Start of Study Letter BR-0073-Signed

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION
ROY COOPER J. ERIC BOYETTE
GOVERNOR SECRETARY

State of North Carolina | Department of Transportation | Division 6
558 Gillespie Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28301 | Post Office Box 1150 | Fayetteville, North Carolina 28302
[phone]
MEMO TO: Whom it May Concern

FROM: David S. Stutts, PE
Structures Project Engineer

DATE: September 13, 2021

SUBJECT: Project: WBS # 67073.1.1 (TIP # BR-0073) Columbus County
F.A. Number: N/A
Project Description: Replacement of Bridge 230005 on US 76 over Gapway
Swamp in Columbus County, North Carolina
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is beginning the project
development, environmental, and engineering studies for replacement of bridge No. 230005 on
US 76 over Gapway Swamp in Columbus County. The project is included in the NCDOT Bridge
Replacement Program and is scheduled for right of way in fiscal year 2022 and construction in
2023. The attached figures show the vicinity and study area maps for the proposed project.
NCDOT staff or their consultants may be contacting you to request project-specific
information. While we do not expect a response to this notification, we welcome your input
if you have time-sensitive concerns. Your input will be used in the development of the
Categorical Exclusions prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. We
would appreciate any information that may be helpful in evaluating the potential
environmental effects of the proposed projects, as well as recommended alternatives to be
considered.
If you have any questions concerning the project, please contact David Stutts at (919)707-
6442, or by email at [e-mail], or Wood Environment and Infrastructure Solutions,
Inc Project Manager, Christopher Lee at [phone] or by email at
[e-mail]. Please include the STIP Project Number BR-0073 in all
correspondence, subject lines, and comments.
Sincerely,

David S. Stutts, PE
NCDOT - Structures Management Project Engineer

Attachment

DocuSign Envelope ID: 29B83926-9C00-4B0D-851B-C9CB85E7B72E
BR-0073 Gapway Swamp Bridge Replacement
Start of Study Information Packet Page 2

PROJECT DATA SHEET

Date: 8/31/21
Rev.:

TIP No.: BR-0073 County: Columbus County
Federal-aid No.: NA WBS No.: 67073.1.1
NCDOT Division: 6 Scoping Meeting Date: NA

Project Description:
• Length: approximately 0.202 miles
• MPO / RPO: N/A
• NEPA / 404 Merger Candidate? Yes No Unknown
• General Description of Project:

Design Data (Existing Conditions):
• Functional Classification: Principal Arterial
• Strategic Highway Corridor: No
• CTP Designation (Facility Type): Principal Arterial
• Type of Access Control: No Control
• Typical Section: Two-lane
• Right of Way: 60 feet
• Posted Speed: 55 mph

• Structure Inventory (bridges, RCBC, Walls, etc):

• Other TIP Projects in the Area

• Railroad Involvement:

Long Range Plan History:

There are no projects within the vicinity area
The project will not cross any railroad tracks.
Replacement of bridge number 230005 on US 76 (Andrew Jackson Hwy) over Gapway
Swamp south of the town of Fair Bluff in Columbus County, North Carolina.
Bridge No. 230005
The project is not included in a Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP).
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BR-0073 Gapway Swamp Bridge Replacement
Start of Study Information Packet Page 3

Traffic Data (AADT):
Current Year 2017 Build 1,000 vpd 4% dual 5% TTST
Design Year 2045 Build 1,400 vpd 4% dual 5% TTST
Source of Traffic Data: Bridge Traffic Review Sheet

Cost Estimates:
Construction Right-of-Way Total

TIP Estimate $3,200,000 N/A 62,858,000

Project Schedule:
Environmental Document 2021
Right-of-Way 2022
Let 2023

Initial Scoping Comments:

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BR-0073 Gapway Swamp Bridge Replacement
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Figure 1: Project Vicinity Map

Project Location
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BR-0073 Gapway Swamp Bridge Replacement

Purpose and Need Data:
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is proposing to replace bridge
number 230005 on US 76 (Andrew Jackson Hwy) over Gapway Swamp south of the town of
Fair Bluff in Columbus County, North Carolina. The project is approximately 0.202 miles in
length. The proposed action is listed in the NCDOT Bridge Replacement Program as Project
Number BR-0073.

