20160787 Ver _Information Letter_20100223

x,17 3 W,,
TILLL,,k
CONCURRENCE POINTS 3/4A
LEAST ENVIRONMENTALLY DAMAGING PRACTICABLE ALTERNATIVE
(LEDPAVAVOIDANCE & MINIMIZATION
NC 125
WILLIAMSTON BYPASS
TIP PROJECT R-3826
February 23, 2010
PURPOSE OF TODAY'S MEETING
The purpose of today's meeting is to discuss the least environmentally damaging
practicable alternative (LEDPA) and avoidance and minimization measures.
Concurrence on LEDPA (CP3) and avoidance and minimization measures (CP4A) will
be requested.
TIP Project R-3826 is programmed in the 2009-2015 North Carolina State
Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) as the construction of a NC 125 bypass of
Williamston in Martin County. The proposed project is approximately 2.5 miles long.
A two-lane roadway on multi-lane right of way is proposed. It is anticipated
approximately 175 feet of right of way will be required to accommodate this facility.
Partial control of access will be obtained for sections of this road constructed on new
location.
PROJECT PURPOSE
The purpose of this project is to reduce truck traffic and improve safety on
existing NC 125 through downtown Williamston.
PROJECT STATUS/SCHEDULE
The last merger team meeting for the proposed NC 125 Williamston Bypass was
held back in October 2005. The team concurred that Alternatives 1, 2N and 4 should be
studied in detail. The EA was completed in April 2009 and these three alternatives were
presented to the public at a hearing held on September 17, 2009.
Right of way acquisition is scheduled in the 2009-2015 STIP to begin in fiscal
year 2012 and construction is scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2014. The schedule for
the project is likely to change, however, based on the availability of funding.
ALTERNATIVES PRESENTED AT PUBLIC HEARING
Table 1 below presents the alternatives presented at the September 2009 corridor
public hearing. Figure 1 shows these alternatives.
TABLE 1 ?I d l ly
ALTERNATIVES PRESENTED AT PUBLIC HEARING d I
Alternative-
1 2N 4
Residential Relocatees 9 11 X15_
Business Relocatees 1 1 5 2s
Wetlands Affected (Acres) 1.59 3.15
3 28'
Streams Affected (Feet) 596 ,4;191t
:,...q 257
Open Water Impacts (Acres) 0 0 0
Protected Species Habitat? No No No
Effect Protected Species? No No No
Effect Historic Properties? No No No
Involve Section 4(F)? No No No
Receptors Impacted By Traffic Noise 2 3 8
4
Forested Areas Affected (Acres)* 14.3 o-254 9.2
Prime and Important Farmland Affected (Acres) 45.4 43.6 47.5
Length New Location (Miles) 1.9 1.8 2.0
Total Length (Miles) 2.7 2.6 3.5
Total Cost,
Millions 47
SX
$.?14
iy "5N
Impacts computed based on approximate width required for future four-lane
typical section for the project.
Shaded cells in table indicate highest impact or most unfavorable response.
*Forested acres based on forested areas shown on aerial photograph.
NCDOT RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE

