HomeMy WebLinkAbout20071818 Ver 2_General Correspondence_20080715M~ DUKE. LAW
Ryke Longest, Director
Orange County Commission
200 South Cameron Street
Post Office Box 8181
Hillsborough, North Carolina 2?278
Environmental Law & Policy Clinic
Box 90360
July 15, 2008
Durham, NC 27708-0360
Telephone: (919) G 13-7207
Fax: (9191 G 13-7ZGZ
RE: Follow up to your resolution on TIP B-2418: Turkey Farm Road
Bridge Replacement Project
Dear Commissioners,
Thanks again to you for acting on a resolution of support at your meeting on April
first. On behalf of the New Hope Creek Corridor Advisory Committee I wanted to let
you know how matters have progressed since we last spoke. The Committee, the North
Carolina Division of Water Quality and the NC DOT have settled the cases per the terms
of a consent order. As conditions of the settlement, NCDOT has provided the Committee
with a memorandum outlining consideration of alternative designs and has participated
fully in a meeting at the bridge site with members of the Committee to discuss protective
measures during construction. The meeting was very productive and we have thanked
NCDOT for their participation and cooperation. Other than a few of us picking up some
chiggers, everything went very well.
Based upon our observations at the meeting, we prepared recommendations for
measures to be taken during construction to protect the Creek and its resources. We have
forwarded these in a letter to NCDOT per the terms of the Consent Order. We have
attached a copy of this letter for your information. We will be discussing these
recommendations at a public meeting with NCDOT and the Division of Water Quality on
July 30`"
We thank you for your support of this process and for all the things you have done
to protect this Creek. John Kent, Bob Healy and other members of the Committee will
continue to update you on progress, I am certain. We look forward to seeing the bridge
replaced without damaging the habitat it inhabits.
Very Truly Yours,
Ryke Longest
Encl
~~ ~~~J~~ Ll 1~Y V Environmental L.~w & Policy Clinic
_.. Box 90360
Durham, NC 27708-0360
Ryke Longest, Director Telephone: (919) G 13-7207
Fax: (919) G 13-7262
July 1 S, 2008
Dr. Greg Thorpe, Manager
Project Development and Environmental Analysis
Highway Building, 1 South Wilmington Street
1 S48 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1548
RE: Comments on TIP B-2418: Turkey Farm Road Bridge Replacement Project
Dear Dr. Thorpe,
Thanks again to you and your staff for meeting with us at the bridge site on July
1 lth. On behalf of New Hope Creek Corridor Advisory Committee I wanted to let you
know that we appreciate the work that you and your staff are doing to protect this
precious resource. I greatly appreciate the good turnout and the time dedicated to help us
as we work to preserve this high quality creek habitat.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the latest plans for the Turkey Farm
Road Bridge Replacement Project. We are pleased to offer the following comments and
suggestions. These are arranged in the order of project phases and not in any order of
priority.
Demolition and Preconstruction Phase Comments
We make the following suggestions and requests, in addition to the permit
conditions and prior commitments regarding the preconstruction and demolition phase:
1) Please make certain that the contractor notifies: John Alderman,
John Kent and Ryke Longest by e-mail at least one day prior to the
commencement of bridge demolition.
2) On the existing bents, we request that you cut the existing
concrete footers off, as opposed to rocking them out of place using
heavy equipment.
3) Insure that asphalt from bridge deck does not fall into the stream as
it is taken down. Use netting under the bridge and sweep loose
asphalt up from the bridge deck as it is demolished.
4) Insure that the Contractor is aware that the mussel bed extends
within the construction footprint.
S) All trees needing removal should be cut off so as to leave a viable
stump.
Dr. Greg Thorpe
July 15, 2008
Page 2
6) Install hardware cloth, tacked down in a U-shape around the work
areas on each side of the creek with gravel on the front and back
faces of the hardware cloth. Use silt fence cloth type material on
fill material until it can be stabilized by appropriate vegetation.
Utilize a rock work pad under the heavy equipment.
Construction Phase Comments
We make the following suggestions and requests, in addition to the permit
conditions and prior commitments regarding the Construction Phase:
1) Please make certain that the contractor notifies John Alderman,
John Kent, Ryke Longest, Judy Radcliffe, and appropriate
NCWRC personnel by e-mail at least one day prior to the
commencement of bridge construction.
2) During drill work, the drill shaft slurry will be transferred to
appropriate bladders and removed from site.
3) Please make certain that NC DOT notifies John Alderman, John
Kent and Ryke Longest by e-mail when an inspection is triggered
by the one half inch rainfall threshold.
4) Should we discover problems during the construction, we will
contact Division staff directly before contacting the contractor.
5) During all phases of this project, we request that NCDOT assign a
staff biologist to weekly monitor aquatic habitats down creek from
the project site and facilitate appropriate management should any
problems arise.
6) Following construction, we request that you utilize native seed
mixes wherever possible for bank stabilization.
7) Carefully remove silt fence to prevent spilling accumulated debris,
and remove accumulated debris from site.
We trust that these comments will be given careful consideration. We know that
you, your staff and the staff of DWQ are committed to making this project a success.
Should you have any questions about these suggestions, please do not hesitate to call.
We look forward to working with you to protect this Creek.
Very Truly Yours,
Ryke Longest
Cc: Orange County Board of Commissioners