20150955 Ver 1_FHWA Review_20110201

�1
USDepar}ment
of Transportation
Federal Highway
Administrafion
Memorandum
Subject INFORMATION/ACTION: Topsail Island Bridge
Replacement Project, T.I.P. NO. B-4929 State Project
BRSTP-0050(10), Pender County
From: Ronald G. Lucas, Jr., PE
Preconstruction & Environmental Engineer
Raleigh, North Carolina
To: File
Date: January 24, 20ll
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has evaluated the project alternatives and its
impacts to Soundside Park, and has determined that Altematives 10 and l0a impact Soundside
Park to a degree exceeding the threshold criteria of a"de minimis" impact. 23 CFR 7743(c) and
Section 6009 of Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for
Users (SAFETEA-LU) states that FHWA is responsible for determining if the use of a Section
4(fl resource results in a de minimis impact to the resource. In that determination, the FHWA
Division Administrator or Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Regional Administrator must
consider the facts supporting the determination of a de minimis impact, ultimately using best
judgment in making the finding.
While assessing impacts to Soundside Park, consideration was given to recreational features of
the park that are important for its use by the public. 23 CFR 774.17 clearly states "for parks,
recreation areas, and wildlife and waterfowl refuges, a de minimis impact is one that will not
adversely affect the features, attributes, or activities qualifying the property for protection under
Section 4(�." Soundside Park is a 20.35 acre park owned by the Town of Surf City located
adjacent to the existing swing span bridge. These features consist of picnic benches, shelters, a
fishing pier, a children's playground, boat landings, a waterfront boardwalk, an amphitheater and
a walking trai] (see attached figure). These features of the resource are important to protect, and
should be distinguished from areas such as parking facilities. While Alternatives ]0 and l0a
require a small amount of park property for the bridge footings, its alignment through the center
of the park, and the associated visual impacts would have an adverse effect on the
aforementioned park features. Therefore, FHWA has determined that the use of Soundside Park
exceeds the threshold of a de minimis impact under Section 4( fl of the Transportation Act and is
considered a Section 4(fl use subject to the regulations outlined in 23 CFR 774.3.
Attachment
�** ,
. �C 71G'�C numcm.cor
"= � �
�����

� 14
ix
��
t.•
C �
�� ,
�`fi
'r,
�t
e
x
� fi
U
N
ZI
. . . . � , e :.:.�
� � �
� '
� t
� f�'' ° �
�.
� , �. , .
a ;ii � � y
� : �k, ��G
a `L. ' �a
. + ,:,.n ...,; s
d.
� �
� �.
� '�
E 4=
^�� � -� e
I -�� �; *
,' � � j Y
` � � i F A � y *� �
R,� .� � �
r � � t'. G ' - � � ,�
r . �., � F w.- �,:.:
v ' F��� k.. .E..�
; ��
{ .I ����^ :. �v � a ".. � ; 4 t . �Si �� � ��
�• '� � C
� ! � . y � �������. 4
4 [ � . ' � ,y ' � •;
��i � ` ��� O y., t' �,�
��.' �� 4 � ' ♦� �� M. ,� .�'�i ' . � , kl� ' �. ^ `- � ��; , r� .� ,a �•-�v �,
j e. �
"�� � ��R�?N ¢'�-���
��S.i � i "I "c u f.7, .,R ..q.. .
�f, ' u
w- ��s�y{'�A � �
4' t�y�'��y �
q % �gt x.AF���r �; . � n � .� ',, +f 1 � Mst.t: Y �g� � ; � . .
C ,
f� � � n �z
�� x t E�Y W1 7
�� ��p'�r �i�y'.j � Y •.'�� V� _� "�'M r�31�{wmw4'�,�.
k ��aP' ? � a � � � "� ��'
a p , ,� .'. 1 c� Y r ,�
I :nN � fwl� . � � � T { 1Y,i
�.. �i � � "� w �A � � b� ') ♦ '� � ' ..
,i�. ����' �� " �"� � „ � : '
r _ - � �'i' � . , , �' ,� F ' ! b � a` R
k �.�.�, � , ., :,, �, ��, $
� , .� ,; , �� ;
� 1' . 3 � � ��a �� n � �
. � c �. . . � __ a ' _ ;
;. �� � ��� �: 5 iN: ��,
_ i � � a� � . , � �U,� c � a
_ a -�}�� .� [ . .�]' oh-�.� 11
~�'�1 R : :S. r' �E' � , � .IAK� '>� (.� ^ °'
J � rl'� < .!; ir� , �ji� � � � � '
� *' � .'; 'L ,� � y� �
i
': m, �r � A . ��'` :
o �
��•� .�.'v ��1��� ��r !/ ������f��.�,�.
� �.a+ _,_.t..
�t. �7_.. '
