HomeMy WebLinkAbout20240614 Lexington Road Subdivision Area Variances Noise Study
10 Airline Drive, Suite 200, Albany, NY 12205 · Office: 518-218-1801 · Fax: 518-218-1805 · BartonandLoguidice.com
May 20, 2025
Arico Associates
Engineers, Land Planners & Consultants
Attn: Mr. Dominick F. Arico, PE
1407 Route 9 – Building 2 - Suite 6
Clifton Park, NY 12065
Subj: Bemis Point Residential Subdivision Development
Re: Noise
Dear Mr. Arico, PE:
Barton and Loguidice, D.P.C. was retained by Arico Associates to review the potential effects of the
implementation of residential housing and tree removal related to the proposed Bemis Point Residential
Subdivision development in the City of Saratoga Springs. Overall layout and site plans were reviewed
and utilized in this investigation.
Based on historical aerial photos from Google Earth, observed for both vegetation seasons and winter
seasons, the existing project area is wooded with primarily deciduous trees intermixed with sporadic
coniferous species. In general, tree lines of mixed tree types can provide up to 8 to 10 decibels of noise
reduction when they are dense enough, completely cut off the line of sight of the noise source, and
when they are at least 200 feet deep. Additionally, tree species need to be a relatively equal mix of
deciduous and coniferous trees to achieve levels of mitigation between 5 and 10 decibels year round.
The primary existing noise source for the project area and existing neighborhood is I nterstate 87. It is
true that the reduction of trees between Interstate 87 and the proposed development will reduce the
noise attenuation currently provided. However, this will have only a minor effect on the existing
neighborhood along Lexington and Bemis Heights Road, Champlain Drive, etc. for two reasons. First, is
that the primary noise source at these residences is the I-87 northbound and southbound segments that
are the closest to the residences where the trees will remain. For the I-87 sections north and south of
this area, the traffic is further away from the sensitive receptors (in this case, the residences) so the
effect of the traffic noise drops off to a point where it does not contribute enough to the overall noise
level experienced to change the realized levels in the neighborhood. Therefore, the removal of a
portion of the trees to the south, as proposed, do not have as much of an effect as it would if the trees
were removed directly between I-87 and Lexington Road.
Second, the rows of homes proposed will help to serve as a noise barrier. This function as a noise
barrier is limited to one (1) to two (2) decibels since they are approximately 250 feet to 325 feet away
from I-87 and are not tightly packed together where reductions of up to 5 dBA can be realized. The
noise scattered from I-87 due to this distance also limits the effectiveness as a barrier, however, the row
of homes do provide an incremental reduction.
Mr. Dominick F. Arico, PE
Bemis Point Residential Subdivision Development
May 20, 2025
Page 2
The Federal Highway Administration’s Traffic Noise Model, (TNM 3.0), was utilized to model the existing
neighborhood, the tree line, the row of proposed homes, and I-87 northbound and southbound traffic.
Using 2024 traffic data during the peak traffic hour, travel speeds, and the percentage of trucks (9%)
reported by the NYSDOT traffic data software available online, the data was input into the TNM model.
The FHWA TNM model since its inception in 1998 (Version 1.0), has been refined and updated over the
years to represent the effect of tree zones and building rows by using field studies and actual data. The
results of these analyses are accepted and relied upon by most state transportation and environmental
agencies including the New York State Department of Transportation. The site, using the TNM 3.0
model was then developed to reflect the existing conditions and then modeled to include the removal of
the tree zone shown in the site plan layout and the construction of the row of homes. The results show
that the removal of a portion of the trees and the development of the site will result in an increase in
one (1) to two (2) decibels (A-weighted) along Lexington and Bemis Height Roads during the peak traffic
period of I-87. Similar results are applicable along Champlain Drive.
Increases in one (1) to two (2) decibels (A-weighted) are barely perceptible by human hearing and
laboratory equipment cannot discern differences of one (1) dBA. The NYSDEC and NYSDOT consider
increases in 0 to 5 dBA as barely perceptible to tolerable. The NYSDOT considers increases of 6 dBA to
be the threshold where impacts may occur, this is consistent with NYSDEC Guidance as shown in the
table below: Source - NYSDEC Program Policy, Assessing and Mitigating Noise Impacts, February 2, 2001.
Conclusion: The project, as proposed, will not be the cause of an increase in noticeable traffic noise due
to the reduction in trees and the introduction of the residential homes.
If you have any questions, or would like to discuss further, please do not hesitate to contact me at
tbaird@bartonandloguidice.com or (518) 218-1801 extension 2016.
Sincerely,
BARTON & LOGUIDICE, D.P.C.
Thomas C. Baird, P.E.
Senior Associate