would indicate whether noise emissions from plant items we re higher than predicted.

This also identifies defective silencing equipment on the items of plant.

Ongoing noise monitoring during construction at sensitive receivers during critical periods to identify and assist in managing high risk noise events.

Where possible heavy vehicle movements should be limited to daytime hours.

Reversing of equipment should be minimised so as to prevent nuisance caused by reversing alarms.

Loading and unloading should be carried out away from sensitive receivers, where practicable.





9.7.4 Mitigation Summary

A summary of the potential noise benefit from the project noise mitigation measures (refer to

Section 9.7.1, Section 9.7.2 and Section 9.7.3) is presented in Table 34.

Table 34 Noise Mitigation Summary

Construction Noise Mitigation Measures Potential Noise Reduction

Schedule construction works within the standard construction hours

No reduction during standard construction hours

Eliminates Out of Hours noise impacts

Schedule a respite period (eg one hour for every there hours of continuous construction activity)

n/a

Schedule high noise generating works to less sensitive times

n/a

Temporary acoustic fencing/barriers Typically around 5 to 10 dB

Portable temporary screens Typically around 5 to 10 dB

Install operational architectural property treatments n/a

Minimise the number of consecutive nights work impacting the same receivers

n/a

Noisy activities should be scheduled outside normal school hours, where possible

n/a

Avoid the coincidence of noisy plant working simultaneously close together

Up to 3 dB for halving the number of similarly dominant plant items working together

Shut down equipment when not in use Negligible reduction in comparison to worst-case predictions, however eliminates noise source during less noise intensive works

Maximise the offset distance between noisy plant items and nearby noise sensitive receivers

Approximately 6 dB reduction per doubling of offset distance

Regular compliance checks on the noise emissions n/a

Ongoing noise monitoring during construction n/a

Where possible heavy vehicle movements should be limited to daytime hours

n/a

Non-tonal reversing alarms n/a

Loading and unloading should be carried out away from sensitive receivers

Approximately 6 dB reduction per doubling of offset distance

9.7.5 Construction Environmental Management Plan

A Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) would be prepared during the detailed

design phase and implemented through all construction activities. A CNVMP would be included in the CEMP to provide the framework and mechanisms for the management and mitigation of all potential noise and vibration impacts from the construction works.

The objectives of the CNVMP are as follows:

Identification of all nearby residences and other sensitive land uses and, where relevant, the noise management levels at the identified assessment locations.

Assist in ensuring that the noise emissions during the construction works comply with the NMLs nominated in Section 9.3.

Determine noise and vibration monitoring, reporting and response procedures.





Describe specific mitigation treatments, management methods and procedures to be implemented to control noise and vibration during construction.

Describe construction timetabling to minimise noise impacts including time and duration restrictions, respite periods and frequency.

Describe procedures for notifying residents of construction activities likely to affect their amenity through noise and vibration, such as letter-box drops.

Define contingency plans to be implemented in the event of non-compliances and/or noise complaints.

In addition to the noise mitigation measures outlined in Section 9.7.3 for the proposed daytime works,

it is recommended that the proposal consider representative noise monitoring during the early works. The purpose of the noise monitoring would be to validate the construction noise predictions and confirm that the noise levels from individual items of equipment are not excessive.

For out-of-hours works, additional noise management is recommended including individual briefings and phone calls to consult with the affected residents.

10 CONSTRUCTION ROAD TRAFFIC NOISE ASSESSMENT

This section provides a qualitative assessment of the construction related traffic on the public road network.

When trucks and other vehicles are operating within the boundaries of the various construction sites,

noise levels are assessed as outlined in Section 9. When construction related traffic moves onto the public road network, vehicle movements would be regarded as ‘additional road traffic’ rather than as part of the construction site.

10.1 Construction Road Traffic Noise Goals

The ICNG does not provide specific guidance in relation to acceptable noise levels associated with construction traffic. For assessment purposes, guidance is taken from the RNP.

One of the objectives of the RNP is to apply relevant permissible noise increase criteria to protect

sensitive receivers against excessive decreases in amenity as the result of a proposal. In assessing feasible and reasonable mitigation measures, an increase of up to 2 dB represents a minor impact that is considered barely perceptible to the average person.

On this basis, construction traffic NMLs set at 2 dB above the existing road traffic noise levels during the daytime and night-time periods are considered appropriate to identify the onset of potential noise impacts. Where the road traffic noise levels are predicted to increase by more than 2 dB as a result of

construction traffic, consideration would be given to applying feasible and reasonable noise mitigation measures to reduce the potential noise impacts and preserve acoustic amenity.

In considering feasible and reasonable mitigation measures where the relevant noise increase is

greater than 2 dB, consideration would also be given to the actual noise levels associated with construction traffic and whether or not these levels comply with the following road traffic noise criteria in the RNP:

60 dBA LAeq(15hour) day and 55 dBA LAeq(9hour) night for existing freeway/ arterial/ sub-arterial roads.

55 dBA LAeq(1hour) day and 50 dBA LAeq(1hour) night for existing local roads.





