19940147 Ver 1_Complete File_19940218

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STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
JAMES B. HUNT, JR.
GOVERNOR
DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS
P.O. BOX 25201, RALEIGH, N.C. 27611-5201
February 14, 1994
District Engineer
Army Corps of Engineers
P. O. Box 1890
Wilmington, North Carolina 28402
ATTENTION: Regulatory Branch
Dear Sir:

R. SAMUEL HUNT I II
t SECRETARY
Subject: Cleveland County, I-85 through Kings Mountain,
Construct Sewer Line to the Welcome Center off
the Northbound Lane and Construct Water and Sewer
Lines to the Rest Area off of the Southbound
Lanes, State Project No. 8.1800601, Federal-Aid
Project IM-85-1(81.)2, T.I.P. No. K-2802.
Attached for your information are three copies of the project
planning report for the subject project. The project is
being processed by the Federal Highway Administration as a
"Categorical Exclusion" in accordance with 23 CFR 771.115(b).
Therefore, we do not anticipate requose n individual
permit but propose to proceed under wide Permit in
accordance with 33 CFR 330 Appendix issued November
22, 1991, by the Corps of Engineers. ovisions of
Section 330.4 and Appendix A (C) of gulations will be
follow ed in the construction of the project.
We anticipate that 401 General Certification No. 2745
(Categorical Exclusion) will apply to this project, and are
providing one copy of the CE document to the North Carolina
Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources,
Division of Environmental Management, for their review.
If you have any questions or need additional information,
please call Robin Little at 733-3141.
Sincerely,
B. O` ui
Assistan anager
Planning and Environmental Branch

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BJO/rml
cc: w/attachment
Mr. Steve Lund, COE-Asheville
Mr. John Dorney, NC DEHNR, DEM
Mr. John Parker, NC DEHNR, DCM/Permit Coord.
w/out attachment
Mr. Kelly Barger, PE, Program Development Branch
Mr. Don Morton, PE, State Highway Engineer- Design
Mr. A.L. Hankins, PE, Hydraulics Unit
Mr. John L. Smith, Jr., PE, Structure Design Unit
Mr. Tom Shearin, PE, State Roadway Design Engineer
Mr. R. W. Spangler, Division 12 Engineer
Ms. Maria L. Osborne, Planning and Environmental Branch
Mr. Davis Moore, Planning and Environmental Branch
1
Date: 1/93
CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION ACTION CLASSIFICATION FORM
TIP Project No. K-2802
State Project No. 8.1800601
Federal-Aid Project No. IM-85-1(81)2
A. Project Description: I-85 through Kings Mountain, Cleveland
County, Construct sewer line to the Welcome Center off the
Northbound lane and construct water and sewer lines to the
Rest Area off the Southbound lane.
B. Purpose and Need: The proposed project will connect the
Welcome Center and the Rest Area to the City of Kings Mountain
sewer and water lines, thus eliminating the need for NCDOT
maintained septic systems and wells.
C. Proposed Improvements:
Circle one or more of the following improvements which apply
to the project:
Tvpe I Improvements
1. Non-construction activities (program activities)
2 Approval of utility installations along or across a
transportation facility
3. Construction of bicycle and pedestrian lanes, paths, and
facilities
4. Activities included in the State's "highway safety plan"
under 23 USC 402 (programs administered by the Division
of Motor Vehicles)
5. Transfer of. Federal lands pursuant to 23 USC 317 when
the subsequent action is not an FHWA action
6. The installation of noise barriers or alterations to
existing publicly owned buildings to provide for noise
reduction
7. Landscaping
8. Installation of fencing, signs, pavement markings, small
passenger shelters, traffic signals, and railroad
warning devices
9. Emergency repairs under 23 USC 125 (Governor Declared
Emergency)
10. Acquisition of scenic easements
11. Determination of payback under 23 CFR Part 480 for
property previously acquired with Federal-aid
participation
12. Improvements to existing rest areas and truck weigh
stations
13. Ridesharing activities
14. Bus and rail car rehabilitation
15. Alterations to facilities or vehicles in order to
make them accessible for elderly and handicapped persons

