20131282_Information Letter_20100217

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ST.1TL OF N -)RTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATI0i44,0S ,o ?yl? pip
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BEVERLY EAVES PERDUE EuGE?N'T1. JR.
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February 24, 2010
MEMORANDUM
TO: Secretary Eugene Conti
FROM: Drew Joyner, P.E.
Unit Head
Human Environment Unit
RE: Notice of a Design Public Hearing for the East End Connector from the Durham
Freeway ( N.C. 147) to North of Holloway Street (N.C. 98)
Durham County
The following Notice is furnished for your infonnation:
U-0071 This pro.lect proposes to provide a direct freeway connection hotwccal the DUI-11anl
Frccwav and U.S. 70 in Durham County.
RAJ-'dnh
Attachment
cc: Mr. Chuck Watts, Board of Transportation Member - Division 5
Ms. Nina S. Szolsberg, At-Large, Board of Transportation Member - Division 5
Mr. Jon Nance, P.E.
Ms. Deborah M. Barbour, P.E.
Mr. C. W. Leggett, P.E.
Mr. Majed Al-Ghandour, P.E.
Mr. Terry Gibson, P.E.
Mr. Greg Thorpe, Ph.D.
Mr. Rob Hanson, P.E.
Ms. Teresa Hart, P.E.
Mr. Eric Midkiff; P.E.
Mr. Art McMillan, P.E.
Mr. Jay Bennett, P.E.
Mr. J. Victor Barbour, P.E.
Mr. Kevin Lacy, P.E.
Ms. Sharon Lipscomb
MAILING ADDRESS: TELEPHONE: [phone] LOCATION:
NC DEPAR T MEN7 OF TRANSPORTATION FAX: [phone] PROJECT DEVELO-MENT $
Hurw,x ENVIRONMENT UNIT ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS BRANCH -
1598 MAIL SERVICE CENTER WESSITF; WWW
N0007
CRG ENVIRONMENTAL RESCURCE CENTER
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.
RALEIGH NC, 27699-1598 4701-116 ATLANTIC AVENUE
RAI,I u i NC. 27604
Ms. Tammy Denning
Mr. Everett Ward
Mr. Mike Bruff, P.E.
Mr. John Hennessy
Mr. Charles Brown, P.E., PLS
Mr. Mark Hellman, Right of Way Agent -Division
FHW'A
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIOr?o4o Wti.TF vr0
Sl hey
BEVERLY EAVES PERDUE EUGE1?Ftf?NTi, JR.
February 24, 2010
MEMORANDUM
TO: Secretary Eugene Conti
FROM: Drew Joyner, P.E.
Unit Head
HUlnan EnvlronI lent Unit
RE: Notice of a Design Public Hearing for the East End Connector from the Durham
Freeway ( N.C. 147) to North of Holloway Street (N.C. 98)
Durham County
The following Notice is furnished for your information:
U-0071 This project proposes to provide a dirco fi-eeway connection between the Durham
Freeway and U.S. 70 in Durham County.
RAJ/dnh
Attachment
cc: Mr. Chuck Watts, Board of Transportation Member - Division 5
Ms. Nina S. Szolsberg, At-Large, Board of Transportation Member - Division 5
Mr. Jon Nance, P.E.
Ms. Deborah M. Barbour, P.E.
Mr. C. W. Leggett, P.E.
Mr. Majed Al-Ghandour, P.E.
Mr. Terry Gibson, P.E.
Mr. Greg Thorpe, Ph.D.
Mr. Rob Hanson, P.E.
Ms. Teresa Hart, P.E.
Mr. Eric Midkiff, P.E.
Mr. Art McMillan, P.E.
Mr. Jay Bennett, P.E.
Mr. J. Victor Barbour, P.E.
Mr. Kevin Lacy, P.E.
Ms. Sharon Lipscomb
MAILING ADDRESS: TELEPHONE: [phone] LOCATION:
NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FAX: [phone] PROJECT DEVELOPMENT &
HUMAN ENVIRONMENT UNIT ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS BRANCH -
1598 MAIL SERVICE CENTER ENVIRONMENTAL RE-SOURCE CENTER
RALEIGH NC. 27699-1598 WE651TE: WWW.N000T.ORG 4701-116ATLAN7ic AVENUE
RALEIGH INC, 27604
NOTICE OF A DESIGN PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE EAST END CONNECTOR
FROM THE DURHAM FREEWAY (N.C. 147) TO NORTH OF HOLLOWAY STREET
(N.C. 98) IN DURHAM
TIP Project No. U-0071
Durham County
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will hold a Design
Public Hearing on Thursday, March 25, 2010, for the proposed highway project
referenced above, in the second-floor auditorium of the Holton Career and Resource
Center, located at 401 N. Driver Street in Durham. Parking and entrance to the Center
is behind the building, between Taylor and Southgate Streets.
