20150362 Ver 1_Public Notice_20130219

Issue Date: February 19, 2013
Comment Deadline: March 19, 2013
Corps Action ID #: SAW- 2008 -03229
TIP Project No. I- 3802/I- 3610/B -5365
The Wilmington District, Corps of Engineers (Corps) has received an application from the North
Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) regarding a potential future requirement for
Department of the Army (DA) authorization to discharge dredged or fill material into waters of the
United States associated with the proposed improvements and widening of I -85 and interchange
improvements from north of NC73 in Cabarrus County to the US 29 -601 Connector in Rowan
County, North Carolina.
Specific alignment alternatives and location information are described below and shown on the
attached plans. This Public Notice and all attached plans are also available on the Wilmington
District Web Site at: http: / /www.saw.usace.army.mil /missions /Re u�yPermitPro ram.aspx
Applicant: North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT)
Project Development and Environmental Analysis Branch
Attn: Dr. Gregory J. Thorpe, Manager
1548 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699
Authority
The Corps will evaluate this application to compare alternatives that have been carried forward for
detailed study pursuant to applicable procedures of Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of
1899 and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344).
In order to more fully integrate Section 10 and Section 404 permit requirements with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and to give careful consideration to our required public interest
.review and 404(b)(1) compliance determination, the Corps is soliciting public comment on the
merits of this proposal and on the alternatives evaluated in the Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA) Environmental Assessment (EA) that has been prepared and expected to be signed in
March 2013. At the close of this comment period, the District Commander will evaluate and
consider the comments received as well as the expected adverse and beneficial effects of the
proposed road construction to select the least environmentally damaging practicable alternative
(LEDPA). The District Commander is not authorizing construction of the proposed project at this
time. A final DA permit may be issued only after our review process is complete, impacts to the
aquatic environment have been minimized to the maximum extent practicable and a compensatory
mitigation plan for unavoidable impacts has been approved.

Location
The proposed project area stretches along existing I -85 from north of NC 73 in Cabarrus County to
the US 29 -601 Connector in Rowan County, North Carolina. The total distance for this project is
13.5 miles. Water resources within the project area are part of the Upper Pee Dee Basin
(Hydrologic Unit 03040105) and Lower Yadkin Basin (Hydrologic Unit 03040103). Named
streams within the project area include Cold Water Creek and Irish Buffalo Creek in the Upper Pee
Dee Basin and Town Creek in the Lower Yadkin Basin. The approximate midpoint of the project is
located at Latitude 35.477019 N, Longitude - 80.5790540 W.
Existing Site Conditions
The study area is located in the Piedmont physiographic province of North Carolina with
topography characterized as gently sloping in the stream valleys of Cold Water Creek along the
existing I -85. Existing land use in the project area is a mixture of business and residential. Land
adjacent to I -85 is predominantly agricultural or undeveloped. Small retail, gasoline, and other
service -type business are common at interchanges. In some portions of the study area, there is
dense development, including big box retail, particularly south of Dale Earnhardt Boulevard in
Cabarrus County. North of Dale Earnhardt Boulevard, land adjacent to I -85 is predominantly
undeveloped. The existing roadway consists of a four lane, median - divided freeway with usable
shoulders.
Water resources within the project area are part of the Upper Pee Dee Basin (Hydrologic Unit
03 040105) and Lower Yadkin Basin (Hydrologic Unit 03040103). Named streams within the
project area include Cold Water Creek and Irish Buffalo Creek in the Upper Pee Dee Basin and
Town Creek in the Lower Yadkin Basin. A total of 89 jurisdictional streams were identified within
the study area as well as approximately 45 jurisdictional wetlands adjacent to these streams.
Applicant's Stated Purpose
The primary purpose of the proposed project is to improve level of service (LOS) on I -85 and its
interchanges in the project area. The proposed project addresses a "bottleneck" created by the
construction of TIP Project No. I -3803 to the south and TIP Project No. I -2511 to the north. The
projects increased the number of travel lanes on I -85 to eight lanes in Mecklenburg County and
Rowan County, respectively.
Reconstructing the interchange at US 29 -601 Connector and NC 152, which connects the two US
highways to I -85, will allow it to meet current design standards and replace a structurally deficient
bridge. Modifications also would improve overall traffic operations at the interchange.
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Project Description
The North Carolina Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration propose to
reconstruct and widen I -85 to an eight -lane freeway from NC 73 in Cabarrus County, North
Carolina to US 29 -601 Connector in Rowan County, North Carolina. The total distance for this
project is 13.5 miles.
For I -3802, NCDOT proposes to add four additional travel lanes to I -85 from north of NC 73 in
Cabarrus County to US 29 -601 Connector in Rowan County. The project involves widening the
existing four -lane freeway to eight lanes, matching TIP projects I -3803 at NC 73 to the south, and
I -2511 at US 29 -601 to the north. Interchange improvements, including reconstruction of existing
structures to meet current design standards for vertical clearance, are proposed at US 29 -601, SR
2126 (Dale Earnhardt Boulevard) and SR 2180 (Lane Street). The project is divided into two
sections for construction phasing — Section A extends from NC 73 to Lane Street and Section B
extends from Lane Street to US 29 -601 Connector.
For TIP Project Number I -3610, NCDOT proposes to reconstruct the existing cloverleaf
interchange at NC 152 and US 29 -601, reconstruct the interchange at NC 152 and I -85, and
improve existing NC 152, which provides access to I -85 between the two interchanges.
