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Home My WebLink About20151218 Ver 1_Scoping Comments_20120924 (2)0�%-Pz- e STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Beverly Eaves Perdue Governor September 21, 2012 Mr Brian Wrenn DENR Division of Water Quality 1650 MSC Raleigh, NC 27699 1650 Dear Mr Wrenn f SFP 9 ' any �Y Eugene A ft�t,Jr Secretary Subject Proposed Private Crossing Closures with the North Carolina Railroad (NCRR)/Norfolk Southern (NS) Railway at Gordon Thomas Drive (TIP No P 4405I) Greenbriar Drive (TIP No P 4405J), and Byrdsville Road (TIP No P 4405K) in Orange County The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) proposes to close private North Carolina Railroad (NCRR)/Norfolk Southern (NS) Railway crossings at Gordon Thomas Drive, Greenbnar Drive and Byrdsville Road in Orange County (see Figure 1 for project location) These rail crossings were identified in NCDOT's Private Crossing Safety Initiative (PCSI) report completed in October 2003 and updated in December 2009 This initiative proposes safety improvements along the Raleigh to Charlotte Sealed Corridor that close private crossings where feasible and protect the remaining open private crossings with crossbucks, automatic flashers and gates signals and/or locking gates This track is part of the Southeast High Speed Rail corridor (SEHSR), which when complete, will provide high speed passenger rail service between Washington, DC and Charlotte NC We would appreciate any information you have that would be helpful in evaluating potential community and environmental impacts for this project If applicable, please identify any permits and/or approvals required by your agency Please note that there will be no formal interagency scoping meeting for this project This letter constitutes solicitation for scoping comments related to the project It is desirable that you respond by November 7, 2012, so that your comments can be used in the preparation of a proposed federally funded Environmental Assessment (EA) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act MAILING ADDRESS NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RAIL DIVISION 1553 MAIL SERVICE CENTER RALEIGH NC 27699 1553 TELEPHONE 919 733 7245 FAX 919 715 -6580 WEBSITE wwwbytrain org LOCATION TRANSPORTATION BUILDING 1 SOUTH WILMINGTON STREET RALEIGH NC The following describes the general features of the study area, as well as anticipated environmental impacts Proposed Improvements • Crossing #735 199Y /MP H 48 49/ Gordon Thomas Drive (P- 4405I) This crossing provides access to Old NC 10 (SR 1710) for six properties located south of the NCRR The crossing occurs in an area where NS operates one mainline track and a passing siding While the track section is straight at this location, it quickly enters a curved section both east and west of the crossing The sight distance for train crews on either approach to the crossing is limited by heavy foliage on both sides of the track The crossing is vertically humped and is protected by crossbucks Much of the property surrounding the six parcels is owned by Duke University and is part of their School of Forestry Alternative access to these properties will be considered using Paschall Drive west of Gordon Thomas Drive (see Figure 2) From there drivers will be able to access Old NC 10 via Dove Creek Road (SR 1715) or Murphy School Road (SRI 714) • Crossing #726 305FIMP H 47 62/ Greenbriar Drive (P- 4405J) This crossing serves eight residential parcels located north of the railroad and provides access to Old NC 10 (SR 1710) The crossing is located along a straight section of track There is heavy foliage on all four approaches to the crossing The roadway approaches are gravel, and the southbound approach is slightly humped The crossing is protected by crossbucks The railroad overpasses Old NC 10 approximately 550 feet east of the crossing The Greenbrier subdivision abuts the Whispering Pines subdivision immediately to the east which has direct access to Old NC 10 without crossing the railroad Alternative access will be considered parallel to the track to connect Greenbrier Drive to Spruce Pine Trail in the Whispering Pines subdivision A new roadway will be studied in two locations (see Figure 2) One will be from Greenbriar Drive approximately 400 feet north of the railroad crossing to Spruce Pine Trail approximately 450 feet north of Old NC 10 The other will be from the northern end of Greenbriar Drive to Spruce Pine Trail where Spruce Pine Trail turns to the east • Crossing #735 189T /MP H 43 89/Byrdsville Road (P- 4405K-) This crossing serves a large subdivision of permanent and mobile homes The crossing is protected by automatic warning devices The approach roadway is paved and is approximately 16 feet wide The westbound approach is curved The crossing is slightly humped and there is heavy foliage on three of the four approaches Approximately 70 homes are served by this crossing Residential areas south of Byrdsville Road are surrounded on three sides by Duke University property (Duke Forest) which will most likely remain undeveloped Alternatives will be considered for Byrdsville Road to have access to NC 86 to the west A new roadway is proposed to connect Byrdsville Road to Walter Clark Drive (see Figure 3) From there, drivers can follow Walter Clark Drive north to NC 86 Driveway improvements will also be considered in two locations to maintain connectivity to residential areas north of Byrdsville Road 2 Water Resources All three project study areas fall within the Neuse River Basin (USGS Hydrologic Unit 03020201) (DWQ Subbasin 03 04 01) However, the Gordon Thomas Drive study area is adjacent to the Cape Fear River Basin The Gordon Thomas Drive and Greenbriar Drive study areas are within the Eno River Water Supply Watershed The Byrdsville Road study area is not in a water supply watershed Based on a review of the USGS topographic map and the National Wetland Inventory (NWI) mapping inventory, an unnamed tributary (UT) to Rhodes Creek flows adjacent to the Gordon Thomas Drive study area and through the Greenbriar Drive study area Stony Creek is adjacent to the Byrdsville Road crossing, and a NWI wetland is partially within the study area A full natural resources investigation will be conducted for the project to determine if there are any impacts to natural resources including jurisdictional waters Federally Protected Species Five (5) federally protected species are listed for Orange County according to the September 22, 2010 US Fish and Wildlife Service species list The currently listed species include the following Common Name Scientific Name Status* Bald eagle Halweetus leucoce halus BGPA* Red cockaded woodpecker Picoides borealis Endangered Dwarf wed emussel Alasmidonta heterodon Endangered Michaux s sumac Rhus michauxii Endangered Smooth coneflower I Echinacea laeva ata I Endangered *FSC = Federal Species of Concern BGPA = Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act A natural resources investigation will be conducted to determine if any endangered or threatened species are in the project study area Historic Architectural and Archaeological Resources A preliminary database search shows one property listed on the National Register of Historic Places near the study areas The Murphy School on the southwest corner of Old NC 10 and Murphy School Road (SR 1714), is within 0 3 mile of the Greenbriar Drive crossing but is not within the study area limits NCDOT will conduct appropriate studies to determine if the project will have an effect on historic or archaeological resources 3 Thank you for assisting us in this study If further information regarding the proposed action or the environmental analysis process is required, please contact me by phone at (919) 707 -4705 or by email at mhamel @ncdot gov Sincerely, -Y?� , a 4-s- Marc L Hamel, Rail Environmental Manager NCDOT Rail Division Environmental and Planning Branch MH /mlr Attachments 4 --5, - STA"11: OF N( M,I 11 UAW DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION KUL DIN IS1UN Project Vicinity Map P- 4405I9 J, & K Private Crossing Safety Initiative Crossings at Gordoi Thomas Drive, Greenbriar Drive, & Byrdsville Road Orange County