Draft Project Purpose & Need:

Design Data (Proposed Conditions):
• CTP Designation (Facility Type): Arterial
• Type of Access Control: None
• Typical Section: Two lane arterial with 12 foot travel lanes and 6’ shoulders (2’ to be
full-depth paved)
• Right of Way: 60’ existing right of way. Additional right of way and/or easements may
be required to contain construction and, possibly, utilities.
• Posted Speed: 55 mph

The primary purpose and need for the proposed action is:
• To provide a safe crossing of Gapway Swamp on US-76 in Columbus County,
NC.
• To replace a structurally deficient bridge on US-76 in Columbus County, NC.
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BR-0073 Gapway Swamp Bridge Replacement

Figure 2: Environmental Features Map

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BR-0073 Gapway Swamp Bridge Replacement

Preliminary Corridor Resources Inventory Table

Resource/Measure Alternative 1
Length of project (to tenth of miles) 0.2
Potential for Interchanges or RR crossings (#) None
Other Infrastructure (# of Wastewater
treatment plants, transmission pipelines, etc.)
Underground
telephone line on
west side. Overhead
power also on west
side.
Suspected/known Hazardous Material sites (#) 0
National Register or eligible sites, districts, or
other historic properties (#)
0
Community facilities such and hospitals,
nursing homes, churches, schools, cemeteries,
etc.) (#)
0
Potentially Affected Residential Properties 4
Potentially Affected Business Properties 0
Wetlands (est. acres rounded to whole acre) TBD
Major Streams (# of streams/total linear
feet)*
TBD
Critical Water Supply Watersheds (rounded to
nearest acre)
0
Riparian Buffer rules apply (yes/no/part)** No
Area in active agriculture (nearest acre)*** 0
Parks, Greenways, Game Lands, Land and
Water Conservation Fund Properties, etc.) (#)
0
Identified Critical habitat/species under ESA
(yes/no/part)
Yes
FEMA Buyout Properties 0
Other known/suspected resources or issues:
(identify; e.g. Low-income or minority
community)
Low Income
and Minority
* Unnamed tributaries may be impacted and will be assessed for impacts.
** Buffer impacts assumed to be proportional to the stream impacts.
*** Agricultural impacts based on parcels with active agricultural operations.

DocuSign Envelope ID: 29B83926-9C00-4B0D-851B-C9CB85E7B72E

Agency Mailing List
First Last Organization Address 1 Address 2 City State Zip Email
Renee Gledhill-Earley State Historic Preservation Office
Environmental Review Coordinator
109 E Jones Street

MSC 4617 Raleigh NC 27699 [e-mail]
George Hoops, PE FHWA
Statewide Non-merger & Div. 3, 6, 13, & 14.
310 New Bern Avenue

Suite 410 Raleigh NC 27601 [e-mail]

Hannah Sprinkle NC Division of Water Resources
Div 3 & 6 - Wilmington Regional Office
127 Cardinal Drive Ext. Wilmington NC 28405 [e-mail]
Gary Jordan US Fish and Wildlife Service P.O Box 33726 Raleigh NC 27636-
3726
[e-mail]
Hal Pitts US Coast Guard
Commander
Fifth Coast Guard District
(dpb) Federal Building
431 Crawford
Street
Portsmouth VA 23704-
5004
[e-mail]
Patrick Flanagan Cape Fear RPO 1480 Harbour Drive Wilmington NC 28401 [e-mail]
Liz Hair US Army Corps of Engineers
Div 6
69 Darlington Avenue Wilmington NC 28403 [e-mail]
Travis Wilson NC Wildlife Resource Commission
Div 1-8
1718 Hwy 56 West Creedmor NC 27522 [e-mail]
Amanetta Somerville US Environmental Protection Agency 61 Forsyth Street SW Atlanta GA 30303 [e-mail]
Jessie Howard US Forest Service - Temporary 160 Zillicoa Street Suite A Asheville NC 28801 [e-mail]
Allyson Conner US Forest Service 160 Zillicoa Street Suite A Asheville NC 28801 [e-mail]
Kimberlee Harding Marine Fisheries Habitat and Enhancement
Section
Conservation Biologist II (Southern Coastal)
127 Cardinal Drive Ext. Wilmington NC 28405 [e-mail]
Fritz Rohde NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service
Habitat Conservation Division (Sturgeon)
101 Pivers Island Road Beaufort NC 28516 [e-mail]
Pace Wilber NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service 219 Fort Johnson Road Charleston SC 29412 [e-mail]
Karla Reece NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service 263 13th Ave. S Street Petersburg FL 33701 [e-mail]