Sleep Disturbance and Maximum Noise Events

In addition to the current legislative guidance on potential sleep disturbance outlined in Section 9.3.1,

the RNP refers to Practice Note (iii) of the ENMM for specific impacts from road traffic. The ENMM recommends an evaluation of the number and distribution of night -time passby events where the LAFmax - LAeq(1hour) difference is greater than 15 dB, and the maximum noise level of that event is

greater than 65 dBA.

On the basis of the current guidance, an external sleep disturbance screening criterion of RBL + 15 dB and sleep disturbance NML of LAmax 55 dBA (internal) have been adopted – the latter equates to an

external NML of 65 dBA (assuming open windows).

10.2 Discussion of Construction Traffic Noise

During construction of Stage 1, there would be approximately 30 to 40 heavy vehicle movements on average per day, increasing to between 60 and 100 during peak periods of construction. Primary

routes are anticipated to be between the site compounds and primary roads such as Forest Way, Warringah Road, Wakehurst Parkway, Frenchs Forest Road and Allambie Road.

During construction of Stage 2, there would be approximately 245 heavy vehicle movements on

average per day. Primary routes are anticipated to be between the site compounds and primary roads such as Frenchs Forest Road West, Warringah Road, Wakehurst Parkway and Allambie Road.

An approximate 60% total increase in existing traffic volumes (see Appendix D-1) due to construction

vehicles is required to trigger a 2 dB increase.

In the absence of traffic counting for Allambie Road, data has been obtained from the traffic modelling conducted by GTA Consultants which estimates 23,000 vehicles daily, divided into daytime and

night-time volumes as follows (percentages have been rounded):

Existing daytime vehicles estimated at ~90% of total daily volume – 20,344 total vehicles

Existing night-time vehicles estimated at ~10% of total daily volume – 2,656 total vehicles

Existing daytime heavy vehicles estimated at ~5% of daytime volumes – 990 heavy vehicles

Existing night-time heavy vehicles estimated at ~6% of night-time volumes – 160 heavy vehicles

An assessment has been conducted to determine where a 2 dB increase may occur. As per Roads and Maritime advice, night-time construction traffic volumes have been estimated at 30% of the daytime construction traffic volumes. A summary of impacts is shown in Table 35.





Table 35 Predicted Construction Traffic Noise Impacts

Daytime

Stage Approximate Construction Heavy Vehicles

Approximate Existing Heavy Vehicles

Warringah Road Forest Way Wakehurst Parkway FFRW1 FFRE2 Allambie Road

Stage 1 100 2500 2400 700 328 403 990

Stage 2 245

Predicted 2dB increase?

Stage 1 No No No No No No

Stage 2 No No No Yes n/a3 No

Night-time

Stage Approximate Construction Heavy Vehicles

Approximate Existing Heavy Vehicles

Warringah Road Forest Way Wakehurst Parkway FFRW1 FFRE2 Allambie Road

Stage 1 30 400 335 103 36 55 160

Stage 2 74

Predicted 2dB increase?

Stage 1 No No No No No No

Stage 2 No No No Yes n/a3 No

Note 1: Frenchs Forest Road West and Naree Road

Note 2: Frenchs Forest Road East

Note 3: Construction vehicles w ould not be required to utilise Frenchs Forest Road East for Stage 2 w orks

Table 35 shows that the only noise impacts predicted are from Stage 2 construction traffic along Frenchs Forest Road West and Naree Road during the night-time (10:00 pm to 7:00 am). However

the assessment is conservative in that it assumes all construction traffic will utilise each road. In practice, vehicles will travel across all haulage routes and thus the number of vehicles along a given road is likely to be less than that assessed above.

Overall, the night-time impacts are based on estimated volumes and it is therefore recommended that additional assessment for night-time truck movements on public roads be undertaken at the detailed design stage when the finalised traffic management plan is determined. It is anticipated that this

process would occur during preparation of the CNVMP.

With regards to light construction vehicles, a 2 dB increase is not predicted given the large quantity of vehicles on the existing road network.

10.3 Discussion of Traffic Diversion Noise Impacts

During construction of Stage 2, the number of “live” traffic lanes on Warringah Road may at times be

reduced between Government Road and Altona Avenue. The lane closures will typically occur off-peak (ie during the night) when traffic volumes on Warringah Road are at their lowest.

Roads and Maritime has nominated road closure periods (time of day and day of week) where road

closures or lane restrictions could take place (refer Table 36).





Table 36 Summary of Road Closure Periods

Location Closure Type Days of the Week Times

Warringah Road (eastbound carriageway) and Frenchs Forest Road (eastbound carriageway)

Shoulder Mon – Fri 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Sun – Thu 10:00 pm to 5:00 am

1 of 3 lanes Sun – Thu 10:00 pm to 5:00 am


All other Carriageways and Roads

Shoulder Mon – Fri 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Sun – Thu 8:00 pm to 5:00 am



Details regarding temporary diversion routes, times and duration will be determined at detailed design

stage by the construction contractor and would include an assessment of potential changes in operational road traffic noise impacts along these routes.

