Recently, residents have claimed that the environmental impact assessment (EIA) public notice for the Beijing East Fourth Ring Rail Transit project was "silent," and many residents along the route were unaware. Some residents believe the project may cause noise, safety, and environmental damage.
Yesterday, a relevant person from the Beijing Municipal Research Institute of Environmental Protection, the EIA unit for the project, said that on-site surveys of residents' willingness in major communities along the route will be launched as soon as this week.
It is understood that the East Fourth Ring project is among Beijing's first straddle-type monorail projects, planned to start construction this year and be completed next year.
Residents Worry About Noise Pollution and More
Yesterday, residents of some communities along the project route said they were unaware of the project and believed that the EIA public notice scope was not broad enough. Some residents also reported that they would jointly oppose the project.
Guanhu Jiayuan is located along the project route. Recently, a "Major Matters Notice" appeared on the community's owners' forum, stating that the project will cause noise pollution, damage the landscape and living environment, and provide no practical help in alleviating travel for residents along the East Fourth Ring. The notice argued that during the EIA survey, everyone should be fully informed of the detailed plans of the project. The notice called on owners in the community who object to the construction of the project to register their information with the property management as soon as possible to jointly oppose it.
The notice was signed by the "Guanhu Jiayuan Community Owners' Committee."
A woman in the community said she "does not understand" the project. She believes that the East Fourth Ring area is originally a welcoming avenue, from the airport to the city, with beautiful scenery along the way. Building a light rail around the green trees and parks will damage the landscape and living environment.
She said that two weeks ago, community residents began filling out opinion solicitation forms, hoping that relevant departments would fully receive residents' opinions.
Ms. Gao, who lives in the Yuanyang Tiandi community along the project route, said she was previously unaware of the project. Her home is next to the East Fourth Ring, where the surrounding noise is very loud, and her family hardly ever opens the windows. If an elevated bridge is built, "the environment will become unlivable."
Some property management companies in communities along the project route also said that residents have been reporting related situations, and they have fed back residents' opinions to the neighborhood committee.
EIA Unit Has Received Residents' Opinions
Yesterday, a relevant person from the Beijing Municipal Research Institute of Environmental Protection, the project's EIA unit, said that many residents' opinions have been received, but the specific details have not yet been compiled, and on-site surveys will be launched as soon as this week.
"Many calls come in every day," the person said. According to the interim measures for public participation in EIA, the first public notice mainly collects opinions by telephone, and after the second public notice, forms such as questionnaires are used. Relevant units will launch on-site surveys of residents' willingness as soon as this week.
"We will determine the survey format based on feedback from different communities. Some will fill out public participation questionnaires, and some will answer residents' concerns on site, etc.," the person said.
■ Clarification
Monorail Trains Are Quieter Than Subways
It is understood that straddle-type monorail trains use electricity as energy and do not produce exhaust gas during operation. Unlike the steel wheel and steel rail system of light rail, they belong to a rubber-tire system.
An industry insider introduced that compared with subways, the noise generated by the rubber tires of straddle-type monorails is much lower. In addition, monorail trains have a small turning radius and strong climbing ability, so in planning and design, route selection is more flexible and easier to avoid sensitive areas. However, during construction and operation, attention should be paid to the recovery of rubber dust.
The insider believes that Chongqing has already built two monorail transit lines, and the EIA for such projects is relatively mature, so its EIA conclusions should be relatively credible.
[Background]
Sound Barriers to Be Installed to Reduce Operational Noise
It is understood that the East Fourth Ring project is among Beijing's first straddle-type monorail projects, all elevated lines, with a total length of about 33.7 kilometers and 21 stations. It starts at Xiaoyun Road Station, runs along the East Fourth Ring Road, turns east at Sifang Bridge, passes through the Fatou fringe group and Heizhuanghu area, and ends at Tongzhou Universal Studios Station. It is planned to start construction this year and be completed next year. At present, the project has completed two EIA public notices.
According to the EIA report, in terms of acoustic environment impact, there are 45 acoustic environment sensitive points along the entire line, including 40 residential areas such as Yuanyang Tiandi and Guanhu Jiayuan. To reduce noise during operation, the report proposes that the project will adopt noise reduction measures such as installing sound barriers at ultra-sensitive points along the route, with a total length of 7,122 meters of line sections where sound barriers are installed.
In addition, the report shows that during construction, there will be a certain impact on the existing vegetation resources along the route. Attention should be paid to protection during construction, and measures such as transplanting, replanting, and site restoration should be actively taken. After construction is completed, site restoration and green space compensation should be carried out in a timely manner.