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NCDOT Board Member Mailing List

First Last Organization Address 1 Address 2 City State Zip Email
Hunt Grady NCDOT Board Member
Division 6
[e-mail]

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NCDOT Start of Study Mailing List

Name Position Email
Tatia L. White, PE, PLS, CPM State Roadway Design Engineer [e-mail]
David J. Clodgo, PE, PMP Plan Review and Design Support Group Lead – Engineer Manager I [e-mail]
Brian Hanks, PE State Structures Engineer [e-mail]
Gichuru Muchane, PE Assistant State Structures Engineer - Inspections, Policy
Development & Working Drawing Review & Permits [e-mail]
Kevin Fischer, PE Assistant State Structures Engineer - PEF Coordination, Program
Management & Field Ops. [e-mail]
John L. Pilipchuk, LG, PE State Geotechnical Engineer [e-mail]
Ethan J. Caldwell, LG, PE GeoEnvironmental Engineering Supervisor [e-mail]
Aaron V. Earwood, PE Regional Bridge Construction Engineer - Eastern Region
(Divisions 1-6, 8) [e-mail]
Byron Sanders, Jr., PE State Utilities Manager [e-mail]
Bo Hemphill, PE Eastern Utilities Manager [e-mail]
Nabil Hamdan Regional Utilities Engineer [e-mail]
Kumar Trivedi, PE Engineering Coordination Manager - NCDOT Rail Division [e-mail]
Missy Pair, PE Traffic Noise and Air Quality [e-mail]
Jamille Robbins Public Involvement, Community Studies, & Visualization (PICSViz)
Group Leader [e-mail]
Harrison Marshall Community Studies Team Lead (Consultant) [e-mail]
Philip S. Harris, III, PE Unit Head - Environmental Analysis Unit [e-mail]
Marissa Cox Biological Surveys Group Leader [e-mail]
Jamie Lancaster, PE Cultural Resources Group Leader [e-mail]
Chris Rivenbark ECAP Eastern Regional Team Lead - Environmental Coordination &
Permitting (ECAP) [e-mail]
Derrick Weaver, PE Unit Head - Environmental Policy Unit [e-mail]
Colin Mellor Eastern Regional Team Lead - Divisions 1-6, 8 [e-mail]
Ron E. Davenport, PE State Contract Officer [e-mail]
Joseph E. Hummer, PHD, PE State Traffic Management Engineer [e-mail]
James H. Dunlop, PE Congestion Management Regional Engineer [e-mail]
H. L. "Drew" Cox, PE Division Engineer – Highway Division 6 [e-mail]
William R. Marsh, PE Division Construction Engineer – Highway Division 6 [e-mail]
Darius D. Sturdivant Division Planning Engineer – Highway Division 6 [e-mail]
Rick Handlin Division Utility Engineer – Highway Division 6 [e-mail]
Charles S. "Chuck" Miller, Jr. PE Division Maintenance Engineer – Highway Division 6 [e-mail]
Karol J. Koval Safety Consultant – Highway Division 6 [e-mail]
Frank D. West, Jr. Division Traffic Engineer – Highway Division 6 [e-mail]
Barry W. Gelezinsky County Maintenance Engineer – Highway Division 6 [e-mail]
Darren K. Pittman Division Bridge Maintenance Engineer – Highway Division 6 [e-mail]
Kaye D. Baggett Division Agent – Highway Division 6 [e-mail]
Patrick Flanagan Cape Fear RPO Contact (Columbus County) [e-mail]
Jamal Alavi, PE, CPM Director - Transportation Planning Division [e-mail]
Scott Walston, PE, CPM Eastern Piedmont Group Supervisor - Transportation Planning Unit [e-mail]
Leigh Wing, PE Manager - STIP Eastern Region [e-mail]
Heather L. Fulghum Manager - Right of Way Unit [e-mail]

DocuSign Envelope ID: 29B83926-9C00-4B0D-851B-C9CB85E7B72E