Traffic Noise Effects of Elevated, Depressed, and At-Grade Level Freeways inTexas

摘要

To answer questions being raised by abutting residents and businesses aboutproposed elevated and/or depressed freeway improvements in urban and suburban areas of Texas, a four-year study has been conducted to estimate the social, economic, and environmental effects of such freeway designs. Eight existing, two under-construction, and one approved-for-construction freeway sections have been studied on a before-, during-, and after-construction basis. The sections selected for study range from being in predominately residential suburban areas to predominantly commercial-industrial downtown areas. The specific effects of the three types estimated for each study section are as follows: (1) social impacts: population changes, neighborhood accessibility, neighborhood accessibility, neighborhood cohesion and community services; (2) economic impacts: relocation and mitigation costs, business sales, property uses and values, tax revenues, employment, and income and user costs; and (3) environmental impacts: aesthetics, drainage and erosion, noise and air pollution, vibration and hazardous spills. The literature review and a survey of highway agencies in other states were used to determine the appropriate procedures or models and mitigation measures to implement in estimating the social, economic, and environmental impacts of elevated and depressed freeways.