Noise Sensitive Land Uses. Residential areas immediately adjacent to the Project corridor are generally considered to be noise- sensitive. However ambient noise levels vary by neighborhood, depending on location and proximity to routes with high levels of vehicular traffic. Religious institutions, emergency services, and schools are also considered to be noise-sensitive receptors. Anticipated noise impacts due to construction activities are directly related to the type of equipment required (magnitude) and average length of construction time (duration). Measures will be taken to minimize the potential for noise impacts of construction activities near all noise-sensitive areas. The Certificate Holder will use noise attenuated generators and/or compressors to minimize noise from construction activities. Heavy construction vehicles and equipment will be fitted with appropriate low noise engine exhaust mufflers as necessary. The need for additional acoustic barriers will be assessed with on site DPS Staff as necessary. It is currently planned that some of the Project’s construction and restoration activities will be performed at night and at other off-hours times. This will help minimize the Project’s impacts on vehicle traffic with minimal increase in nighttime impacts to sensitive noise receptors. Some activities, such as completing a cable splice, pulling conduit bundles into HDD bore holes, and pulling transmission and fiber optic cables into the installed conduits may extend from daytime into night, whether or not doing so will mitigate traffic impacts, because such activities are best performed in a continuous operation. Trenching locations where nightwork will occur are detailed in Table 6.3.