Date: 1/93
16. Program administration, technical assistance
activities, and operating assistance to transit
authorities to continue existing service or increase
service to meet changes in routine demand
17. The purchase of vehicles by the applicant where the use
of these vehicles can be accommodated by existing
facilities or by new facilities which themselves are
within a CE
18. Track and railbed maintenance and improvements when
carried out within the existing right of way
19. Purchase and installation of operating or maintenance
equipment to be located within the transit facility and
with no significant impacts off the site
20. Promulgation of rules, regulations, and directives.
Type II Improvements
1. Modernization of a highway by resurfacing, restoration,
rehabilitation, reconstruction, adding shoulders, or
adding auxiliary lanes (e.g., parking, weaving, turning,
climbing).
a. Restoring, Resurfacing, Rehabilitating, and
Reconstructing pavement (3R and 4R impr ovements)
b. Widening roadway and shoulders without adding
through lanes
c. Modernizing gore treatments
d. Constructing lane improvements (merge, auxiliary,
and turn lanes)
e. Adding shoulder drains
f. Replacing and rehabilitating culverts, inlets, and
drainage pipes, including safety treatm ents
g. Providing driveway pipes
h. Performing minor bridge widening (less than one
through lane)
2. Highway safety or traffic operations improvement
projects including the installation of ramp metering
control devices and lighting.
a. Installing ramp metering devices
b. Installing lights
c. Adding or upgrading guardrail
d. Installing safety barriers including Jersey type
barriers and pier protection
e. Installing or replacing impact attenuators
f. Upgrading medians including adding or upgrading
median barriers
g. Improving intersections including relocation and/or
realignment
h. Making minor roadway realignment
i. Channelizing traffic
j. Performing clear zone safety improvements including

Date: 1/93

removing hazards and flattening slopes
k. Implementing traffic aid systems, signals, and
motorist aid
1. Installing bridge safety hardware including bridge
rail retrofit
3. Bridge rehabilitation, reconstruction, or replacement or
the construction of grade separation to replace existing
at-grade railroad crossings.
a. Rehabilitating, reconstructing, or replacing bridge
approach slabs
b. Rehabilitating or replacing bridge decks
c. Rehabilitating bridges including painting (no red
lead paint), scour repair, fender systems, and
minor structural improvements
d. Replacing a bridge (structure and/or fill)
4. Transportation corridor fringe parking facilities.
5. Construction of new truck weigh stations or rest areas.
6. Approvals for disposal of excess right-of-way or for
joint or limited use of right-of-way, where the proposed
use does not have significant adverse impacts.
7. Approvals for changes in access control.
8. Construction of new bus storage and maintenance
facilities in areas used predominantly for industrial or
transportation purposes where such construction is not
inconsistent with existing zoning and located on or near
a street with adequate capacity to handle anticipated
bus and support vehicle traffic.
9. Rehabilitation or reconstruction of existing rail and
bus buildings and ancillary facilities where only minor
amounts of additional land are required and there is not
a substantial increase in the number of users.
10. Construction of bus transfer facilities (an open area
consisting of passenger shelters, boarding areas, kiosks
and related street improvements) when located in a
commercial area or other high activity center in which
there is adequate street capacity for projected bus
traffic.
11. Construction of rail storage and maintenance
facilities in areas used predominantly for industrial or
transportation purposes where such construction is not
inconsistent with existing zoning and where there is no
significant noise impact on the surrounding community.
12. Acquisition of land for hardship or protective purposes,
3
Date: 1/93

