The Challenge

With 200 acres adjacent to transit and I-270, Classic Community Corp. saw the opportunity to create a vibrant, superbly connected neighborhood using new-urban principals. Plans called for 4.5 million square feet of pedestrian friendly residential development, class-A office space and retail straddling a new light rail line. But heavy freeway traffic and regular train horns from an at-grade crossing at the corner of the property made noise control critical to the success of the project.

Our Solution

Before designers could incorporate noise control into plans for structures ranging from high-rises to single family homes, they needed a thorough accounting of how unwanted sound traveled across the site. To meet that need, the Phoenix team conducted multiple 24-hour surveys of noise from the commuter and freight railway, as well as the ten-lane segment of I-270 bordering the other end of the site. Our engineers then crunched the data using the Federal Highway Administration Traffic Noise Model. The resulting analysis detailed the noise contours across the site based on current and projected traffic. From there, Phoenix could calculate the upper-level noise impact at the multi-story commercial center, townhouses and single family homes. We also offered designers 24-hour measurements of ground vibration from the railroad and estimated noise levels from the proposed Corridor Cities Transit light rail that would bisect the development.

The Results

Our services provided Watkins Mill engineers and architects with the information they needed to handle transportation noise so they could focus on crafting a highly livable community. Our work also included traffic noise estimates for outdoor activity areas that we incorporated in site layout recommendations, as well as noise barrier designs. For building interiors, we studied architectural plans to make specific recommendations for noise mitigation. Finally, our post-construction inspections ensured compliance with noise-level requirements.