Abstract
Evaluating Environmental Noise Impacts from High Speed Rail Using GIS Track: Transportation Author(s): Josh Carman, Richard Carman In August 2005, the California High Speed Rail Authority certified its Program FEIR/FEIS, which evaluated environmental impacts along a proposed 700-mile corridor from Sacramento and San Francisco to San Diego. Project alternatives considered in addition to high-speed rail were highway and airport improvements. Wilson, Ihrig & Associates was responsible for assessing project noise and vibration impacts, which it accomplished by quantifying the number of people potentially affected in the adjacent communities. A "screening process," as defined in the FRA Guidance Manual, was used to execute this task. Spatial aspects of project impacts were addressed using Esri software in conjunction with Andersen land-use data. GIS attribute data tables were developed and spatial queries conducted. The intersection of shapefiles generated using "screening distances" was used to generate buffer zone of potentially significant impact. Esri software was instrumental in the layout and presentation of findings for the project DEIR/DEIS. Josh Carman Wilson, Ihrig & Assoc., Inc. 5776 Broadway Oakland , CA 94618 US Phone: (510)658-6719 E-mail: jcarman@wiai.com Richard Carman Wilson, Ihrig & Assoc., Inc. 5776 Broadway Oakland , CA 94618 US Phone: (510)658-6719 E-mail: rcarman@wiai.com |
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