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Noise Abatement
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When is MDOT required to do a traffic noise analysis?
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Answer:
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MDOT is required to do a noise analysis on any highway project that may significantly increase noise impacts on the adjacent properties. MDOT follows federal regulation 23 CFR 772 and State Transportation Commission's Noise Abatement Policy #10136 as to when traffic noise impact and abatement analyses are required.
MDOT is required to do a noise impact and abatement analysis for all Type I and Type II Federal-aid projects.
A Type I project is, as stated in 23 CFR 772.5:
(1) The construction of a highway on new location; or,
(2) The physical alteration of an existing highway where there is either:
(i) Substantial Horizontal Alteration. A project that halves the distance between the traffic noise source and the closest
receptor between the existing condition to the future build condition; or,
(ii) Substantial Vertical Alteration. A project that removes shielding therefore exposing the line-of-sight between the
receptor and the traffic noise source. This is done by either altering the vertical alignment of the highway or by altering the
topography between the highway traffic noise source and the receptor; or,
(3) The addition of a through-traffic lane(s). This includes the addition of a through-traffic lane that
functions as a HOV lane, High-Occupancy Toll (HOT) lane, bus lane, or truck climbing lane; or,
(4) The addition of an auxiliary lane, except for when the auxiliary lane is a turn lane; or,
(5) The addition or relocation of interchange lanes or ramps added to a quadrant to complete an existing
partial interchange; or,
(6) Restriping existing pavement for the purpose of adding a through-traffic lane or an auxiliary lane; or,
(7) The addition of a new or substantial alteration of a weigh station, rest stop, ride-share lot or toll plaza.
(8) If a project is determined to be a Type I project under this definition then the entire project area as defined in the environmental document is a Type I project.
A Type II project is the construction of a noise abatement measure along an existing highway. The Type II program is a voluntary Federal-aid noise abatement program in which Michigan participates. A community must fill out an application (found on the MDOT Noise Abatement web page) to qualify for a Type II project consideration.
(NOTE: MDOT's Type II program is suspended until further notice due to budget constraints.)
Noise abatement must meet feasibility and reasonableness, the same as with Type I noise abatement, plus:
- eighty percent of the dwelling units within 500 feet of a limited access highway preceded the highway or the last pre-1994 major capacity improvement,
- Type I noise abatement analysis from a previous study did not find abatement to be unfeasible or unreasonable, and
- the government entity in which the abatement will be located must provide 10% of the total construction cost - due at the time of construction.
- MDOT will favor applications from locations where zoning and building regulations are in place to preclude future noise abatement needs along highways.
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