For TIP Project Number B -5365, NCDOT proposes to replace Bridge No. 21 and Bridge No. 34
over the Norfolk Southern Railroad and US 29 in China Grove.
Detailed Study Alternatives
The range of alternatives that have been considered include the No -Build Alternative, Alternate
Modes of Transportation, a Transportation Systems Management (TSM) Alternative, New
Location Alternative, and Improvements to the Existing Facility (preferred).
The Improving the Existing Facility / Best -Fit Widening alternative assumes that existing I -85
between NC 73 and US 29 -601 Connector would be reconstructed and widen in the existing
median to four lanes in each direction. Auxiliary lanes are proposed on I -85 between US 29 -601
and Dale Earnhardt Boulevard and between Dale Earnhardt Boulevard and Lane Street. Minor
widening, generally within NCDOT right of way, could also be required to the outside of the
existing lanes and at interchange locations. In these areas, widening could extend outside of the
right of way. In addition, interchange improvements are proposed at US 29 -601, Dale Earnhardt
Boulevard, Lane Street, and NC 152. Improvements are also proposed at the interchange of US 29-
601 Connector and NC 152.
The methodology for developing interchange configurations and selecting a preferred interchange
configuration involved a four -tier approach. The tiered approach included a design sketch planning
exercise, an initial screening of environmental, right of way and construction impacts using aerial
photography and GIS mapping, and a qualitative assessment of traffic operations. Based on the tier
analysis, a recommended interchange configuration was selected for each location.
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Impacts to the natural environment are expected to be minor with any of the configurations
because the area is mostly built out. Two unnamed tributaries and a small associated wetland may
be affected by the reconstruction of the interchange. Residential impacts are greater in the
northwest quadrant with this option and commercial impacts are greater with the other options.
I -85 at Lane Street
Based on the design sketch planning exercise, the following four interchange concepts were
developed for this location:
❑ Diamond
❑ Diamond with Loop in Northwest Quadrant
❑ Diamond with Roundabouts
❑ Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI)
The tier analysis indicates that the peak hour traffic demand along I -85 would flow similarly with
any of these four interchange configurations. The peak hour intersection capacity analysis
indicated that the Diamond with Roundabouts concept would require the least number of lanes
(four) across the I -85 overpass and would substantially improve traffic flow at the Lane Street
interchange. (Figure 4) This configuration and the diamond with loops configuration would have
relatively higher right of way impacts than the diamond or DDI. Natural resource impacts are
comparable for all options. Based on the screening analysis, the diamond with roundabouts
configuration is recommended at this location.
The recommended reconstruction of the Lane Street interchange includes reconstructing ramps in
all four quadrants, providing roundabouts at the ramp terminals with Lane Street, providing
allowance for a future loop in the northwest quadrant, replacing the existing three -lane bridge on
Lane Street over I -85 with a four -lane, median- divided bridge, and widening Lane Street to
accommodate a concrete median and turn lanes through the interchange area. As part of these
improvements, the new bridge over I -85 will be constructed to the north of the existing bridge in
order to maintain traffic during construction. Lane Street will have curb and gutter outside the
interchange area and shoulders and ditches within the interchange area. Additional improvements
include a roundabout at the intersection of Lane Street and Royce Street /Turkey Road and a service
road connecting the hotel and Waffle House in the southeast quadrant to Royce Street.
I -85 at NC 152
Based on the design sketch planning exercise, the following three interchange concepts were
developed for this location:
❑ Diamond
❑ Diamond with Loop in Northeast Quadrant
❑ Diamond with Roundabouts
The tier analysis results indicate that the peak hour traffic demand along the I -85 mainline would
flow similarly under either of these three interchange configurations. The peak hour intersection
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Cultural Resources
A field survey of the Area of Potential Effects (APE) was conducted in 2005. All
structures within the APE were evaluated for National Register eligibility, and it was
determined that there were two National Register- eligible properties within the APE: the
Blake House and Goodman Farm. The North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office
(HPO) concurred with the findings in a memorandum dated March 9, 2006. An additional
survey conducted in December 2010 determined that no additional properties were
eligible for the National Register. In a meeting between NCDOT, FHWA, and HPO on
July 26, 2011, it was determined that the proposed project would have no effect on either
the Blake House or Goodman Farm.
The State Historic Preservation Office (HPO), in a memorandum dated May 9, 2012,
commented that based on their knowledge of the area, it is unlikely that any
archaeological resources that may be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places
will be affected by the proposed project. HPO recommended no archaeological
investigation be conducted for the project.
Endangered Species
As of September 22, 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) lists two
federally protected species for Cabarrus and Rowan Counties (Table 3).
Table 3. Federally Protected Species Listed for Cabarrus and Rowan Counties
Federal Habitat
Biological
Scientific Name Common Name County
Status Present
Conclusion
Schweinitz's
Cabarrus
Helianthus
sunflower
e
ec
asmigona decorata
Carolina
Cabarrus
E
Yes
No Effect
Peelsplitter*
E - Endangered
* - Historic record (the species was last observed in the county more than 50 years ago)
Evaluation
The decision whether to issue a permit will be based on an evaluation of the probable
impacts, including cumulative impacts, of the proposed activity on the public interest.
That decision will reflect the national concern for both protection and utilization of
important resources. The benefit which reasonably may be expected to accrue from the
proposal must be balanced against its reasonably foreseeable detriments. All factors
which may be relevant to the proposal will be considered including the cumulative effects
thereof; among those are conservation, economics, aesthetics, general environmental
concerns, wetlands, historic properties, fish and wildlife values, flood hazards, flood plain
VA