The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutCP 3 Meeting Minutes_9_12_12_cmy_suySTATE OF NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION BEVERLY EAVES PERDUE EUGENE A. CONTI, JR. GOVERNOR SECRETARY DATE: October 31, 2012 SUBJECT: Summary- of Merger Team Concurrence Point .3) Meeting, US 221 from SR 1366 in Rutherford County to US 221 -NC 226 in McDowell County, TIP Projects R -2597 and R -204 D &E FROM: Undrea Major, Project Development and Environmental Analysis Branch PARTICIPANTS: Marella Buncick Loretta Beckwith (via phone) Mitch Batuzich Chris Militscher (via phone) Marla Chambers Renee Gledhill- Earley Amy Euliss Amy Simes Joshua Bing James Dunlop Rickv Tipton (via phone) Brenda Moore Doug Taylor James Speer Allison White Bryan Johnson Nazia Sarder Gain- McLamb James S-,-,-inson Stephen Morgan Amy Billings Greg Thorpe, PhD Mary Pope Furr Harrison Marshall Sarah Schv -arzer Phil Harris, III Elizabeth Lusk Carla Dagnino Jeff Hemphill Jennifer Harris John Conforti Undrea Major Mike Pekarek, Suzanne Unger Young, MAILING ADDRESS: TELEPHONE: 919 - 707 -6000 NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FAX: 919- 707 -6052 PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS 1548 MAIL SERVICE CENTER RALEIGH NC 27699 -1548 US Fish and Wildlife Service US Army Corps of Engineers Federal High-,-,-ay Administration US Environmental Protection Agency NC Wildlife Resources Commission Department of Cultural Resources — HPO NCDENR Division of Water Quality NCDENR Division of Water Quality Isothermal RPO NCDOT Congestion Management NCDOT Division 13 NCDOT Roadtivay Design Unit NCDOT Roadtivay Design Unit NCDOT Roadtivay Design Unit NCDOT Roadtivay Design Unit NCDOT Transportation Planning Branch NCDOT Transportation Planning Branch NCDOT Utilities Unit NCDOT Utilities Unit NCDOT Hydraulics Unit NCDOT Hydraulics Unit NCDOT PD &EA Branch NCDOT PD &EA Branch — HES NCDOT PD &EA Branch — HES NCDOT PD &EA Branch — HES NCDOT PD &EA Branch — NES NCDOT PD &EA Branch — NES NCDOT PD &EA Branch — NES NCDOT PD &EA Branch — NES NCDOT PD &EA Branch NCDOT PD &EA Branch NCDOT PD &EA Branch Hatch, Mott, MacDonald Michael Balser Engineering WEBSITE: WWW..NCDOT.ORG /DOH /PRECONSTRUCT /PE/ LOCATION: CENTURY CENTER, BUILDING A 1000 BIRCH RIDGE DRIVE RALEIGH NC 27610 Craig Young Michael Balser Engineering Richard Darling Michael Balser Engineering Ken Gilland Michael Balser Engineering A NEPA/404 Merger Team meeting for the subject project -,vas held on September 12 "' 2012, at 2:45 PM in the NCDOT Structure Design Conference Room in Raleigh. The purpose of the meeting Nvas to obtain concurrence on Concurrence Point 3, Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative (LEDPA) for the subject project. The North Carolina Department of Transportation ( NCDOT) proposes to improve a 15 -mile portion of existing US 221 from north of SR 1366 (Roper Loop Road) to SR 1153 (Goose Creels Road) (TIP Project R -2597) and a 4 -mile portion of US 221 from SR 1153 (Goose Creels Road) to US 221 -NC 226 (TIP Project R- 204D &E) in Rutherford and McDowell Counties. The proposed improvements consist of widening US 221 from a two -lane roadway to a four -lane divided roadway and some realignment to straighten curves on US 221 between Thermal City and Glenwood and near I -40. Undrea (Dre) Major began the meeting with introductions and project background. Ken Gilland reviewed the slide presentation which included a brief project history, concurrence team history, and a listing of the folloNving alignments carried forward for analysis in the State Environmental Assessment (SEA, signed June 30, 2011): • Al (West Side Widening) • B 1 (West Side Widening) • B2 (East Side Widening) • B' ) (Avoidance Alternative for the Monteith Historic Property) • C (Best Fit Alignment) • D (Best Fit Alignment) • D1(Best Fit Alignment Nvith bridge improved at existing location) • E1 (West Side Widening) • F 1 (West Side Widening) • F2 (East Side Widening) • G1 (West Side Widening) • G2 (East Side Widening • H (Best Fit Alignment) After the slideshow presentation, the floor -,vas opened for questions and discussions related to the various alignments and the selection of the preferred alternative within each. Dre noted that after publication of the SEA, jurisdictional streams and wetlands were re- verified for the alternatives carried forward for analysis. Preliminaiv results from this recent field -,vork indicated greater linear feet of stream impacts than had been previously determined in several project sections. Previous results had been determined based on studies during drier conditions, and use of GPS technology has enabled greater capture of stream sinuosity, accounting in part for the greater overall impacts. In particular, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and NC Division of Water Quality (NCDWQ) noted the sizable increase in stream impacts reported for Segment E1. The Merger Team