Notwithstanding this, the operational road traffic noise impacts are expected to be minor. In cases of

partial lane closures, reduced speed limits through these sections would result in lower levels of road traffic noise. On roads which may experience an increase in traffic due to diversions, an approximate 60% total increase in existing traffic volumes is required to trigger a 2 dB increase. Such an increase

is unlikely, however the assignment of diversion routes should be considered during construction staging.

11 GROUND-BORNE CONSTRUCTION NOISE

Ground-borne noise results from the transmission of vibration rather than the direct transmission of noise through the air. Ground-borne (or regenerated) construction noise is usually present on tunnelling projects when vibration from activities such as rockbreaking, road heading, rotary cutting,

tunnel boring and rock drilling/sawing can be transmitted through the ground and into the habitable areas of nearby buildings. Ground-borne noise occurs when this vibration in the ground and/or building elements is regenerated as audible noise within areas of occupancy inside the building.

The ICNG defines internal ground-borne noise goals for residential receivers of 40 dBA LAeq(15minute)

during the evening (6:00 pm to 10:00 pm) and 35 dBA LAeq(15minute) during the night-time (10:00 pm to 7:00 am). The goals are only applicable when ground-borne noise levels are higher than airborne

noise levels

The nature of the surface works means that ground-borne noise impacts are expected to be negligible. This is because the airborne noise emissions in most circumstances would be much higher than

ground-borne noise levels.

Similarly, where works do proceed below surface level (eg excavation within the Warringah Road slot), airborne noise from surface works (eg on Warringah Road eastbound and westbound surface lanes)

will be the dominant noise source.

For these reasons, ground-borne noise is not anticipated to be the controlling factor for the proposed works and therefore further assessment is not warranted.





12 CONSTRUCTION VIBRATION ASSESSMENT

12.1 Vibration Damage Goals

Australian Standard AS 2187: Part 2-2006 Explosives - Storage and Use - Part 2: Use of Explosives

recommends the frequency dependent vibration guideline values and assessment methods given in British Standard BS 7385 Part 2-1993 Evaluation and measurement for vibration in buildings Part 2 as they ‘are applicable to Australian conditions’.

The Standard sets guide values for vibration based on the lowest vibration levels above which damage has been credibly demonstrated. These levels are judged to give a minimum risk of vibration-induced damage, where minimal risk is usually taken as a 95% probability of no effect.

The recommended guideline limits for transient vibration to minimise risk of cosmetic damage to residential and industrial buildings are presented in Table 37 and graphically in Figure 9.

Table 37 Transient Vibration Guide Values – Minimal Risk of Cosmetic Damage

Line Type of Building Peak Component Particle Velocity in Frequency Range of Predominant Pulse

4 Hz to 15 Hz 15 Hz and Above

1 Reinforced or framed structures. Industrial and heavy commercial buildings

50 mm/s at 4 Hz and above

2 Unreinforced or light framed structures. Residential or light commercial type buildings

15 mm/s at 4 Hz increasing to 20 mm/s at 15 Hz

20 mm/s at 15 Hz increasing to 50 mm/s at 40 Hz and above

The guide values in Table 37 relate predominately to t ransient vibration which does not give rise to resonant responses in structures and low-rise buildings. In the event continuous vibration gives rise to

magnification of vibration by resonance (specific conditions where the structure can readily store and transfer vibration energy), then the guide values in Table 37 may need to be reduced by up to 50% (Figure 9).

Rockbreaking, rock hammering and sheet piling are considered to have the potential to cause dynamic loading in some structures and it may therefore be appropriate to reduce the transient values by 50 % for these construction activities.





Figure 9 Transient Vibration Guide Values for Cosmetic Damage

For most sources of intermittent vibration during construction, such as rockbreakers, piling rigs, vibratory rollers and excavators, the predominant vibration energy occurs at frequencies usually in the 10 Hz to 100 Hz range. On this basis a vibration damage screening level of 7.5 mm/s has been

adopted for the purpose of assessing potential impacts.

In the lower frequency region below 4 Hz the guide values for building types are reduced as a high displacement is associated with relatively low peak component particle velocity. To minimise risk of

structural damage a guide value of 3.7 mm/s has been adopted.

It is noteworthy that further to the guide values the Standard advises that:

‘A building of historical value should not (unless it’s structurally unsound) be assumed to be

more sensitive.’

For this reason, vibration impacts on heritage listed buildings have not been specifically considered.

12.2 Human Comfort Goals for Construction Vibration

For most construction activities that generate perceptible vibration in nearby buildings, the character of the vibration emissions is intermittent. The DEC’s ‘Assessing Vibration: a technical guideline’

nominates preferred and maximum vibration goals for critical areas, residences and other sensitive receivers as shown in Table 38. The guideline advises a low probability of adverse comment or disturbance to building occupants would be expected at or below the preferred values.

The applicable human comfort vibration goal for intermittent vibration source is defined in terms of Vibration Dose Values (VDVs) where the permissible vibration level corresponding to the VDV varies according to the duration of exposure.





