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

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) Evaluationconcentrated to the west of the Airport in the Jefferson Boulevard corridor and vicinity, particularly MetroCenter, and the Airport Park area north of the Airport. 326Beginning in 1990, a voluntary sound insulation program has provided sound insulation to 1,534 homes and sevenschools surrounding the Airport. (As of December 2003, 23 non-residential noise-sensitive sites and two places ofworship have received sound insulation.) In 2001, the Completed Part 150 VLAP went into effect based on the 2000NEM update in order to reduce incompatible uses surrounding the Airport. The Completed Part 150 VLAPidentified 285 residential parcels (280 housing units) located in seven noise impacted areas in close proximity tothe Airport most of which were acquired by 2009. These properties were concentrated east and south of the Airportwith some acquisitions north of the Airport.The majority of the developable land immediately surrounding the Airport has already been developed. Theland uses directly surrounding the Airport on the northern, eastern, and southern sides continue to remainprimarily residential, with the exception of the uses found along the major transportation corridors around theperimeter of the Airport (Airport Road to the north; Post Road to the west), and on the western side, arepredominantly commercial, including retail (products and services), office buildings, and a commercial andindustrial mix. In 2010, InterLink was completed providing direct pedestrian access from the T.F. Green Airportterminal to the MBTA commuter rail, additional RIPTA Intercity bus lines (some RIPTA bus lines currentlyprovide direct access the terminal), and new consolidated rental car facilities.5.4.7.2 Summary of Project-Related Land Use ChangesThe following summarizes land use impacts for the No-Action Alternative and Alternatives B2 and B4, whichprimarily includes the conversion of residential land to Airport property due to land acquisition as noisemitigation.No-Action AlternativeThe No-Action Alternative consists of on-Airport projects and the ongoing Part 150 NCP, including acquisitionof up to 115 residential parcels (totaling 29 acres) for noise mitigation to be acquired prior to the noise impact, in2015 (the Current Part 150 VLAP). The Current Part 150 VLAP would result in direct changes to land usessurrounding the Airport. The number of eligible properties are almost evenly split between the Runway 5 Endwhere 59 parcels are located in the Greenwood neighborhood to the south of the Airport and the Runway 23End where 56 parcels are located north of the Airport in the Spring Green neighborhood.Alternative B2Land use changes as a result of the construction of Alternative B2 (mandatory full and partial land acquisitionsfor the Runway 5-23 extension, Runway 16 RSA enhancements, and the Partially and Fully Relocated AirportRoads) are concentrated at three ends of the Airport runways, and would result in a mix of residential,commercial and industrial uses that would change to Airport land. Specifically, the predominantly commercialland uses, in addition to some residential land, at the existing Airport Road and Post Road intersection wouldchange to Airport land as a result of the Runway 16 End RSA program element. The voluntary land acquisition326 City of Warwick Comprehensive Plan, City of Warwick Planning Commission, updated 2002.Chapter 5 - Environmental Consequences 5-69 July 2011\\mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH05_Environmental_Cons_JUL_2011.doc