Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

I-710 Visual Impact AssessmentOverview

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The Visual Impact Assessment Process

“THE BASICS”• Define the Existing Project

Setting/Viewshed• Determine Potential Key Views• Analyze Existing Visual Resources and

Viewer Response• Evaluate Key Views using Caltrans/FHWA

Visual Assessment Criteria• Prepare Mitigation/Enhancement Measures

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Identify Existing Setting and Viewshed

• Describe visual context of the project• Define general limits (viewshed) from

where the project can be seen. • Determine locations of potential Key

Views

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Key Views

What is a Key View?Representative view point of the project.

How is a Key View selected?Based on land uses and viewer sensitivities.

Determine Potential Key View locations: Determine representative locations from where the project may be seen, as well as views from the project.

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Key View Evaluation Criteria•Home/Apartment/Mobile Home

•Highway Proximity

•Los Angeles River Proximity

•Elevated Structure

•Relocated Utilities/Electrical Lines

•Commercial/Retail

•Recreation/Park/Other Public Facilities

•Transportation (Bus/Train Stops)

•Educational Institution

•Port of Long Beach and Los Angeles

•Industrial/Warehouse

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Key View Visual Quality

• Vividness

Good Vividness Poor Vividness

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Key View Visual Quality

• Intactness

Good Intactness Poor Intactness

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Key View Visual Quality

• Unity

Good Unity Poor Unity

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Assess Viewer Response

• Viewer Sensitivity – Viewers’ Concern and Response

• Viewer Exposure – Number of Viewers and View Duration

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Key View Evaluation Matrix

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Key View Locations Map

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Preliminary Visual Simulation

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• Complete Draft Visual Impact Assessment Report (January 2010)

• Review preliminary findings and develop avoidance, minimization, mitigation, and enhancement measures – Early 2010

• Complete Final Visual Impact Assessment (Spring 2010)

• Integrate Visual Impact Assessment findings and recommendations into the Draft EIR/EIS – Summer 2010

Next Steps