Table 38 Preferred and Maximum Vibration Dose Values for Intermittent Vibration

Building Type Preferred Vibration Dose Value (m/s

1.75)

Maximum Vibration Dose Value (m/s

1.75)

Critical Working Areas (e.g. hospital operating theatres, precision laboratories)

0.10 0.20

Residential Daytime 0.20 0.40

Residential Night-time 0.13 0.26

Offices, schools, educational institutions and places of worship

0.40 0.80

Workshops 0.80 1.60

Note: Daytime is 7:00 am to 10:00 pm and night-time is 10:00 pm to 7:00 am

In applying the preferred and maximum VDV the guidelines states that:

‘Situations exist where vibration above the preferred values can be acceptable, particularly for

temporary disturbances and infrequent events of short term duration. An example is a construction or excavation project.’

The guideline also advises that:

‘Where all feasible and reasonable measures have been applied to control potential ground vibration levels the maximum values may be used. For values above the maximum value the proponent should negotiate directly with the affected community.’

12.3 Safe Working Distances for Vibration Intensive Plant

The propagation of vibration emitted from a source would be site specific with the level of vibration potentially experienced at a receiver dependent upon the vibration energy generated by the source, the predominant frequencies of vibration, the localised geotechnical conditions and the interaction of

structures and features which can dampen vibration.

The recommended safe working distances for construction plant in Table 39 are referenced from the Transport for NSW Construction Noise Strategy

xv.

Consistent with the British Standard and the Assessing Vibration guideline, the recommendations are

for the practical management of potential vibration to minimise the likelihood of cosmetic damage to buildings and disturbance or annoyance in humans. The human comfort safe working distances are conservative, developed with reference to the more stringent objectives for continuous vibration for

typical residential building constructions.





Table 39 Recommended Safe Working Distances for Vibration Intensive Plant

Plant Item Rating/ Description Safe Working Distance

Cosmetic Damage1 Human Response

2

Vibratory Roller < 50 kN (Typically 1-2 tonnes) 5 m 15 m to 20 m

< 50 kN (Typically 2-4 tonnes) 6 m 20 m




< 50 kN (Typically > 18 tonnes) 25 m 100 m

Small Hydraulic Hammer 300 kg – 5 to 12t excavator 2 m 7 m

Medium Hydraulic Hammer 900 kg – 12 to 18t excavator 7 m 23 m

Large Hydraulic Hammer 1600 kg – 18 to 34t excavator 22 m 73 m

Vibratory Pile Driver Sheet piles 2 m to 20 m 20 m

Pile Boring ≤ 800 mm 2 m (nominal) N/A

Jackhammer Hand held 1 m (nominal) Avoid contact with structure

Note 1: Referenced from British Standard BS 7385 Part 2-1993 Evaluation and measurement for vibration in buildings Part 2

Note 2: Referenced from DECCW’s Assessing Vibration: a technical guideline

12.4 Construction Vibration Assessment

12.4.1 Estimated Working Distances and Vibration Intensive Plant

The proposed works have been analysed to determine best estimates of the minimum distances receivers and the equipment to be used that is most likely to be vibration intensive, as shown in

Table 40. This allows for a comparison to the safe working distances listed in Table 39 when determining the likely vibration impacts of the construction scenarios.





Table 40 Construction Vibration Assessment

Work Scenario1

Vibration Intensive Equipment

NCA Distance to nearest NCA receiver (m)

Within Safe Working Distance (any plant item)?

Yes/No Number of Receivers

Cosmetic Damage

Human Response

Cosmetic Damage

Human Response

Main Corridor and New Roads Works – Pavement Construction – Stage 1 and Stage 2

Vibratory Roller (10-12 tonne)2

01 25 No Yes 0 30

02 25 No Yes 0 27

03 3 10 Yes Yes 1 12

04 15 Yes Yes 1 29

05 10 Yes Yes 13 61

06 15 Yes Yes 14 57

07 20 Yes Yes 3 71

08 140 No No 0 0

09 15 Yes Yes 2 25

10 4 15 Yes Yes 1 10

11 n/a 5 No Yes 0 Unknown7

12 10 Yes Yes 9 62

13 75 No Yes 0 3

14 100 No No 0 0

15 15 Yes Yes 3 22

16 15 Yes Yes 3 20

17 5 Yes Yes 30 94

18 10 Yes Yes 3 102

19 30 No Yes 0 16

Enabling Works – Retaining Wall Construction – Stage 2

Vibratory Pile Driver

01 70 No No 0 0

02 60 No No 0 0

03 3 80 No No 0 0

04 380 No No 0 0

05 340 No No 0 0

06 320 No No 0 0

07 15 Yes Yes 16 16

08 240 No No 0 0

09 20 Yes Yes 1 1

10 4 180 No No 0 0

11 n/a 5 No No 0 0

12 320 No No 0 0

13 560 No No 0 0

14 290 No No 0 0

15 25 No No 0 0

16 90 No No 0 0

17 310 No No 0 0

18 640 No No 0 0

19 1,100 No No 0 0





Work Scenario1

Vibration Intensive Equipment

NCA Distance to nearest NCA receiver (m)

Within Safe Working Distance (any plant item)?

