ENVision, Volume 4, Issue 4, Winter 1998-99 Page: 3
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EN Vision Winter 1998-99 Page 3
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W-uThings for a traffic noise analyst to consider when selecting a church as a noise receiver
By MIKE SHEARER
Environmental Affairs Division
The selection of representative noise
receiver locations is one of the first and
most important tasks in the performance
of a traffic noise analysis. As indicated in
the Texas Department of Transportation's
(TxDOT) "Guidelines for Analysis and
Abatement of Highway Traffic Noise"
(Noise Guidelines), all of the following
three criteria must be considered in the
selection process:
Outdoor land use activity areas that:
1. are frequently used by humans
- if no outdoor areas can be
identified, interior locations may be
used
AND
2. might be impacted by traffic noise
* normally depends on distance from
the highway centerline
AND
3. may benefit from feasible and
reasonable noise abatement
* typically excludes commercial/
business sites since noise
abatement, such as a noise barrier,
could have a detrimental impact on
business activities by restricting
views and access by potential
customers.
The remainder of this article
emphasizes the first criterion specifically
as it applies to churches and similar types
of land use activity areas. For the purposes
of this article, these areas will be referred
to, collectively, as "churches."The first thing to consider is the
selection of a specific location that
represents the "activity area" that is
"frequently used" by "humans."
Typically, frequent human activity on
church property takes place inside a
building (sanctuary, family center,
rectory, etc.); therefore, an interior
location should be selected for analysis.
The parking lot or other outdoor areas
should not be selected if "human activity"
in these areas is limited primarily to a
brief transition to an interior activity area
(see diagram).
NOTE: the Noise Abatement Criterion
for an interior location is 52 dBA
(Category E).
The same considerations would also
apply to any school associated with the
church. An interior location should be
selected for analysis unless there is a
"frequently used" outdoor activity area,
such as a playground, located between the
school and the highway project. However,
if a playground is located on the opposite
side of the school from the highway
project (see diagram), do not skip over the
Church
(interior)school to select the playground. Rather,
select the interior of the school.
The next thing to consider is the time
that the church is "frequently used" by
"humans." Typically, a church is
"frequently used" only on weekends and/
or in the evenings unless there is a full-
time school associated with the church. If
the church and any associated activity
areas are only used on the weekends or in
the evenings, the associated noise levels
should be adjusted, based on off-peak
traffic data, before determining if an
impact will occur.
NOTE: do not include a lengthy
explanation of this process in the
environmental documentation. Simply
document the resultant noise levels.
It is difficult to make any statements
about traffic noise analyses that will apply
in all cases. This article only addresses the
"typical" circumstances involved in the
selection of a church as a noise receiver.
For additional guidance, refer to TxDOT's
Noise Guidelines or contact Mike Shearer,
ENV's noise expert, at (512) 416-2622.
Playground
Church School
(interior)Parking Lot
Highway Project
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Sound
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Texas. Department of Transportation. ENVision, Volume 4, Issue 4, Winter 1998-99, periodical, Winter 1998; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth606703/m1/3/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.