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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMerger Pre-Screening Meeting Minutes,� �c STATE G'/ "' y"� � 't 4�� `�a �'Q 7 J� fI�ti �� ��u ��c,.Y��°4� STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PAT MCCROY GOVERNOR MEMORANDUM TO FROM: ANTHONYJ.TATA SECRF.TARY February 13, 2015 Meeting Participants Keith Lewis, Project Manager, VHB Don Brown, Senior Project Planner, VHB SUBJECT: Meeting Summary —Merger Screening Discussion Meeting for STIP No. U-2509 — US 74 (Independence Blvd.) Improvements, Conference Drive to I-485 in Mecklenburg County TIME & LOCATION: February 12, 2015; 8:30 AM-9:30 AM Training Room at HR Services, Chapanoke Road Raleigh, North Carolina Attended Kirby Pendergraft Mitch Batuzich David Wainwright Crystal Amschler Michael Turchy Carla Dagnino Scott Cole* *by phone MEETING NOTES NCDOT Hydraulics FHWA NCDWR USACE NCDOT NES NCDOT NES NCDOT— Div 10 Stuart Basham* Jennifer Harris Wilson Stroud Stacy Oberhausen Keith Lewis Don Brown NCDOT— Div 10 NCDOT — PDEA NCDOT— PDEA NCDOT— PDEA VHB VHB The overall purpose of this meeting was to introduce the project to the co-team leaders and to have an information sharing discussion. Wilson Stroud began the meeting with introductions and then Keith Lewis presented a project overview, reviewed the Project Data Sheet, the Study Area, No-Build Traffic Analysis, Purpose and Need Statement, Alternative Statement and preliminary stream and wetland impacts. MAILING ADDRESS: NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS 1548 MAI� SERVICE CENTER Rn�EicH NC 27699-1548 TELEPHONE: J1J-7O7-6000 FAX: 919-250-4224 WEBSITE: WWW.NCDOT.ORG/DOH/PRECONSTRUCT/PE/ LOCATI ON: CENTURY CENTER, BUILDING A 'IOOO BIRCH RIDGE DRIVE RALEIGH, NC 27610 U-2509 February 5, 2015 Pre-Merger Screening Meeting February 10, 2015 Project Overview: Keith shared a vicinity map showing the three proposed express lane projects (U-2509, U- 5526, I-5507) and one toll road project (R-3329/R-2559) in the area. Comments included: • Add the I-77 express lanes project to the vicinity map. Even though it doesn't currently connect to these projects, it shows the overall system of express lanes planned for the Charlotte area. • There is a new project on I-77 south that should be added to the vicinity map also. Project Data Sheet: The specific aspects of the project included on the Project Data Sheet were summarized and presented. The No-Build Traffic Analysis was quickly reviewed. It showed that there would be many areas along the corridor operating at Level of Service E or F in the design year (2040), and that congestion and delay are being experienced along the project today. Purpose and Need: The Purpose and Need Statement for the project was shared with the co-team leaders. There were no questions or comments received. Project Concept and Study Area: A review was given of the stakeholder involvement that has taken place to this point in developing this project. Concepts that included expressway, freeway, or elevated managed/express lanes were considered. The stakeholder technical committee agreed upon moving the project forward as an expressway with express lanes plus the extension of existing parallel roads. The Study Area was shown and it was explained how the study area had been revised through this study process to include all of the parallel roads. The Alternative Statement was presented as Keith pointed out the various aspects of the project on the Environmental Screening Maps displayed on the wall. Discussion and comments included: • The freeway and elevated concepts will be discussed in the environmental document, where an explanation will be given for why these were dropped from consideration. • It was noted that the parallel connector roads were part of the project in STI and were included by the City of Charlotte, the Town of Matthews, CRTPO, and NCDOT Division 10. • David Wainwright asked if all the connectors and widening and express lanes would be built at one time. o This would be approached as one project, but construction would be phased. We believe that mobility could be provided first for the surrounding community by constructing the extension of the parallel roads. Construction on US 74 would begin after that. • Crystal Amschler asked how many alternatives are being studied. o There is one alternative. o Some of the extensions of the parallel roads may not be constructed. o Crystal wants more information on the Independence Pointe Parkway extension behind the Home Depot, particularly on the potential stream crossings in that location. U-2509 February 5, 2015 Pre-Merger Screening Meeting February 10, 2015 • Crystal Amschler asked if it is typical to have Build and No-Build as the only two options. o There aren't many options to consider as this is an urban setting. The existing sections of the parallel road system do not leave room for much leeway of alternatives to finish the connections. o It was pointed out that NCDOT has in the