Yes/No Number of Receivers

Slot Construction – Excavation Works – Stage 2

Large Hydraulic Hammer 2

01 40 No Yes 0 14

02 35 No Yes 0 7

03 3 40 No Yes 0 7

04 300 No No 0 0

05 300 No No 0 0

06 50 No Yes 0 5

07 50 No Yes 0 36

08 270 No No 0 0

09 60 No Yes 0 6

10 4 50 No Yes 0 1

11 n/a 5 No Yes 0 Unknown 7

12 270 No No 0 0

13 540 No No 0 0

14 460 No No 0 0

15 30 No Yes 0 2

16 70 No Yes 0 2

17 280 No No 0 0

18 750 No No 0 0

19 1,300 No No 0 0

Main Corridor Works – Property Adjustments – Stage 1

Main Corridor Works – Footpath Construction and Kerb/Gutter Work – Stage 1

Jackhammer

01 n/a 6 No No 0 0

02 n/a 6 No No 0 0

03 3 10 No No 0 0

04 15 No No 0 0

05 10 No No 0 0

06 15 No No 0 0

07 n/a 6 No No 0 0

08 n/a 6 No No 0 0

09 n/a 6 No No 0 0

10 4 15 No No 0 0

11 n/a 5 6 No No 0 0

12 10 No No 0 0

13 n/a 6 No No 0 0

14 n/a 6 No No 0 0

15 40 No No 0 0

16 15 No No 0 0

17 5 No No 0 0

18 10 No No 0 0

19 10 No No 0 0

Note 1: For w ork scenarios not listed, signif icantly vibration intensive equipment is not proposed.

Note 2: Estimated capacity.

Note 3: Contains Frenchs Forest Public School.

Note 4: Contains The Forest High School.

Note 5: NBH site. Building locations are typically at least 25 metres aw ay from surrounding project roads and therefore at safe w orking distances.

Note 6: Use of jackhammers limited to minor w orks generally within the Stage 1 project area.

Note 7: It is likely that NBH buildings w ill be located w ithin safe working distances for human comfort; how ever the number of affected receivers is indeterminable at this stage w ithout information regarding the site layout.





12.4.2 Cosmetic Damage Assessment

The separation distance(s) between the proposed works and the nearest receivers would generally be

sufficient so that nearby buildings are unlikely to suffer ‘cosmetic damage’ for most of the proposed construction equipment. However, based on the general work zones, some items of construction equipment have the potential to be operated within the recommended safe working distances.

With the exception of NCAs 01, 02, 08, 11, 13, 14 and 19, NCAs may be affected during pavement construction and the use of vibratory rollers. NCAs 07 and 09 may also be affected during retaining wall construction and the use of vibratory pile drivers. The required locations for vibration intensive

equipment should be reviewed during detailed design when more specific information is available.

Attended vibration monitoring or vibration trials should be undertaken when proposed works are within the safe working distances to ensure that levels remain below the criterion. Building condition surveys

should also be completed both before and after the works at any potentially affected properties to identify existing damage and any project related damage.

12.4.3 Human Comfort Vibration Assessment

In relation to human comfort (response), the safe working distances in Table 39 relate to continuous vibration and apply to residential receivers. For most construction activities, vibration emissions are intermittent in nature and for this reason, higher vibration levels, occurring over shorter periods are

permitted, as discussed in BS 6472-1.

Vibration at the nearest receivers is likely to be perceptible at times during the works.

Based on the general work zones, some items of proposed construction equipment have the potential

to be operated within the recommended safe working distances. If a vibratory roller (10-12 tonne) is used, receivers have been identified within the recommended 100 m zone within all listed NCAs as shown in Table 40. Receivers have been identified within the recommended 20 m zone for vibratory

pile drivers in NCAs 07 and 09. Receivers have also been identified within the recommended 73 m zone for large hydraulic hammers (100 kg – 18t to 34t excavators) in NCAs 01, 03, 06, 07, 09, 10, 11, and 15 which are adjacent to the proposed Warringah Road slot.

There is therefore potential for ground vibration levels to exceed the human comfort criteria depending on the duration and nature of the construction activity. The required locations for vibration intensive equipment should be reviewed during detailed design when more specific information is available.

Any exceedances would be expected to be typically of relatively short duration.

12.4.4 Cumulative Vibration Impacts

Cumulative vibration impacts during concurrent works are not predicted since vibration levels at each

receiver are governed by the dominant (ie closest/greatest) source respectively . The nearest vibratory equipment at a receiver location will be the dominant source and governing the vibration levels at that receiver.

In order for cumulative vibration impacts to occur, vibration from two different sources needs to be of similar magnitude at a receiver and the vibration from both sources needs to add (ie be in phase) at the receiver. Practically this is never the case as the non-stationary nature of vibration generating

works and differences in in the dynamic characteristics of individual plant. An adverse impact due to cumulative effects is therefore not predicted.

