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Hoover & Keith Inc. <br />Port of Houston Authority — Barbours Cut�ainer Terminal H&K Job No. 3271 <br />Noise Impact Evaluation of a Proposed N recheck Gate H&K Report No. 78 — FINAL (02117/03) <br />PROPOSED NEW PRECHECK GATE FOR THE PHA BARBOURS <br />CUT CONTAINER TERMINAL: RESULTS OF A PRE -CONSTRUCTION <br />AMBIENT SOUND SURVEY AND NOISE IMPACT EVALUATION <br />REPORT SUMMARY <br />This report presents an evaluation of the potential noise impact of the proposed new <br />Precheck Gate for the PHA Barbours Cut Container Terminal. Also included are the <br />results of a pre -construction ambient sound survey performed on January 11 and January <br />14, 2002 in the area surrounding the proposed new Precheck Gate. <br />The primary intent of the noise evaluation is to project the sound contribution from the proposed <br />Precheck Gate and discuss conceptual noise mitigation measures to insure that the noise of the <br />proposed Precheck Gate has minimum noise impact on the surrounding environment. Note that <br />normal activity at the proposed new Precheck Gate would occur 5 days/week during the daytime <br />(i.e., from approximately 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM). <br />The following table presents a noise quality analysis for the new Precheck Gate at the <br />noise -sensitive areas (NSAs), such as residences, near the proposed facility. The table <br />includes the measured ambient daytime sound levels (i.e., Ld) and the estimated sound <br />contribution of the facility at the closest NSAs to the Precheck Gate, noting that sound <br />tests were not performed at NSA #4 because of nearby construction noise although the <br />ambient noise at NSA #4 is assumed to be similar to the ambient noise at NSA #2. <br />Noise Qualitv Analvsis of the Pr000sed New Precheck Gate for the PHA Barbours Cut Cnntniner Terminal <br />(Closest NSAsf <br />Distantof NSA <br />JVleas'd <br />EstV Sound <br />Potential <br />Est d.Sound <br />Potential{ <br />and Direction <br />} to Site Center <br />Am <br />'clue-to <br />u <br />Level'due to <br />Noise <br />from Site Center <br />of Pro osed <br />P <br />a Ld :. <br />Activities of <br />{hcrease' ' <br />Activities at <br />increase'°= <br />ti of the Proposed <br />it <br />Precheck Gate ; <br />' <br />Precheck <br />' 4 (°Impact } <br />.. <br />Precheck <br />(°Impact ) <br />A <br />s Precheck Gate` <br />� <br />$ <br />. s <br />n <br />hate ° <br />K <br />Gate " <br />Y <br />, <br />, <br />y <br />NSA #1 (SE) <br />700 feet <br />59 dBA <br />71 dBA' <br />12 dB ° <br />63 dBA " <br />4 dB bA <br />NSA #2 (ESE) <br />800 feet <br />58 dBA <br />69 dBA " <br />11 dB ° <br />61 dBA °' <br />3 dB <br />NSA #4 (SE) <br />400 feet <br />58 dBA <br />76 dBA' <br />18 dB ' <br />64 dBA " <br />6 dI3 " <br />' Assumes that no additional noise mitigation measures are employed <br />Assumes that noise mitigation measures, such as a noise barrier system, are implemented <br />The results of the noise evaluation indicate that the daytime ambient noise at the NSAs located <br />near the Precheck Gate could increase by 10 dB or more during normal operation at the new <br />Precheck Gate if additional noise mitigation measures are not implemented. Consequently, the <br />noise associated with the proposed new Precheck Gate during normal activities could have a <br />significant noise impact on the surrounding environment unless noise mitigation measures, such <br />as a noise barrier system along the South Side of the facility, are implemented. <br />-Page i- <br />