VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT FACT SHEET. Introduction. As part of the I-710
Corridor Project Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement ...
VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT FACT SHEET Introduction As part of the I-710 Corridor Project Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS), project alternatives are being evaluated for their benefits, costs, and impacts. Multiple technical studies are being conducted in order to prepare the Draft EIR/EIS. One of these studies, the Visual Impact Assessment, addresses the potential visual impacts of the project alternatives.
Visual Impact Assessment The purpose of the Visual Impact Assessment (VIA) is to provide a comparative evaluation of the potential visual impacts of each alternative compared to existing conditions within the I-710 Corridor. The VIA includes representative views within the I-710 corridor under the existing and proposed conditions.
Methodology The methodology for the VIA is described below:
• Define project setting and viewshed. • Identify Key Views for visual assessment. • Analyze existing visual resources and viewer response.
• Depict the visual appearance of project alternatives. • Assess the visual impacts of project alternatives. • Propose methods to mitigate adverse visual impacts.
Key Views A Key View is a representative view point of the project. A Key View location is selected to provide examples of the views that different viewer groups would experience in the I-710 Corridor. Most of these viewer groups are people that have a view of the project, whether it be from a home, a business, a park, a school, or a pedestrian or bicyclist along the Los Angeles River trail. Another viewer group includes the people who have a view from the project (i.e. a motorist and transit user on the I-710). Examples of typical viewer group locations include:
• Los Angeles River • Residentail Areas • Commercial/Industrial Areas
• Freeway Interchanges • Local city streets • Parks
Members of the project team identified initial key view locations and solicited feedback from the I-710 advisory committees and Community Design and Local Economy Subject Working Group to ensure the key view locations were representative of the corridor. Thirty-one Key Views have been evaluated and are included in the VIA technical report.
Next Steps Key findings from the Visual Impact Assessment (VIA) will be presented to the I-710 Corridor project committees and subject working groups beginning in November 2011. Information from the VIA, along with all other technical studies, will be incorporated into the I-710 Draft EIR/EIS, which is expected to be released early 2012.
Contact Us Visit www.metro.net/710 for more information on the project. You are also welcome to send comments to: Ernesto Chaves, Project Manager 213.922.7343
[email protected] December, 2011