NCDOT's recommended alternative for the project is Alternative 1. Alternative 1
will affect fewer homes, less wetlands and cost less than Alternatives 2N or 4.
2
AVOIDANCE AND MINIMIZATION
As an avoidance and minimization measure, NCDOT recommends revising the
alignment of Alternative 1. This revised alignment, Alternative IA, has been developed
as a result of comments heard at the public hearing.
As stated previously, Alternatives 1, 2N and 4 were presented at the September
2009 corridor public hearing. Two farmers own approximately half of the land crossed
-"liy Alternatives"1-and"2N. These farms are located between SR 1420 (McCaskeyRoad)
and existing NC 125 northwest of Williamston.
At the hearing, these farmers expressed concern that Alternatives 1 and 2N would
severely disrupt their operations. They asked that NCDOT reconsider Alternative 2S,
which was dropped from consideration in 2005 following detailed environmental
surveys. NCDOT staff explained to the farmers that Alternative 2S would affect more
wetlands, homes and streams than some of the alternatives still being considered. It was
explained that modifications to Alternatives 1 and 2N could be looked at to reduce
impacts to the farms.
Following the hearing, a modified alignment for Alternative '1 was developed
which would have less affect on these farms. Modifications were made to Alternative I
because it would affect less wetlands, streams and homes than Alternative 2N. The
alignment for Alternative I was only modified on the two farms (to avoid impacting other
property owners).
This modified alignment for Alternative I will affect 0.02 acres more wetlands
and approximately 174 feet less streams than the original alignment. A portion of this
modified alignment for Alternative 1 is outside the Alternative 1 corridor, however.
A meeting has been scheduled with the two farmers to discuss the modification to
Alternative 1. The results of this meeting will be discussed at the merger meeting.
Table 2 below compares Alternatives 1 and 1 A. Figure 2 presents the design of
Alternative IA and the Alternative 1 study corridor.
TABLE 2
COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVES 1 AND 1A
Alternative
1 1A
Residential Relocatees 9 9
Business Relocatees 1 1
Wetlands Affected (Acres) 1.59 L,6T
Streams Affected (Feet) 596 ,422
Open Water Impacts (Acres) 0 0
Protected Species Habitat? No No
Effect Protected Species? No No
Effect Historic Properties? No No
Involve Section 4(F)? No No
Receptors Impacted By Traffic Noise 2 2
Forested Areas Affected (Acres)* 14.3 21.7
Farmland Affected (Acres)** 20.5 15.1
Length New Location (Miles) 1.9 1.9
Total Length-(Miles) 2.7 2.7
Total Cost
Millions $11 $11***
.
Iva,
Impacts computed based on approximate width required for
future four-lane typical section for the project.
*Forested acres based on forested areas shown on aerial photograph.
**Land being actively farmed, not necessarily prime and
important farmland.
***Right of way estimates not yet available. Anticipate right
of way costs to be similar to Alternative 1.
Section 404 Avoidance and Minimization Measures
In an effort to avoid and minimize impacts to jurisdictional wetlands and streams
associated with the LEDPA (Alternative 1), NCDOT proposes to implement the
following measures:
Steeper side slopes (3:1) will be used in jurisdictional areas.
Horizontal alignment shift (Alternative IA) is proposed to avoid or minimize
impacts to jurisdictional areas. Although Alternative IA will have slightly more
overall wetland impacts (0.02 acre more), Alternative IA will completely avoid
the following wetland sites affected by Alternative 1:
o WL (0.02 acre)
o WG (0.39 acre)
Alternative IA will have overall less stream impacts (174 feet less) and will avoid
the following streams affected by Alternative 1:
o UT 1 (112 feet)
o UT 5 (233 feet)
Other Measures to Avoid and Minimize Impacts to the Human and Natural
Environment
NCDOT also proposes the following measures to avoid and minimize impacts to
the human and natural environment associated with the LEDPA:
Revised alignment for Alternative 1 (Alternative IA) will reduce impacts of the
proposed bypass on two farms. Alternative IA will affect approximately five
acres less land being actively farmed than Alternative 1.
!i

r /
v
uV'q

© LEGEND
+ WETLANDS (DELINEATED)
HISTORIC PROPERTIES
(NATIONAL REGISTER-ELIGIBLE)
100-YEAR FLOODPLAIN
STREAMS
POTENTIALLY CONTAMINATED SITES

• 1.
-A
" MARTIN (.OMMlJN11Y COLLEGE I
Ir + ,UI'.. rl 4ti I'' "A 0 0FEET
00 7011;
al 7/ n1. I h•.;1 COI.LE G ., 11"..
SR 1987 rEA57 CO I- v 1 U.CGE R?.1 0 200 400 600
METERS
"f+ ;^s- .Y OFF ?? l NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF
yp yon` " "" TRANSPORTATION
o-R cP ? i ` '' PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND
Q ALTERNATIVE 1 0,•?r': 3. 1 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS BRANCH
ALTERNATIVE 2N
Q ALTERNATIVE 4
,? I NC 125 WILLIAMSTON BYPASS
MARTIN COUNTY
TIP PROJECT R-3826
FIGURE 1
TIP PROJECT R-3$26
NC 125 WILLIAMSTON BYPASS
ALTERNATIVE IA CROSSING OF UT3
At the Concurrence Point 2A field meeting held on November 8, 2004. At that
meeting. the merger team asked that a 130-foot long bridge be provided for the
Alternative 2M crossing of L'"[ Alternative 2M was dropped from consideration.
however, before the 2A concurrence form vas signed.
The proposed revised alignment for Alternative 1 (Alternative IA) will cross t1T3
at the same point as Alternative 2M would have. The intent of the merger team at the
CP2A meeting was to span the wetland (wetland WF) surrounding the stream. Based on
the current design, a bridge 190 feet long would be required to span the wetland. The
table below compares the costs of a culvert and a bridge at this location. These costs are
for the ultimate four-lane roadway. Two lanes are proposed.
Hydraulic
Recommendation
Bridge
Structure Description One barrel 6'x5' culvert
180 feet lone Two 30' wide bridges
190 feet long
Wetland Impacts (acres) 0.73 0
Stream Im acts (feet) 229 0
Construction Cost $420.000 $1,734,000
Mitigation Cost $233.000 0
,I'otal Cost $673,000 $1,7334,000
L73 at proposed crossing