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Home My WebLink About20161157 Ver 0_Scoping Comments_20121207Department of Environment and Natural Resources Project Review Form Project Number: 13 -0186 County: Buncombe Due Date: 12/26/2012 Date Received: 11/30/2012 Project Description Scoping - Proposed project Is for the Improvements to the 1 -26 -NC 191 Interchange TIP 1 -5504 This Project is being reviewed as indicated below Manager Sign- Off/Region Response (check all applicable) In -House Review Marine Fisheries Coastal Management Water Resources Mgmt ✓ Water Supply Section ✓ Parks & Recreation _ Water Quality VyateL_Q L wll4 — =D_OT Wildlife ✓ Wildlife — DOT Marla Chamber Waste Mgmt Air Quality Date In -House Reviewer /Agency No objection to project as proposed No Comment Insufficient information to complete review Other (specify or attach comments) If you have any questions, please contact Lyn Hardison at Iyn hardison(i ,ncdenr gov or (252) 948 -3842 2�» V'ETLA S WATER 7AIIN R 8RkVCH Regional Office Regional Office Area ✓ Asheville ✓ Air Fayetteville ✓ Water Mooresville ✓ Aquifer Protection Raleigh ✓ Land Quality Engineer i Washington UST Wilmington Winston -Salem Manager Sign- Off/Region Response (check all applicable) In -House Review Marine Fisheries Coastal Management Water Resources Mgmt ✓ Water Supply Section ✓ Parks & Recreation _ Water Quality VyateL_Q L wll4 — =D_OT Wildlife ✓ Wildlife — DOT Marla Chamber Waste Mgmt Air Quality Date In -House Reviewer /Agency No objection to project as proposed No Comment Insufficient information to complete review Other (specify or attach comments) If you have any questions, please contact Lyn Hardison at Iyn hardison(i ,ncdenr gov or (252) 948 -3842 2�» V'ETLA S WATER 7AIIN R 8RkVCH BEvCRLy EAVES PERDUE GOVERNOR STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION November 14, 2012 Zeke Creech Special Counsel NC State Environmental Review Clearinghouse 1301 Mail Service Centel Raleigh, NC 27699 -1301 EUGENE A CONTI, J SECRETARI Subject Interchange Modification — I -26/NC 191, Buncombe County, TIP No I -5504, WBS 45552 1.1 Dear Mr Creech The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Project Development and Environmental Analysis Branch has begun studying proposed improvements to the I -26/NC 191 interchange in Asheville (Buncombe County) The project is included in the Draft 2013 - 2023 North Carolina Transportation Improvement Program Attached for your review and comments are the scoping information sheets for the subject project We would appreciate any information you might have that would be helpful in evaluating potential environmental impacts of the project If applicable, please identify any permits or approvals that may be required by your agency A start of study /scoping meeting will soon be scheduled with NCDOT staff to discuss the imposed protect in more detail In order to include your comments in our materials for this meeting we would appreciate agency respond by November 26 2012 Minutes of the meeting will be distributed, however if you would like to be invited to the scopin_g meeting please notify the project en ineer It is anticipated that a federally funded Environmental Assessment will be prepared for this project This document will be prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 This project will not be administered through the Section 404/NEPA Mergei Process MAILING ADDRESS TELEPHONE 919 733 7245 LOCATION NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FAX 919 715 6580 TRANSPORTATION BUILDING RAIL DIVISION 1 SOUTH WILMINGTON STREET 1553 MAIL SERVICE CENTER WEBSITE www bytrain org RALEIGH NC RALEIGH NC 27699 1553 If you have any questions concerning the project, please call me at (919) 707 -6050 of email me at mgwray @ncdot gov Please include the TIP Project Number in all correspondence and comments Attachment Smcer ly, Mi hael Wiay, E Project Planning Engineer, 'estem Unit NCDOT Project Development and Environmental Analysis 2 PDEA Scoping Procedures Rev 4/10/06 Project Development and Environmental Analysis Branch Scoping Information Sheet TIP No 1 -5504 WBS No 455521 1 Federal Aid No IMF -026 1(191) 47 Division 13 Sent Date 10/31/2012 Revision Date Meetinq Date 11/27/2012 County Buncombe Project Description Improvements to the 1 -26 /NC 191 interchange in Buncombe County The proposed project is needed to alleviate projected traffic congestion at the interchange In addition, Biltmore Estates, which is adjacent to the interchange, submitted a Control of Access modification request to NCDOT for NC 191 Biltmore Estates is planning to open an additional entrance to be located southeast of NC 191 dust east of 1 -26, and access to NC 191 would provide more direct access and reduce traffic at the main East Entrance to Biltmore Estates located adjacent to US 25 There is a a recurring problem at the East Entrance where guest traffic, as well as service and employee traffic, is causing congestion within Biltmore Village According to traffic analysis performed by NCDOT's Congestion Management Section in 2011, the 1 -26 /NC 191 interchange ramps