12.5 Vibration Mitigation

Dependent upon the equipment to be used, where vibration intensive construction ac tivities are

proposed within safe working distances of sensitive receivers, these works should be confined to the less sensitive daytime period where possible.





The potential impacts from vibration are to be considered in the site-specific CNVMPs, to be developed during the detailed design phase when more information is available on the schedule for

the works, the equipment to be used and the localised geotechnical conditions. In general, mitigation measures that should be considered are summarised as follows:

Relocate vibration generating plant and equipment to areas within the site in order to lower the

vibration impacts.

Investigate the feasibility of rescheduling the hours of operation of major vibration generating plant and equipment.

Use lower vibration generating items of excavation plant and equipment eg smaller capacity rockbreaker hammers.

Minimise consecutive works in the same locality (if applicable).

Use dampened rockbreakers and/or ‘city’ rockbreakers to minimise the impacts associated with

rockbreaking works.

If vibration intensive works are required within the safe working distances, vibration monitoring or attended vibration trials would be undertaken to ensure that levels remain below the cosmetic damage criterion.

Building condition surveys would be completed both before and after the works to identify existing damage and any damage due to the works.

Measurements of existing ambient vibration levels would be undertaken at receivers with vibration

sensitive equipment (if any are identified as the project progresses) during the detailed design phase. This information would be used to inform the site-specific CNVMPS for works near these locations.

13 SUMMARY OF IMPACTS AND MITIGATION

13.1 Airborne Operational Traffic Noise

The operational noise assessment for the project has been undertaken in accordance with the NCG with guidance for feasible and reasonable additional noise mitigation measures taken from the NMG.

Operational road traffic noise levels associated with the project have been predicted using a

three-dimensional noise model for the study area.

Priority noise mitigation measures (road design/traffic management, quieter pavement surfaces and noise barriers/mounds) have been considered for all sensitive receivers where predicted noise levels

in the Build scenarios are above the noise goals.

The use of low noise pavements has been discounted due to the relatively low posted speeds however additional feasible and reasonable noise mitigation measures, including noise barriers and

property treatments, have been considered for receivers which qualify on the basis of predicted residual noise levels and/or project related increase in noise.

A total of three noise barriers have been considered along the southern edge of Warringah Road west

of Fitzpatrick Avenue East up to Bantry Bay Road.





Further to the inclusion of optimised project noise barriers, a total of 333 sensitive ‘receivers’ are predicted to be eligible for consideration of property treatment as part of the Stage 1 and Stage 2

study area. This number consists of:

273 residential receivers







Within the NCAs 05, 06, 10, 12, and 17 next to Naree Road, Frenchs Forest Road West and Frenchs

Forest Road East, there are 21 less residential receivers which are eligible for consideration for noise mitigation when compared to the Stage 1 operational noise assessment. This is the result of reduced traffic flows along these roads as drivers utilise Warringah Road following its upgrade as part of

Stage 2. This is contrary to the Stage 1 traffic noise model which did not include the upgraded Warringah Road design.

13.2 Construction Noise and Vibration

The approach taken in this assessment has been to assess noise impacts of representative construction activities at set time periods, to inform scheduling of works and to minimise impacts on

sensitive receivers where practicable.

Consistent with the requirements of the ICNG, the construction noise impacts are based on a realistic worst-case assessment. For most activities, it is expected that the construction noise levels would be

lower than have been (conservatively) predicted in this report.

Due to the proximity of residential and other noise sensitive receivers surrounding the proposed construction works, most construction scenarios have the potential to result in high noise impacts.

Construction of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 project occurring concurrently with the NBH construction site is not anticipated to result in significantly increased noise impacts at surrounding receivers. Road corridor works, which in many cases occur adjacent to properties , would be the dominant noise source

and the NBH construction site would be comparatively less significant due to the greater separation distance to properties. Similarly, noise levels at a given receiver location are unlikely to increase significantly from concurrent construction of Stage 1 and 2, due to the proximity of works which would

be the dominant noise source.

Where possible, works would be completed during standard day time construction hours; however, the nature of the project means evening and night work would also be required. Out -of-hours works are

only proposed for utility adjustments, new road connections, slot construction, site compounds, pedestrian/cycle bridge construction, intersection works, traffic signalling works, pavement construction, and line marking.

A CNVMP would be developed to document all necessary measures to manage and mitigate potential noise and vibration levels during standard daytime and out-of-hours construction activities.





