Project Number:

3478

Riverside Station

SERVICE:

Acoustic Modeling Study

DESCRIPTION:

An upgrade of the Riverside Station parking facility was proposed to convert open parking lots into a mixed use development. Currently cars park in an open lot adjacent to the Riverside station and the Indigo Hotel. The open parking is to be replaced by garage parking which will allow for the installation of an intermodal hub for garage enterance and exiting along with taxi access, bus, bicycle and pedestrian access. This new parking arrangement and increased station access will also provide sufficient space for mixed use development including office, retail and/or residential uses.

Clearly if the same amount of cars are to be parked and the area expanded for additional mixed use, the area could experience an increase in traffic and noise without proper planning. VHB provided sufficient traffic upgrades and modifications to access to 128 to ensure that additional traffic impacts would be minimal. VHB and the developer contacted Tech to perform a noise assessment of the additional traffic and structures.

Residents near the proposed Riverside Project were concerned about reflective noise impacts from I-95/ Rt.128. Tech was retained by The Walsh Company LLC to conduct an acoustic modeling study. Tech was asked to confirm that noise from I-95/Rt.128 traffic reflecting off of new project buildings would not result in excess increases in reflective sound or produce “pure tone” conditions. Tech used peak hour traffic data collected from I-95/Rt.128 and projections provided from the project team for the new ramps and roadways to determine the traffic noise. The traffic noise was predicted into the neighborhood of concern via a 3-dimensional acoustic model. This work was similar to what tech often does to predict the benefit of highway noise barriers, only in reverse this time. The reflective nature of the new buildings would not significantly increase sound in the neighborhood of concern because of topography, traffic volumes and proximity to sound sources. Tech successfully demonstrated that the Project would not result in detectable sound increases in the neighborhood of concern.

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Key Points

  • Tech was retained by The Walsh Company LLC to conduct an acoustic modeling study for the proposed expansion of Riverside Station.
  • Tech successfully demonstrated that sound levels would not be increased by more than 3 dBA, well below acceptable limits of Mass DEP Noise Policy 310 CMR and Newton Town Ordinance.