advance land acquisition loans under section 3(b) of the
UMT Act. Hardship and protective buying will be
permitted only for a particular parcel or a limited
number of parcels. These types of land acquisition
qualify for a CE only where the acquisition will not
limit the evaluation of alternatives, including shifts
in alignment for planned construction projects, which
may be required in the NEPA process. No project
development on such land may proceed until the NEPA
process has been completed.
D. _Special Project Information: (Including ENVIRONMENTAL
COMMITMENTS)
The North Carolina Department of Transportation and the
City of Kings Mountain propose to connect the I-85 Welcome
Center off the Northbound lane and the I-85 Rest Area off the
Southbound lane to the city's existing water and sewer
services. Additional right of way and easements will be
required along SR 2294, SR 2283, SR 2263 and NC 216 for
construction. The City of Kings Mountain is responsible for
coordinating right of way acquisition with property owners.
Traffic will be maintained on-site during all construction
activities. The total estimated cost in the Transportation
Improvement'Program is $ 1,300,000 which includes $ 1,250,000
for construction and $ 50,000 in prior years cost.
Improvements to the Welcome Center will consist of
installing approximately 320 linear feet (LF) of 8" gravity
sewer, 4,775 LF of 6" force main, and a 220 gpm lift pumping
station. In order to tie into the existing sewer line, the
proposed sewer line will begin on the west side of NC 216
approximately 1,400 ft. north of the I-85 interchange. At the
I-85/NC 216 interchange, the proposed line will cross NC 216
and continue down the I-85 ramp to the Welcome Center.
Improvements to the Rest Area include water lines
consisting of approximately 3,700 LF of 6", 1.530 LF of 8",
and 3,850 LF of 12" waterline and appurtenances and sewer
lines consisting of 1,650 LF of 8" gravity sewer, 7,500 LF of
6" force main, a 202 gpm suction lift pumping station, and a
218 gpm suction lift pumping station. In order to tie into
existing city lines, the proposed lines will cross over to
SR 2294, Tin Mine Road, from the back property line of the
Rest Area. After traveling down SR 2294, the proposed line
will continue north on SR 2283, Dixon School Road, pass under
the Norfolk Southern Railroad, and continue approximately 1100
ft. east on SR 2263, Margrace Avenue.
All applicable NCDOT Best Management Practices and
standard procedures will be implemented to avoid or minimize
environmental effects. No special environmental commitments
are required for this project.
4

E. Threshold Criteria
Date: 1/93
If any Type II actions are involved in the project, the
following evaluation must be completed. If the project consists
only of Type I improvements, the following checklist does not need
to be completed.
ECOLOGICAL YES NO
(1) Will the project have a substantial impact F-1
on any unique or important natural resource?
(2) Does the project involve habitat where
federally listed endangered or threatened
species may occur?
(3) Will the project affect anadromous fish? F-1
(4) If the project involves wetlands, is the
amount of permanent and/or temporary ?
wetland taking less than one-third
(1/3) of an acre AND have all practicable
measures to avoid and minimize wetland
takings been evaluated?
(5) Will the project require the use of ?
U. S. Forest Service lands?
(6) Will the quality of adjacent water ?
resources be adversely impacted by
proposed construction activities?
(7) Does the project involve waters classified
as Outstanding Water Resources (OWR) and/or
High Quality Waters (HQW)?
(8) Will the project require fill in waters of ?
the United States in any of the designated
mountain trout counties?
(9) Does the project involve any known ?
underground storage tanks (UST's) or
hazardous materials sites?
5
PERMITS AND COORDINATION
(10) If the project is located within a CAMA
county, will the project significantly
affect the coastal zone and/or any "Area
of Environmental Concern" (AEC)?
(11) Does the project involve Coastal Barrier
Resources Act resources?
(12) Will a U. S. Coast Guard permit be
required?
Date: 1/93
YES NO
F-1
(13) Will the project result in the modification F-1
of any existing regulatory floodway?
(14) Will the project require any stream F-1
relocations or channel changes?
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC
(15) Will the project induce substantial impacts
to planned growth or land use for the area?
(16) Will the project require the relocation of ?
any family or business?
(17) If the project involves the acquisition of ?
right of way, is the amount of right of way
acquisition considered minor?
(18) Will the project involve any changes in ?
access control?
(19) Will the project substantially alter the
usefulness and/or land use of adjacent
property?
(20) Will the project have an adverse effect on
permanent local traffic patterns or
community cohesiveness?
6