noted that while there are relatively fevv stream impacts in Segment A, and that the selection of the alternatives to cariv forward for Segments C, D, and H Nvere based on best fit designs to minimize overall impacts, there exists the possibility that the previously discarded E2 alternative (east side widening) could have fewer stream impacts than alternative E1 based on the stream and Nvetland information from the recent fleldNvork. NCDOT stated that thev understood the agencies- concern and would assist in a comprehensive review of the E2 alternative in close consultation with the agencies prior to reaching concurrence on LEDPA. In addition to the stream impacts, the business relocations that were part of the original reason for excluding alternative E2 will be evaluated. It was noted that the USACE and NCDWQ would complete the field verification of the new stream and wetland fieldwork in the next few weeks. Segment A Segment impacts Nvere reviewed and the Merger Team concurred on Alternative Al as the LEDPA for this segment. Segment B To limit impacts to Gilkey Lumber associated with alternative B2, and to avoid the greater stream and residential impacts associated with alternative 133, B1 was selected as LEDPA by the Merger Team. NCDOT noted that this alternative was previously determined by NC State Historic Preservation Office (NC -HPO) to have an "Adverse effect" on the William Monteith House, which is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Dre Major noted that the property owner spoke at the Public Hearing and offered his support for the Segment B1 alignment alternative. As the lead Federal Agency, USACE will work with the NC -HPO and the resource owner to develop a Section 106 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) detailing the appropriate mitigation for impacts to the property. Segment C Segment impacts Nvere reviewed and the Merger Team concurred on Segment C as the LEDPA for this segment as it is the best fit alignment and minimizes overall impacts. Segment D Segment impacts for the rivo alignment alternatives Nvere reviewed and the Merger Team concurred that Segment D1 was the LEDPA, as it allows for a shorter bridge; minimizes construction costs and future maintenance issues; had comparable stream, wetland, and floodplain impacts; and had fewer prime and important farmland, terrestrial community, and floodplain impacts. Segment E As stated previously, if the Merger Team determines that alignment alternative E2 has greater stream impacts than alignment alternative E1 using the most recent field data, then the Merger Team concurred that Segment E1 would be selected as the LEDPA for this segment. Field work to verifi- stream and wetlands for alignment alternative E2 will be conducted in the coming weeks and the results of that work will be tabulated so a comparison analysis with alignment alternative E1 can be completed prior to selecting LEDPA for this segment. Review of the revised impacts will be conducted via email, and will be led by NCDOT PD &EA. Segments F and G NCDOT voiced support for the selection of alternatives F2 and G2 for Segments F and G, noting that there were only minor differences in impacts and costs beriveen the F1 /G1 and F2 /G2 alignment alternatives in this area. The agencies requested additional information on the quality of streams and wetlands in these segments, as well as a summaiv of business impacts. This information will be compiled by NCDOT and forwarded to the Merger Team for review. A final recommendation on the LEDPA for these alignment alternatives will be provided after this review and will be coordinated through email correspondence with the Merger Team. Segment H Segment impacts were reviewed and the Merger Team concurred on the selection of Segment H as the LEDPA for this segment. The Merger Team agreed that once all outstanding natural resource and property impact questions were addressed, they would be amenable to signing the concurrence form electronically. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Subsequent Action Items • Re- delineation of all wetlands and streams in the project's "potential impact area" (i.e., the constriction limits of all project alternatives buffered 25 feet) was conducted in July and August 2012, and the verified wetlands are included in the updated impacts table in the updated agenda. • Based on a GIS analysis, NCDWQ agreed that stream impacts associated with E2 were similar to those determined for EI, and noted that the socioeconomic impacts of Segment E2 were greater than those associated with E1. • Additional Information for Alternatives FI /GI and F2 /G2 are enclosed in the updated agenda. NCDOT recommends FI /GI as the LEDPA. If any meeting participants have any comments, questions, or edits to this memorandum, please contact Dre Major, Project Development Engineer at (919) 707 -6028 or ujmajor'«;ncdot.gov. Attachments (updated agenda and signature form)