14 REFERENCES i Road Noise Policy, NSW, EPA, 2011 ii Noise Criteria Guideline, Roads and Maritime, 2014

iii Noise Mitigation Guideline, Roads and Maritime, 2014

iv Interim Construction Noise Guideline, DECC, 2009

v Assessing Vibration: a technical guideline, DEC, 2006

v i AS 2187: Part 2-2006 Explosives – Storage and use – Part 2: Use of Explosives, Standards

Australia 2006 v ii

BS 7385 Part 2-1993 Evaluation and measurement for vibration in buildings Part 2, BSI, 1993 v iii

AS 2702:1984 Acoustic Methods of Measurement of Road Traffic Noise ix AS 1055:1997 Acoustics – Description and Measurement of Environmental Noise

x AS IEC 61672.1-2004 Electroacoustics - Sound Level Meters, Part 1: Specifications

xi Industrial Noise Policy, NSW, DECCW, 2000

xii Preparing an Operational Noise and Vibration Assessment, Roads and Maritime November 2013

xiii Environmental Noise Management Manual (ENMM), RTA 2001

xiv Calculation of Road Traffic Noise, UK Department of Transport, 1988

xv Construction Noise Strategy, TfNSW, 2012

Report 610.13422 Page 1 of 2

Acoustic Terminology

1 Sound Level or Noise Level

The terms ‘sound’ and ‘noise’ are almost interchangeable, except that in common usage ‘noise’ is often used to refer to unwanted sound.

Sound (or noise) consists of minute fluctuations in atmospheric pressure capable of evoking the sense of hearing. The human ear responds to changes in sound pressure over a very wide range. The loudest sound pressure to which the human ear responds is ten million times greater than the softest. The decibel (abbreviated as dB) scale reduces this ratio to a more manageable size by the use of logarithms.

The symbols SPL, L or LP are commonly used to represent Sound Pressure Level. The symbol LA represents A-weighted Sound Pressure Level. The standard reference unit for Sound Pressure Levels expressed in decibels is 2 x 10

-5 Pa.

2 ‘A’ Weighted Sound Pressure Level

The overall level of a sound is usually expressed in terms of dBA, which is measured using a sound level meter with an ‘A-weighting’ filter. This is an electronic filter having a frequency response corresponding approximately to that of human hearing.

People’s hearing is most sensitive to sounds at mid frequencies (500 Hz to 4000 Hz), and less sensitive at lower and higher frequencies. Thus, the level of a sound in dBA is a good measure of the loudness of that sound. Different sources having the same dBA level generally sound about equally loud.

A change of 1 dBA or 2 dBA in the level of a sound is difficult for most people to detect, whilst a 3 dBA to 5 dBA change corresponds to a small but noticeable change in loudness. A 10 dBA change corresponds to an approximate doubling or halving in loudness. The table below lists examples of typical noise levels

Sound Pressure Level (dBA)

Typical Source

Subjective Evaluation

130 Threshold of pain Intolerable

120 Heavy rock concert Extremely noisy

110 Grinding on steel

100 Loud car horn at 3 m Very noisy

90 Construction site with pneumatic hammering

80 Kerbside of busy street Loud

70 Loud radio or television

60 Department store Moderate to quiet

50 General Office

40 Inside private office Quiet to very quiet

30 Inside bedroom

20 Recording studio Almost silent

Other weightings (eg B, C and D) are less commonly used than A-weighting. Sound Levels measured without any weighting are referred to as ‘linear’, and the units are expressed as dB(lin) or dB.

3 Sound Power Level

The Sound Power of a source is the rate at which it emits acoustic energy. As with Sound Pressure Levels, Sound Power Levels are expressed in decibel units (dB or dBA), but may be identified by the symbols SWL or LW, or by the reference unit 10

-12 W.

The relationship between Sound Power and Sound Pressure may be likened to an electric radiator, which is characterised by a power rating, but has an effect on the surrounding environment that can be measured in terms of a different parameter, temperature.

4 Statistical Noise Levels

Sounds that vary in level over time, such as road traffic noise and most community noise, are commonly described in terms of the statistical exceedance levels LAN, where LAN is the A-weighted sound pressure level exceeded for N% of a given measurement period. For example, the LA1 is the noise level exceeded for 1% of the time, LA10 the noise exceeded for 10% of the time, and so on.

The following figure presents a hypothetical 15 minute noise survey, illustrating various common statistical indices of interest.

LA1

LA10

LA90

LAeq

LAmax

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

00:00 05:00 10:00 15:00

Monitoring or Survey Period (minutes)

So

un

d P

ressu

re L

evel

(d

BA

)

Of particular relevance, are:

LA1 The noise level exceeded for 1% of the 15 minute interval.

LA10 The noise level exceed for 10% of the 15 minute interval. This is commonly referred to as the average maximum noise level.

LA90 The noise level exceeded for 90% of the sample period. This noise level is described as the average minimum background sound level (in the absence of the source under consideration), or simply the background level.

LAeq The A-weighted equivalent noise level (basically the average noise level). It is defined as the steady sound level that contains the same amount of acoustical energy as the corresponding time-varying sound.

When dealing with numerous days of statistical noise data, it is sometimes necessary to define the typical noise levels at a given monitoring location for a particular time of day. A standardised method is available for determining these representative levels.

This method produces a level representing the ‘repeatable minimum’ LA90 noise level over the daytime and night-time measurement periods, as required by the EPA. In addition the method produces mean or ‘average’ levels representative of the other descriptors (LAeq, LA10, etc).

5 Tonality

Tonal noise contains one or more prominent tones (ie distinct frequency components), and is normally regarded as more offensive than ‘broad band’ noise.

6 Impulsiveness

An impulsive noise is characterised by one or more short sharp peaks in the time domain, such as occurs during hammering.