(21) Is the project included in an approved
thoroughfare plan and/or Transportation
Improvement Program (and is, therefore, in
conformance with the Clean Air Act of
1990)?
(22) Is the project anticipated to cause an
increase traffic volumes?
(23) Will traffic be maintained during
construction using existing roads, staged
construction, or on-site detours?
(24) Is there substantial controversy on social,
economic, or environmental grounds
concerning the project?
(25) Is the project consistent with all Federal,
State, and local laws relating to the
environmental aspects of the action?
CULTURAL RESOURCES
(26) Will the project have an "effect" on ?
properties eligible for or listed on the
National Register of Historic Places?
(27) Will the project require the use of
Section 4(f) resources (public parks, ?
recreation lands, wildlife and waterfowl
refuges, historic sites, or historic
bridges, as defined in Section 4(f) of the
U. S. Department of Transportation Act of
1966)?
(28) Will the project involve construction in, ?
across, or adjacent to a river designated
as a component of or proposed for inclusion
in the Natural System of Wild and Scenic
Rivers?
Date: 1/93
YES NO
F-1
7
F-1
F-1
Date: 1/93
Additional Documentation Required for Unfavorable
Responses in Part E
(Not Applicable)

I
G. CE Approval
TIP Project No. K-2802
State Project No. 8.1800601
Federal-Aid Project No. IM-85-1(81)2
Date: 1/93
Project Description: I-85 through Kings Mountain, Cleveland
County, Construct sewer line to the Welcome Center off the
Northbound lane and construct water and sewer lines to the
Rest Area off the Southbound lane.
Categorical Exclusion Action Classification: (Check one)
X TYPE I
TYPE II(A)
TYPE II(B)
Approved:
ILA
Z-x-`13 1?,
Date ?Sst; Manager
Planning & Environmental Branch
/L /0, q3 19;V? / IX /6z??
Date Project Planning Unit Head
_1-Il9a &-, o?.
Date Project Planning Engineer
For Type II(B) projects only:
Date Division Administrator
Federal Highway Administration
9

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NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION
DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS
PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL
BRANCH-
1- 85 REST AREA (SBL) AND
WELCOME CENTER (NBL),
WATER AND SEWER CONSTRUCTION
KINGS MOUNTAIN, CLEVELAND COUNTY
T. I. P. NO. K - 2802
11/93 0 feet 100 FIG. 1
000 ' ?/ I
?. STATFa
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STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF TP ANSPORTATION
JAMES B. HUNT. JR SAM HUNT
GOVERNOR DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS SECRETARY
P.O. BOX 25201, RALEIGH, N.C. 27611-5201
13 December 1993
MEMORANDUM TO: Robert P. Hanson, P.E., Unit Head
Project Planning Unit
FROM: Phillip C. Todd, Environmental Biologist
Environmental Unit
SUBJECT: Installation of sewer line to Welcome Center
off Northbound lane of I-85 and construction
of water and sewer lines to Rest Area off
Southbound lane of I-85, Cleveland County,
TIP No. K-2802, State Project No. 8.1800601,
Federal Aid No. IM-85-1(81)2.
ATTENTION: Maria Osborne, Project Planning Engineer
The following memorandum is submitted for use as a
supplement to assist in preparation of a Programmatic
Categorical Exclusion (CE) for this project.
This project involves connecting the existing sewer
lines from Kings Mountain to the Welcome Center off
northbound I-85. There is also the construction and
connection of sewer and water lines from the city's existing
sewer and water lines to a Rest Area located off southbound
I-85. Most construction will be contained within existing
NCDOT right of way and easements, although some new easements
will be acquired for construction and maintenance.
A general field survey was conducted-along the-proposed - -
project alignment by NCDOT biologist Phillip Todd on 01
December 1993.
WATER RESOURCES
The proposed project study area does not contain any -
water.resources in the study area. No water resources will
be impacted. No waters classified as HQW, WS-I, WS-II and
ORW occur within 1 mile of project study area.
BIOTIC RESOURCES
Three terrestrial communities-are present in the project
area. Organisms which inhabit these communities use the

