The Texas Department of Transportation this week issued an advisory that it has found no significant environmental impact for a planned widening and reconstruction of state Hwy. 332 in Brazoria County. An environmental impact study is a required part of the process in TxDOT projects.
TxDOT is planning to widen state Hwy. 332 from two to four lanes from FM 521 to FM 2004, and from four to six lanes from FM 2004 to state Hwy. 288.
Work would include replacement bridges over Buffalo Camp Bayou and an adjacent channel, sidewalks on both sides of the roadway and a new drainage channel from state Hwy. 332 south to the Brazos River, TxDOT documents state.
Recognizing that noise that may result “from future development adjacent to a proposed highway project,” a traffic noise analysis was included in the final environmental assessment, which includes predicted noise impact contours for currently undeveloped areas.
These impact contours are intended as a general guide “to assist local planning officials and developers plan and construct new activities in locations that would not result in traffic noise impacts,” TxDOT states. After the environmental assessment is approved for a proposed project, TxDOT is no longer responsible for providing noise abatement for new development.
Additionally, as TxDOT stated it “does not provide retroactive retrofit abatement (known as a Type II program), this project area would not be eligible for potential noise abatement until the next major highway improvement project.”
