Rehabilitation of Highway 62 West, Crater Lake National Park, Klamath County, Oregon

 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES

ALTERNATIVE C: PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE

This section evaluates the potential impacts of alternative C, the preferred alternative.

Soundscapes and Noise

Traffic Noise

This alternative would not add traffic volume to the roadway corridor, and changes to the horizontal or vertical alignments are slight. Therefore, the noise environment would not change and be similar to that described for the no-action alternative.

Construction Noise

Although additional equipment would be required for a slightly longer duration to clear and fill the alignment for the switchbacks, there are no sensitive noise receptors in this area. The noise environment would be similar to that described for alternative B.

Cumulative Impacts. The noise environment would be similar to that described for alternative B.

Conclusion. There would be no change to the long-term soundscapes or noise environment at the park once construction is completed. There would be a minor to moderate, very short-term, adverse impact to noise quality along the wilderness boundary and near the Pacific Crest Trail. There would be a negligible, very short-term, adverse impact to sensitive receptors—the northern spotted owl activity center and users of the Annie Creek Canyon Trail. The cumulative effect of alternative C would be very short-term, negligible, and adverse to the soundscapes or noise environment at the park. There would be very short-term exceedances of the Noise Abatement Criteria at the Pacific Crest Trail where it intersects the highway.

Because there would be no major adverse impacts to a resource or value whose conservation is (1) necessary to fulfill specific purposes identified in the park’s establishing legislation, (2) key to the natural or cultural integrity of the park or to opportunities for enjoyment of the park, or (3) identified as a goal in the park’s General Management Plan or other relevant National Park Service planning documents, there would be no impairment of park resources or values related to soundscapes and noise at Crater Lake National Park.

 

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