GIS for Noise

Simple GIS Tools to Improve Noise AnalysisPresented by Kevin Keller

TRB ADC 40 Summer Meeting July 23, 2007

San Luis Obispo, CA

GIS – Geographic Information System

• Geographic – Related to the surface of the earth – Point, Line, Polygon

• Information – Each Point, Line, Polygon has Data related to directly to it.

• System – Computer Program

GIS Computer Software

• ESRI (ArcView)– Has the most users – 90 % of the GIS market - most public agencies in the U.S. are users.

• CADD system can be set up to work like a GIS system

• Google Earth, MSN Live Search• Noise Model Software:TNM, LIMA,

Soundplan, CANDA, ETC.

How can this improve Noise Analysis?

GIS Data• Land Use Data – Zoning, Parcel

– Use to plan field work, placement of model sites, address and building information

• Air Photos– Use to plan field work, placement of model sites, measuring

distance, graphics

• Topographical – USGS DEM, CADD Contour Lines– Use to build 3d surface of project area, which is used to

calculated elevations of roadways, receivers, and barriers.

Screening Level

• Distance – Buffer, Overlay

• Sensitive Land Uses

• Potential Affected Population

Impact Metric = (#Res. Population Impacts/Mile) + (0.3 x(#MU Population Impacts/Mile)) + ((100 X # Hospitals)/Mile) + (250 x # Schools)/Mile)

Building a TNM Model• Data – Need to Start

• CADD/GIS file of existing TOPO –Roadway, Buildings, Contour Lines, etc

• Data – Needed to Complete Model

• Measurement Locations, Traffic

• Build Design File showing lane markings, and Edge of Proposed Roadway

• Software Needed – TNM, ARCGIS, Excel

• Other Data –

• Air Photos, Design Files in 3d, Elevation Points used for Design

Output - Graphics

Questions