currently operate at LOS C during the weekday Under a No -Build scenario interchange ramps will operate at LOS D/ E in 2040 Metropolitan / Rural Planning Organization French Broad MPO Area NEPA/404 Merger Candidate? ❑ Yes ❑ No ® Not sure Feasibility Study Completed? ❑ Yes ® No I L= Date Type of Environmental Documents to be Prepared / Project Schedule Dates Type of Document Environmental Document Right of Way Let Air Qualitv Status ❑ Non - attainment ❑ PAGE 1 OF 6 EA FONSI Maintenance ® Attainment PDEA Scoping Procedures Rev 4/10/06 Design Criteria Length of Proiect Limits A roximatel 1 mile Type of Access Control (Existing / Proposed) Structure Inventory Functional Classification Full Access control along 1 -26 No access control along NC 191 TRENT 1 -26 Interstate NC 191 Minor Arterial Strategic Highway Corridor Information CTP/Thoroughfare Plan Designation (Facility Type) Roadway Typical Section (Existing / Proposed) Corridor 1 Asheville - Greenville Freeway (1 -26) Existing 1 -26 (4 -lane divided w/ 45' median) NC 191 (4 -lane curb & gutter with variable raised median Typical Section in Compliance with Conformity Determination Right of Way (Existing / Proposed) ❑ No Existing 300 -400 feet along 1 -26 140 feet along NC 191 Existing Posted 65 mph (1 -26) Proposed Design Speed 45 mph (NC Speed TBD 191 Traffic (AADT) % TTST 8 Current Year (2011) 80,000 vpd (1 -26) % Dual 4 Design Year 2040 90,500 v d 1 -26 % DHV 55 Design Standards Applicable ®X AASHTO ® 3R Railroad Involvement None Cost Estimate TIP Estimate Current Estimate uonstrucuon mignr or vvay i oiai uosi PAGE 2 OF 6 26 ,40 ® ± � "i C011, 0' { 6 i 4 � i R INTERSTATE 26 / NC 191 INTERCHANGE "''�. -- a r f r f + � d fr SOURCE MSR MAPS ASHEVILLE QUADRANT iw N k FIGURE 2 - USGS QUAD MAP ` INTERCHANGE MODIFICATION - I -26 /NC 191 TIP No 1 -5504 BUNCOMBE COUNTY `° NOVEMBER 2012 PDEA Scoping Procedures Rev 4/10/06 Natural / Human Environmental Information (include comments from agencies): 1 -26 and NC 191 provide key connections to regional resources 1 -26 provides an important roadway connection between Asheville, Hendersonville, Spartanburg SC, and Columbia SC NC 191 provides a primary connection to Pisgah National Forest Much of the area immediately adjacent to the interchange is developed with commercial uses but beyond the adjacent parcels are residential areas interspersed with forested land, streams, wetlands and agricultural property The project study area consists of commercial development In the southwest, northwest and northeast interchange quadrants and forested and agricultural land in the southeast quadrant The southeast interchange quadrant contains Biltmore Estates property According to information prepared for NCDOT (Ramey Kemp, 2011) Biltmore Estates is the largest visitor attraction in the state of North Carolina It is a 8,000 -acre estate located on rolling farmland and forest land Biltmore Estates attracts over 1 2 million visitors per year and the number of annual visitors has been growing by 3% per year Attractions include the Biltmore House and Gardens, a winery, shops and restaurants, the 201 -bed Biltmore Inn, an equestrian center and other activity centers Biltmore is one of the top five employers in Buncombe County with 1,900 staff members In the northwest quadrant are two hotels (Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express) and a furniture store (Ethan Allen) Access to these properties is provided by Rocky Ridge Road Rocky Ridge Road intersects with Wedgefield Drive which serves as the primary access road to NC 191 for residences 2,300 feet west of the 1 -26 /NC 191 interchange These residences consist of single family homes and a mobile home park Maintaining efficient access for the residences and mobile home park will be a key component of the project design The southwest interchange quadrant contains the Biltmore Square Mall Biltmore Square Mall has 492,754 square feet of gross leaseable area with a 61 -acre lot size Dillard's and Belk are anchor stores The Mall has large parking areas which are entered via NC 191 (Brevard Road )and Ridgefield Boulevard to the south The northeast interchange quadrant contains a car dealership, Jim Barkley Toyota The car dealership is on a 9 -acre lot, the majority of which is covered by surface parking area Northeast of the dealership are a small -scale office building and residential development In Auqust 2012 Buncombe Countv finalized the Buncombe Countv Greenways and PAGE 5OF6 PDEA Scoping Procedures Rev 4/10/06 Trails Master Plan The culmination of a four year process, the plan resulted in a plan for 102 miles of greenway and trail alignments The 1 -26 /NC 191 interchange is Focus Area #3 - Hominy Creek /Enka - Chandler Greenway The preferred greenway alignment through study area consists of a 12 -ft wide asphalt greenway traveling parallel to eastbound NC 191 on the Biltmore Estates property, turning south at 1 -26 paralleling northbound 1 -26 on the Biltmore Estates property, crossing under 1 -26 approximately 2,000 feet south of NC 191 and then paralleling 1 -26 on the southwest side of the roadway PAGE 6OF6