Airport Noise Impacts on Proposed Schools

GIS plays an integral part in the planning and successful implementation of any development. The Timucuan development of regional impact (DRI), a 10,000-acre area in northern Jacksonville, Florida, proposes a mixed land use that encompasses more than 10,000 residential units, 800,000 square feet of commercial and retail space, 200,000 square feet of office space, and 400 hotel rooms. In addition to the standard developmental constraints, noise impacts from both a proposed and existing runway at the Jacksonville International Airport were analyzed to see how it affected schools.

By using noise contour data from the existing runway and the proposed runway, it was possible to see how noise affected the proposed land use and to ensure that proposed school sites would fall outside the 60 Ldn noise contour (a 24-hour day-night average of decibel level). Previous analysis revealed that initial school sitings fell within this noise contour and needed to be relocated. This has helped developers make more informed decisions when planning for a school site.

Courtesy of Timothy L. Guyton under ARCADIS U.S. Inc.