vegetative community component for either food or shelter.
These organisms often move from one community to the other.
Road shoulders, existing NCDOT right of way and lawns
make up the man-dominated communities. Various grasses and
wild onion are included in this community. Occasionally,
trees are present in this community including short-leaf
pine, red cedar, crabapple, redbud, sycamore, oak, tulip
poplar, and hickory. Mammals (such as Virginia opossum,
mice, domestic dogs, etc.), birds (including turkey vulture
and blue jay), toads, frogs, turtles and snakes use this
community for nesting, foraging or basking. Less well
maintained areas are dominated by grasses while other areas
include vegetation such as Hercules' club and English ivy.
Pine-dominated stands of trees exist in the project
study area. This community is small in size and is found on
either side of railroad tacks where piping is installed.
This forest is composed of short-leaf pine having a dense
scrub/shrub layer associated with it. This scrub/shrub layer
contains American holly, green brier, red cedar, Hercules'
club and red maple saplings. Birds characteristic of this
community include tufted titmouse, Carolina chickadee and
white-breasted nuthatch.
Mixed hardwood forests can be found in the subject
project study area. These forest contain a canopy of oak,
red maple and tulip poplar. The shrub/scrub layer of the
hardwood forests includes of Hercules' club and American
holly. Birds possibly found here include northern cardinal
and house sparrow.
IMPACTS TO BIOTIC RESOURCES
The environmental impacts from construction of sewer and
water lines is expected to be minimal. Anticipated impacts
to the biotic resources can be found in Table 1. Grasses
from the man-dominated habitats will impacted the most as
well as many trees, especially those found at the southbound
rest area off I-85. Erosion precautions--should be taken as
the landscape in many areas where piping is to be installed
is sloped, in particularly an area at the southbound rest
area.

Table 1. Anticipated Impacts to Biotic Resources
Values in hectares (acres).
MD MH PD Total Impacts
0.8 (2.1) 0.4 (1.0) 0 (0.1) 1.2 (3.2)
"MD" denotes Man-dominated community.
"MH" denotes Mixed Hardwood community.
"PD" denotes Pine-dominated community.
JURISDICTIONAL ISSUES
No streams nor wetlands will be impacted by the subject
project. It can be therefore concluded that no permits from
any federal or state agencies will be required for this
project.
PROTECTED SPECIES
As of 20 September 1993, the Fish and Wildlife Service
(FWS) lists one federally protected species for Cleveland
County, the dwarf-flowered heartleaf (Hexastylis naniflora).
This plant is classified as Threatened and can only be found
in eight northern piedmont counties of North Carolina and in
the adjacent portions of South Carolina.
This Threatened plant has heart-shaped leaves, supported
by long thin petioles that grow from a subsurface rhizome.
It rarely exceeds 15 cm in height. The leaves are dark green
in color, evergreen, and leathery. Flowers are small,
inconspicuous, jugshaped, and dark brown in color. They are
found near the base of the petioles. Fruits mature from mid-
May to early July.
Dwarf-flowered heartleaf populations are found along
bluffs and their adjacent slopes, in boggy areas next to
streams and creekheads, and along the slopes of nearby
hillsides and ravines. It grows in acidic soils in regions -
with a cool moist climate. Regional vegetation is described
as upper piedmont oak-pine forest and as part of the
southeastern mixed forest.
BIOLOGICAL CONCLUSION: NO EFFECT
. Suitable habitat for dwarf-flowered heartleaf is present
in the subject project study area. Foliage was dense and
problematic during a plant-by-plant survey on 01 December
1993. No populations of the Threatened species were found in
the study area during plant-by-plant survey performed. It
can be conclude from the survey that dwarf flowered heartleaf
will not be impacted by the proposed project.
? 1 r
c: V. Charles Bruton, Ph.D.
M. Randall Turner, Environmental Supervisor
File: K-2802