Acoustic Terminology

7 Frequency Analysis

Frequency analysis is the process used to examine the tones (or frequency components) which make up the overall noise or vibration signal. This analysis was traditionally carried out using analogue electronic filters, but is now normally carried out using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) analysers.

The units for frequency are Hertz (Hz), which represent the number of cycles per second.

Frequency analysis can be in:

Octave bands (where the centre frequency and width of each band is double the previous band)

1/3 octave bands (3 bands in each octave band)

Narrow band (where the spectrum is divided into 400 or more bands of equal width)

The following figure shows a 1/3 octave band frequency analysis where the noise is dominated by the 200 Hz band. Note that the indicated level of each individual band is less than the overall level, which is the logarithmic sum of the bands.

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

125

160

200

250

315

400

500

630

800

100

0

1250

160

0

2000

250

0

3150

Overa

ll

1/3 Octave Band Centre Frequency (Hz)

So

un

d P

ressu

re L

evel

(dB

A)

8 Vibration

Vibration may be defined as cyclic or transient motion. This motion can be measured in terms of its displacement, velocity or acceleration. Most assessments of human response to vibration or the risk of damage to buildings use measurements of vibration velocity. These may be expressed in terms of ‘peak’ velocity or ‘rms’ velocity.

The former is the maximum instantaneous velocity, without any averaging, and is sometimes referred to as ‘peak particle velocity’, or PPV. The latter incorporates ‘root mean squared’ averaging over some defined time period.

Vibration measurements may be carried out in a single axis or alternatively as triaxial measurements. Where triaxial measurements are used, the axes are commonly designated vertical, longitudinal (aligned toward the source) and transverse.

The common units for velocity are millimetres per second (mm/s). As with noise, decibel units can also be used, in which case the reference level should always be stated. A vibration level V, expressed in mm/s can be converted to decibels by the formula 20 log (V/Vo), where Vo is the reference level (10

-9 m/s). Care is

required in this regard, as other reference levels may be used by some organizations.

9 Human Perception of Vibration

People are able to ‘feel’ vibration at levels lower than those required to cause even superficial damage to the most susceptible classes of building (even though they may not be disturbed by the motion). An individual's perception of motion or response to vibration depends very strongly on previous experience and expectations, and on other connotations associated with the perceived source of the vibration. For example, the vibration that a person responds to as ‘normal’ in a car, bus or train is considerably higher than what is perceived as ‘normal’ in a shop, office or dwelling.

10 Over-Pressure

The term ‘over-pressure’ is used to describe the air pressure pulse emitted during blasting or similar events. The peak level of an event is normally measured using a microphone in the same manner as linear noise (ie unweighted), at frequencies both in and below the audible range.

11 Ground-borne Noise, Structure-borne Noise and Regenerated Noise

Noise that propagates through a structure as vibration and is radiated by vibrating wall and floor surfaces is termed ‘structure-borne noise’, ‘ground-borne noise’ or ‘regenerated noise’. This noise originates as vibration and propagates between the source and receiver through the ground and/or building structural elements, rather than through the air.

Typical sources of ground-borne or structure-borne noise include tunnelling works, underground railways, excavation plant (eg rockbreakers), and building services plant (eg fans, compressors and generators).

The following figure presents the various paths by which vibration and ground-borne noise may be transmitted between a source and receiver for construction activities occurring within a tunnel.

The term ‘regenerated noise’ is also used in other instances where energy is converted to noise away from the primary source. One example would be a fan blowing air through a discharge grill. The fan is the energy source and primary noise source. Additional noise may be created by the aerodynamic effect of the discharge grill in the airstream. This secondary noise is referred to as regenerated noise


Noise Catchment Areas and Sensitive Receivers

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NCA-02

NCA-01

NCA-04

NCA-05

NCA-13NCA-17

NCA-18

NCA-08NCA-07

NCA-03

NCA-06 NCA-10

NCA-1

2

NCA-1

1NC

A-09

NCA-14

NCA-1

6

NCA-19

NCA-1

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0 100 200 300 400 500m

Project No.:Date:Drawn by:Scale:Sheet Size:Projection:

04/02/2015

GDA 1994 MGA Zone 56

610.13422

NT

A31:10,000

Roads & Maritime ServicesNorthern Beaches HospitalConnectivity and Network EnhancementsStage 2 Noise and Vibration Assessment

Noise Catchment Areas and Sensitive Receivers

N¶N

LEGEND!( Noise Logging Locations!( Traffic Count Locations

Noise Catchment AreasSensitive Receivers

CommercialIndustrialOther (Child Care)Other (Education)Other (Hotel)Open Space (Active)Open Space (Passive)Other (Place of Worship)Residential

2 LINCOLN STREETLANE COVE

NEW SOUTH WALES 2066AUSTRALIA

T: 61 2 9427 8100F: 61 2 9427 8101

www.slrconsulting.comThe content contained within this document may be based on third party data.SLR Consulting Australia Pty Ltd does not guarantee theaccuracy of such information.

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