Surface Transportation

Interstate 275 from 54th Avenue South to 4th Street, St. Petersburg, Florida
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) conducted a Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study to evaluate the need for capacity and operational improvements along approximately 16 miles of Interstate 285 (I-275) in Pinellas County.  

KBE prepared the noise and air quality analysis for the PD&E Study that satisfied all applicable federal and state requirements, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).  

Over 2,00O noise-sensitive receptors were evaluated (e.g., residences, sports areas, day care centers, places of worship, etc.).  More than half of the properties were determined to be impacted by traffic noise with the proposed improvements to I-275.  

Measures, including noise barriers, were evaluated to abate the predicted impacts.   Based on the conceptual plans prepared for the PD&E Study, noise barriers were recommended for further detailed analysis during the project’s design phase.  The total estimated cost of the barriers ranged from $13 to $26 million depending on the final barrier length and height.

Interstate 75 (I-75) PD&E Study Manatee County, FL
KBE conducted traffic noise analysis for the upgrading of this existing six-lane, limited access interstate to a 10-lane four roadway system. Within the project limits, 900 noise-sensitive sites were determined to have the potential to be impacted by traffic noise with the improvements. The sites were comprised of single-and multi-family residences, a recreational vehicle (RV) park, a cemetery, a regional park, playgrounds within several of the residential communities, hotel, restaurants with outdoor dining, and a golf course. Noise barriers were determined to be both a potentially feasible and reasonable abatement measure for eight residential areas and the RV park.

Environmental Contamination

I -75 Multimodal Master Plan Environmental Contamination Survey, Southwest Florida
KBE conducted surveys of known and potential sources of environmental contamination in support of a multimodal master plan for 125 miles of I-75 from the I-275 interchange in Manatee County south to Alligator Alley in Collier County.

Hazardous Materials Assessments for Surface Transportation Rights-of-Ways, Florida Department of Transportation
KBE provided coordination and management services of soil and groundwater contamination assessments associated with right-of-way acquisition for numerous projects in Pinellas, Pasco, Lee, and Hillsborough counties. Inventories of potentially hazardous waste sites for over 200 miles of roadway corridor environmental assessments in other locations throughout Florida and the southwest U.S. have been conducted.

Air Quality

FDOT District One General Consulting Interstate 75 (I-75) PD&E Study Manatee County, FL
KBE provided a variety of on-call highway air quality-related services including advising the FDOT on the impact of the Clean Air Act Transportation Conformity requirements within non-attainment areas and the potential impact of revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality Standard and subsequent requirements of the Clean Air Act Conformity Rule on the jurisdictions within this district.  

Puerto Rico Department of Highways & Transportation Conformity Determination, Puerto Rico
KBE prepared a Transportation Conformity Determination for the San Juan Metropolitan Area Transportation Plan.  This assignment Involved preparation emission inventories and dispersion modeling of PM-10; development of mitigation measures; and extensive agency coordination.

MSAT Air Quality Analysis, I-66 Inside the Beltway Project, Virginia
KBE conducted a Mobile Source Air Toxics (MSAT) "CO hot-spot" Air Dispersion Analyses for existing and no-build/build. future-year improved conditions, associated with this highway. Resulted in a Categorical Exclusion (CE) for this project under NEPA. GIS as well as the air quality model tools CAL3QHC and MOVES were used for this analysis.

Rail

Federal Railroad Administration – Baltimore and Potomac (B&P) Tunnel EIS Air Quality, Noise & Vibration Analyses. 
This project involved a proposed 2-mile long replacement tunnel beneath downtown Baltimore to increase Amtrak and commuter rail capacity along the Northeast corridor. The analyses focused on changes in air emissions due to train operations and at the exhaust vent plants along the tunnel corridor. Project-related construction emissions were also being assessed. The results supported a NEPA document as well as a Conformity determination under the federal Clean Air Act (CAA). Agency coordination at Federal, state and local levels as well as community involvement were included.