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Charles Street Project
*From:* Jeffrey Folden
*Sent:* Monday, January 14, 2008 2:10 PM
*To:* 'eric rockel '
*Cc:* Melissa Blair; ' ttamburrino@mdp.state.md.us <mailto:ttamburrino@mdp.state.md.us> '; ' trising@baltimorecountymd.gov <mailto:trising@baltimorecountymd.gov> '; 'Pat Martino'
*Subject:* FW: Charles Street project and MHT Review of same
Dear Mr. Rockel:
The State Highway Administration (SHA) has reviewed your comments sent to the Maryland Historic Trust (MHT) related to the I-695 at Charles Street Interchange Reconstruction project and offer the following response. While we understand that the current intersection of Clarke Avenue with Bellona Avenue has been existing since the 1870's; the SHA believes that the relocation is needed to improve the traffic operations in the area. Vehicles attempting to make a left turn from Bellona Avenue increase traffic stacking on back onto Charles Street which reduces both safety and traffic operations within the area. The SHA also believes that the relocation of the Clarke Avenue intersection can lead to a decrease in cut through traffic using Clarke Avenue. It should be noted that the realignment of Clarke Avenue does not have any impact on the existing stone wall adjacent to 1401 Clarke Avenue.
The stone wall is being proposed to be reconstructed for approximately 120 feet. The reason for the proposed reconstruction is to enhance the condition and appearance of the wall where portions of it are deteriorating. The wall is being proposed to be reconstructed at its current location using all existing stones which may be reused. If necessary, additional similar stone would be used to replace portions of the existing stone which are not salvageable. Although certain existing landscaping would need to be removed to reconstruct the wall, the SHA is willing to replant as requested by the property owner of 1401 Clarke Avenue assuming that a right of entry is granted to install the landscaping. We will continue to work with Mr. and Mrs. Hettinger to finalize an acceptable plan to all parties involved.
In regards to your comments on the project's noise evaluation, the current noise evaluation does differ from the evaluation previously completed for the project's original Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). It should also be pointed out, that the computer noise model for assessing traffic related noise impacts has been completely modernized since the FONSI was approved. The Federal highway Administration (FHWA) Traffic Noise Model (TNM) succeeds the original STAMINA 2.0 computer model as a state-of-the-art program for the prediction of noise in the vicinity of highways. The model incorporates vehicle noise emission levels, updated for modern vehicle classification, traffic speed and traffic volume, sound propagation factors from atmospheric absorption, divergence, intervening ground, intervening barriers, intervening rows of buildings and areas of heavy vegetation. Therefore, there will be some differences in the results. However, in the case of 1401 Clark Ave, there never was an indicated receptor in the FONSI that corresponded with this location. The FONSI's noise receptor location was near the property of 7200 Charles Street. Additionally, the nearest point that was modeled in current study to the FONSI receptor is 7201 Charles Street. The current predicted future noise level is 68 dBA versus the FONSI's 70 dBA. This difference can certainly be attributed in part due to the new model.
When developing the TNM model for the project area, the closest receptor location to actual home of 1401 Clarke is R5-1 which is in the northwest quadrant of the property and is about seven to eight feet higher than the elevation of Bellona Avenue. There is a gradual grade up from the top of embankment to the receptor location. Due to this geometric relationship, noise would be blocked from a direct line of sight by the embankment, thus lowering the noise level at the receptor. Moving the receptor point closer to Bellona would reduce or eliminate the affect of the embankment. Therefore, being closer to Bellona would raise the noise level, putting it more in line with the levels predicted in the FONSI. Considering the entire property of 1401 Clarke Avenue, and interpolating the noise levels between receptors, it was concluded that the location is impacted by traffic noise. This was defined on the noise map and in the updated noise report. However, as was noted in the FONSI and in the noise report, mitigation in the form of a barrier is not feasible since an effective barrier cannot be constructed because it would have to cross residential access. One of your comments suggested that SHA provide storm window installations since a barrier could not be constructed to mitigate for noise impacts. It should be noted that SHA's noise policy does not provide interior mitigation to individual residences. Noise mitigation is provided for exterior areas of frequent common use where construction of a barrier is both reasonable and feasible.
The SHA is also aware of the community sign and landscaping at the corner of Bellona Avenue and Clarke Avenue. This sign is currently within the limits of existing public right of way. There will be grading and planting occurring in the area of the sign; however, the sign will not need to be relocated. As discussed at our December 17, 2007 meeting, the SHA will maintain the sign at its current location; however, it is suggested that the Lutherville Community Association (LCA) store the sign during construction to reduce any chances of potential damage by the contractor. The SHA would remove the sign at the beginning of construction, provide it to the LCA for storage, and reset the sign at the conclusion of construction.
Thank you for your comments. The SHA would like to inform you that MHT concurred with SHA on December 18, 2007 that the I-695 at Charles Street project would have no adverse effects on historic properties; however, the SHA looks forward to continuing to work with the LCA and the community to provide a provide a project that minimizes any impacts to the community and provides a quality project which would enhance safety and mobility for the area. If you have any additional questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.