NCDOT representatives will be available between the hours of 4:30 p.m. and
6:30 p.m. for an informal pre-hearing to answer questions and receive comments about
the proposed project. The formal presentation and public hearing will begin at 7 p.m. in
the auditorium. There will be an opportunity to submit verbal comments or concerns, if
desired, following the presentation.
NCDOT proposes the East End Connector project to provide a direct freeway
connection between the Durham Freeway and U.S. 70 in Durham County. The project
will begin on the Durham Freeway (N.C. 147) near Glover Road and end on U.S. 70 just
south of Cheek Road. The proposed project also will upgrade U.S. 70 to a freeway from
Holloway Street (N.C. 98) to Pleasant Drive. U.S. 70 has already been upgraded to a
freeway north of Holloway Street.
The proposed project is about 3.6 miles long. The initial phase of the Connector
includes two continuous through lanes in each direction divided by a 50-foot median,
plus auxiliary (merge) lanes as needed. A future phase of the Connector would include
adding an additional continuous through lane in each direction to be constructed in the
median. The Connector will be designed to interstate standards. Freeway-to-freeway
junctions will be provided between U.S. 70 and the Connector and between the
Connector and N.C. 147.
The purpose of the proposed project is to decrease accident rates, improve
safety, and provide connectivity between the Durham Freeway and U.S. 70. The project
will also provide access to Interstate 40 to the south and Interstate 85 to the north. The
project will provide improved access to major employment centers such as the
Research Triangle Park; connect suburban areas and divert through traffic away from
many local streets.
Maps displaying the location and design of the project and a copy of the
environmental document, the Environmental Assessment (EA), are available for public
review at: The City of Durham - Transportation Division, located at 101 City Hall Plaza
(4th floor), and at the NCDOT Highway Division 5 Office, located at 2612 N. Duke Street,
in Durham. The EA and the hearing map are available online at:
www.ncdot.gov/projects/eastendconnector/. The EA also can be viewed at:
www.durhamnc.gov/departments/works/pdf/EECEEA10 2009.pdf6
Anyone desiring additional information may contact Drew Joyner, P.E., NCDOT-
Human Environment Unit, at 1598 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1598, phone
[phone], or e-mail: djoyner(d-)ncdot.gov. Additional written comments may be
submitted to Mr. Joyner until April 30, 2010.
NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with
Disabilities Act for disabled persons who want to participate in this hearing. Anyone
requiring special services should contact Mr. Joyner as early as possible so that
arrangements can be made.
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® North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Gordon Myers, Executive Director
MEMORANDUM
TO: Melba McGee
Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, DENR.
FROM: Travis Wilson, Highway Project Coordinator
Habitat Conservation Program
DATE: February 12, 2010
SUBJECT: North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Environmental Assessment
(EA) for the proposed East End Connector in Durham, Durham County, North Carolina.
TIP No. U-0071 SCH Project No. 10-0257.
Staff biologists with the N. C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) have reviewed the
subject EA and are familiar with habitat values in the project area. The purpose of this review was to
assess project impacts to fish and wildlife resources. Our comments are provided in accordance with
certain provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(c)) and the Fish and
Wildlife Coordination Act (48 Stat. 401, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 661-667d).
NCDOT is proposing to construct a new location connector route between NC 147 and NC 98 in
Durham. We have reviewed the data provided in the EA. The EA reflects NCWRC comments from
prior coordination, including the selection of the Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable
Alternative (LEDPA) as well as avoidance and minimization measures specific to the LEDPA. We will
continue to assess the proposed project and coordinate with NCDOT to reduce impacts during project
design and construction. At this time we concur with the EA for this project. Thank you for the
opportunity to comment. If we can be of any further assistance please call me at [phone].
cc: Gary Jordan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Raleigh
Rob Ridings, DWQ
Eric Alsmeyer, USACE
Chris Militscher, EPA
Mailing Address: Division of Inland Fisheries • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]