T.F. Green Airport Improvement Program - FEIS Chapters - PVD

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) EvaluationRunway Ends 16, 23, and 34 are equipped with VASI, which are two sets of lights; one at the start of therunway, and the other located along the runway. Each set of lights is designed so that the lights appear as eitherwhite or red, depending on the angle at which the lights are viewed. The lights are intended to signal to thepilot whether the aircraft is approaching the runway at the proper angle (i.e., on the glide slope).The Terminal includes 22 aircraft gates with a combination of loading jet bridges and ramp access. Generallighting of the area is to help approaching pilots identify their individual gate destinations and steer clear of anyobstructions. In addition, task lighting is necessary for servicing the aircraft while parked at the gate. Exteriorwall mounted floodlights provide general lighting to the apron, and task lighting is provided by portable unitsattached to the GSE servicing the aircraft.Most light sources do not represent a potential for annoyance unless they are unduly bright and aimed in thedirection of the viewer (a glare condition), or they are flashing intermittently (causing a distraction). Most of thelighting systems listed above are unobtrusive to the surrounding areas because they are on Airport propertyand are steady burning. Only the MALSR and the ALSF-II have the potential for annoyance, as they extendfarther out from the ends of the runways and have flashing components.4.17.2.2 Visual EnvironmentThe visual environment at and surrounding T.F. Green Airport is defined by the existing land uses in the area,which are predominantly commercial and mixed uses to the west and north, and residential uses to thenortheast, east, and south. Consistent with this pattern, most of the buildings at T.F. Green Airport are locatedalong the Airport’s western and northern edges, and away from the residential areas to the east and south.Post Road and Airport Road, which serve as gateways to the Airport, are highly developed commercialcorridors with uses that include shopping plazas, small office buildings, restaurants, gas stations, and manyairport dependent and airport-related businesses such as hotels, rental car businesses, and parking facilities.Their architecture is typical of commercial development along Post Road (U.S. Route 1) in this area ofRhode Island. The off-Airport buildings along Post Road and Airport Road are not considered to be historicallyor architecturally significant, and none are listed in the NRHP (see Section 4.7, Historic, Architectural,Archaeological, and Cultural Resources, for more detail). Existing Airport buildings and structures along Post Roadand Airport Road are consistent with typical airport uses: a passenger terminal, the terminal roadway system,surface and structured parking, airport office buildings to house employees, several aircraft hangars, andparking for airport service vehicles. The architecture of these Airport buildings and structures is consistent withthe surrounding architecture along Post Road and Airport Road.With the exception of the Airport’s north apron area (the area just south of Airport Road, which includes theeligible airport historic district), there are no historic architectural properties near enough to be affected visuallyby the Improvement Program. Within the eligible airport historic district, three properties are either listed oreligible for listing in the NRHP: Rhode Island State Airport Terminal (listed), Hangar No. 1 (eligible for listing),and Hangar No. 2 (eligible for listing). 262262 An historic property is afforded the same protection under Section 106 whether that property is listed in the National Register, or simply determined to beeligible for listing (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.).Chapter 4 – Affected Environment 4-85 July 2011\\mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH04_Affected_Env_JUL_2011.doc