Thanks,
Jeff
Jeff Folden, P.E.
Transportation Engineer
Maryland State Highway Administration
Office of Highway Development
Community Design Division
voice: 410-545-8814
fax: 410-209-5001
jfolden1@sha.state.md.us <mailto:jfolden1@sha.state.md.us>
*************************************************
*From:* eric rockel [ mailto:erockel@earthlink.net ]
*Sent:* Tuesday, December 11, 2007 9:15 PM
*To:* ttamburrino@mdp.state.md.us <mailto:ttamburrino@mdp.state.md.us>
*Cc:* Melissa Blair; James Folden
*Subject:* Charles Street project and MHT Review of same
Mr. Tamburrino: I was directed to you as a result of a previous email sent to MHT concerning the Charles Street project. I understand that you are the reviewer of this project, and I would like to offer some comments on behalf of myself and the Lutherville Community Association.
In assessing the SHA proposal, we have no objections to the need to replace the Charles Street bridge or ultimately make improvements to the Beltway due to capacity constraints. However, we feel the potential exists to disrupt certain settings within the community of Lutherville, hence the need to offer these remarks
We are concerned about the change in the geometry of the Clarke Avenue connection. Clarke Avenue has historically, since the 1870s, had a direct intersection with Bellona Avenue. One of the impacts to the adjoining improvements as a result of this change to Clarke Avenue will be the need to remove and rebuild a portion of a stone wall adjacent to 1401 Clarke Avenue. SHA is proposing to only impact about 100 linear feet of this wall, and it remains to be seen whether the contractor employed to do so can tie the remaining wall into the relocated wall in an appropriate manner. We would also hope, and request, that all of the existing stone that is removed will be reused as part of the relocated wall. Due to this wall relocation, SHA will have to remove some existing trees, and we believe that this loss of trees will negatively impact the setting for 1401 Clarke Avenue, a property that is within the National Historic District. These trees are mature, shade trees, and while t he SHA has offered to install new landscaping behind the wall, we are not sure that the proposal set forth by their landscape architect is appropriate to compensate for the loss of these mature trees. At a meeting held on Nov. 28 the State graciously agreed to work with the abutting owner concerning the type of replacement trees. I would hope that MHT will echo this sentiment in its comments on the plan.
Let me digress somewhat for a moment to comment on the Archeological Report, report #375, performed for this submittal to MHT. I was not too impressed by the quality of the report. The conclusions contained in this report were unable to date the age of the stone wall mentioned above. Yet the only apparent means of dating the wall were to make several test excavations in an attempt to find artifacts that would lead to a conclusion about the wall's age. The author should have taken matters further by contacting masonry historians to get insights about the type of construction in order to try to date the wall. Further, there were a number of errors in the narrative section of the report. One of the local roads was consistently referred to as Ortho Ridge Road, when in fact it is named Othoridge Road after Otho Ridgely, a former owner of the land and one of the members of the famous Ridgely family of Hampton mansion notoriety. Secondly, the aut hor stated in the caption to Figure 11 that the place name Quarryville was the previous name of Cockeysville, when infact Quarryville is now Texas, Maryland, south of Cockeysville. Finally on page 7 of the report it is stated that the headwaters of the Roland Run are south and east of the project area, when in fact the headwaters are north and west of the area. Just little things like these, and the lack of an age conclusion about the wall, make me believe that the archeological report was hurried and incomplete.
Now let me return to other comments about the project. At the meeting held on Nov. 28, the noise expert for SHA commented that noise levels at 1401 Clarke Avenue were below the 67 decibel threshold established by FHA based upon recent computer modeling for the Charles Street project and the ultimate Beltway Improvements planned for this area. I found this observation curious because in the original FONSI report from 1991stated that noise levels were predicted to be 70 decibels by 2015 with the Beltway improvements completed( see pages III-78 & 81, FONSI-1991). Now I will acknowledge that there is little that can be done in project design to mitigate this problem because there is no appropriate place to erect a noise barrier as part of the project, but there are other steps that the Lutherville community would like to see taken. Specifically, after the ultimate Beltway improvements are completed, which will follow the Charles Street project, we would like to see SHA r eturn to this area along Bellona Avenue and at Clarke Avenue to take additional noise level readings. If the noise level exceeds FHA recommended levels, possibly there is something that can be done to the structures impacted by the noise, for example storm window installations to mitigate some of the sound transference or some other such mitigation that does not involve highway engineering mitigation.
Additionally there is a community sign at the corner of Bellona and Clarke that will need to be relocated, along with some appurtenant landscaping, that was installed to enhance the Lutherville Historic District. We did not mention this sign to SHA at our recent meeting, and I would hope that they will relocate the sign beyond the limits of the easements they need to acquire.
In all, we are trying to build a good working relationship with SHA concerning the details of this project. We believe that Lutherville's designation as a historic district necessitates the attention to the details outlined above. Thank you for taking the time to consider these comments.
eric rockel