I-10 Twin Peaks Traffic Interchange, Environmental Assessment

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Affected Environment and Environmental Impacts October 2005 Existing Conditions Foreground Views Foreground views in the study area include the low flow channel of the Santa Cruz River Floodplain, containing riparian vegetation and perennial effluent dominated water. Other foreground views include I-10, the UPRR, and TEP transmission lines. Background Views Middle ground views from both Twin Peaks Road and along I-10 include the Santa Cruz River. The Santa Cruz River is an important water feature that runs in a northwesterly direction through the study area. The width of the Santa Cruz River is constricted in places by bank protection and flood control measures. Suburban development characterizes the area west and southwest of the study area and industrial land uses (portland cement plant) are visible to the southeast. The most memorable views within the study area are the background views: the Tucson Mountains to the west and southwest; the Rincon Mountains to the southeast; the Catalina Mountains to the east; and Tortolita Mountains to the northeast. Visual Quality Objectives Important natural visual resources within the study area (landform, water, vegetation, and natural colors) and cultural visual resources (ranching and grazing lands, residential, commercial, and industrial developments) were assessed and evaluated following the guidelines of the FHWA Visual Impact Assessment for Highway Projects (1981), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Visual Resource Management Manual (1981), and Pima County Department of Transportation and Flood Control District (PCDOT&FCD). The objective of the visual impact assessment is to better provide roadway users and community project viewers with a transportation system that is pleasing to the senses, assimilates the visual qualities of the community’s visual resources into its design, and makes the project compatible with the community at large. Impacts Visual impacts of the proposed improvements were determined by assessing the change in visual resources caused by the preferred alternative and then by predicting viewer response to that change of visual resources. To assess the visual resource change, the visual compatibility and/or visual contrast of the proposed alternative with the visual character of the existing landscape was examined. To predict viewer response, viewer exposure and viewer sensitivity was considered. Viewer exposure considers the physical limits of the views and the number of affected viewers. Viewer sensitivity considers viewer expectations based on the existing environment and the extent to which visual elements may be important to the viewer. The visual impacts of the preferred alternative were analyzed from six Interstate 10 Traffic Interchange at Twin Peaks/Linda Vista 4-42 Project No.: NH-010-D (AIW) TRACS No.: 10 PM 236 H5838 01D
Affected Environment and Environmental Impacts October 2005 viewpoints and then given a Visual Impact Rating (VIR) of: low, moderate, moderately high, or high. No Build Alternative The no build alternative would have no effect on visual resources within the project area. Preferred Alternative There are general visual impacts that would affect the entire project area, not only views from specific viewpoints. The visual short term impacts during construction would affect most viewpoints. Grading would affect existing topography, vegetation, and vistas and large construction vehicles would be visible from adjacent land. Barren slopes and the project in various stages of development would be visible intermittently throughout project construction. Offsite structures visible from the proposed roadway that would impact visual quality are the Arizona Portland Cement plant, commercial land uses along the frontage roads, and the TEP transmission line. These visual elements, which would be considered less desirable, would become more noticeable when viewed from the proposed elevated roadway section; however, the proposed elevated roadways would enhance the roadway users’ view of the Tucson, Santa Catalina, and Tortolita Mountains, which would be desirable views. View from Twin Peaks Road The preferred alternative would affect the existing open space views to the east from Continental Ranch. The proposed improvements would blend with existing land uses and traffic near the interstate; however, the alternative would contrast with the open space views and landscapes in the floodplain. In addition, residents on the south side of Twin Peaks Road would have views blocked by a proposed 17-foot tall noise wall. Lighting at the signalized intersections and light and glare from vehicle headlights would be visible also. In this area, there would be a moderate adverse change to the existing visual resource and a moderate viewer response; therefore, views from Twin Peaks Road would be moderately impacted. View from the High Flow Channel of the Santa Cruz River The preferred alternative would allow greater access to floodplain views. Background views to the west (Tucson Mountains) would be enhanced, because of the elevated roadway; however, views of the developed areas would be affected negatively by the proposed 17-foot tall noise walls on the south side of Twin Peaks Road. Depending on the vantage point, background views to the east may be obstructed by the interchange/bridges or enhanced by the elevated roadway. In this area, there would be a moderate adverse change to the existing visual resource and a moderate viewer response; therefore, views from the high flow channel of the Santa Cruz River would be moderately impacted. Interstate 10 Traffic Interchange at Twin Peaks/Linda Vista 4-43 Project No.: NH-010-D (AIW) TRACS No.: 10 PM 236 H5838 01D
Page 1:
Interstate 10 Traffic Interchange a
Page 4 and 5:
Draft Environmental Assessment Octo
Page 6 and 7:
Page 8 and 9:
Page 10 and 11:
Page 12 and 13:
Mitigation Measures October 2005
Page 14 and 15:
Mitigation Measures October 2005 19
Page 16 and 17:
Mitigation Measures October 2005 St
Page 18 and 19:
Introduction October 2005 CHAPTER 1
Page 20 and 21:
AVRA VALLEY RD MARANA I-10 SCENIC D
Page 22 and 23:
Introduction October 2005 Cortaro R
Page 24 and 25:
Project Purpose and Need October 20
Page 26 and 27:
Page 28 and 29:
Page 30 and 31:
Page 32 and 33:
Page 34 and 35:
Alternatives October 2005 CHAPTER 3
Page 36 and 37:
Alternatives October 2005 Figure 3-
Page 38 and 39:
Alternatives October 2005 • Shall
Page 40 and 41:
Alternatives October 2005 Interstat
Page 42 and 43:
Alternatives October 2005 Road). Pr
Page 44 and 45:
Alternatives October 2005 Preferred
Page 46 and 47:
Alternatives October 2005 Twin Peak
Page 48 and 49:
Alternatives October 2005 I-10 Fron
Page 50 and 51: Alternatives October 2005 Linda Vis
Page 52 and 53: Alternatives October 2005 Twin Peak
Page 54 and 55: Alternatives October 2005 and sidew
Page 56 and 57: Alternatives October 2005 proposed
Page 58 and 59: Alternatives October 2005 Near the
Page 60 and 61: Avra Valley Rd. Twin Peaks Rd. Silv
Page 62 and 63: Affected Environment and Environmen
Page 78 and 79: Interstate 10 Traffic Interchange a
Page 120 and 121: Wall to Protect Rec. ID Affected En
Page 136 and 137: 44.20 Avra Valley Rd Twin Peaks Rd
Page 150 and 151:
Affected Environment and Environmen
Page 152 and 153:
Page 154 and 155:
Page 156 and 157:
Page 158 and 159:
Page 160 and 161:
Page 162 and 163:
Page 164 and 165:
Public Involvement/Project Coordina
Page 166 and 167:
Page 168 and 169:
Page 170 and 171:
Page 172 and 173:
Page 174 and 175:
Page 176 and 177:
Conclusion October 2005 Interstate
Page 178 and 179:
Bibliography October 2005 CHAPTER 8
Page 180 and 181:
Bibliography October 2005 Tetra Tec
show all

I-10 Twin Peaks Traffic Interchange, Environmental Assessment

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?