past received comments about not looking at the transportation system as a whole. With this project, NCDOT is looking at the entire system by including what the local jurisdictions have recommended. o This alternative is in many ways a"lessons learned" alternative. • Mitch Batuzich asked if the Sportsplex would have any Section 4(f) implications with the parallel road going through that property. o The road has been planned by the Town before the plans for the Sportsplex existed. The Sportsplex property is owned and being developed by Mecklenburg County. A privately developed neighborhood is expected to be built on adjacent land. The plans have left room for the road to be built. This will be noted in the environmental document. Preliminary Stream and Wetland Impacts: The preliminary stream and wetland impacts were presented by location. The environmental screening maps in the packet contained stream and wetland impacts for each area in which they are encountered. A table summarizing those impacts was also included. Keith presented each preliminary stream and wetland impact and noted that at this stage of study the impacts were based on GIS data and calculated by the right-of-way width to obtain an order of magnitude. The project team will look at tweaking various aspects of the proposed connections and improvements to reduce the amount of impact to the resources. The following comments and questions were received about the preliminary stream and wetland impacts: • Independence Pointe Parkway behind the Home Depot is difficult with the stream and wetland constraints. • Crystal raised the issue of independent utility, wondering if this project would be built if it were not for the Monroe Bypass. She requested more information on this particular road as the project moves along. o It was noted that Charlotte is trying to build a system of express lanes. o David Wainwright noted that this will have to be built now or later. • David asked how many new crossings would be added with this project. o This is recorded in the Project Data Sheet indicating that there would be up to 8 new crossings, one stream relocation, and 5 existing crossings that would need to be extended. • David and Crystal Amschler commented that they appreciate that this project is looking at this improvement as a whole and not separating into individual projects. It makes it easier for their agencies to evaluate this project. • Mitch Batuzich asked if connection/access points to/from the express lanes had been decided. o Those have not yet been determined for U-2509. • The project team has worked to get this project refined to a"main theme". Now the project will be further refined and some of those more specific details of the project will be examined in future steps. U-2509 February 5, 2015 Pre-Merger Screening Meeting February 10, 2015 • The study area was discussed and a history of how it evolved was presented. It was noted that the project team coordinated with NCDOT-NES to make sure the study area covered all areas that might be affected by the project. • David indicated that there are many stream and wetland impacts with this project. Initial thoughts would be to not put this project into the full merger process, but maybe CP2A would be warranted because of the 8 new crossings. Whether that would be a field meeting or done at the Century Center is unclear at this time. o It was pointed out that every project has to go through CP4B/4C. • Stacy Oberhausen suggested that the co-team leaders are invited to the External Stakeholder Meetings and meet every 4 months instead of the Merger Process. This would include them regularly throughout the process instead of just at a Merger Meeting. • Crystal suggested that the Merger Process exists for these types of projects. • There was discussion surrounding the value that would or would not be added by putting the project in the full merger process. The project is defined and with the urban setting and existing parallel roads, there is not much room for various alternatives. The project will not shift from anything that is decided in the merger process. o David questioned what decision would be made at CP3 if the project was in the merger process. o Mitch stated that he saw no need in utilizing the full Merger Process and thought holding a CP2A and CP4 meetings would be adequate. o It was pointed out that it would be difficult to pull the project out of the merger process if it was put into the merger process at the outset. o The Purpose and Need Statement is clear. There is not much discretion in crafting alternatives. o There was discussion surrounding what effect an Individual Permit designation has on the merger process. • Crystal pointed out that more discussion needs to occur regarding the parallel roads. o Stacy would like that discussion to be between the 4 co-team leaders. Next Steps: Next steps were discussed. It was agreed that within two weeks of this meeting, the co- team leaders would discuss and make a merger screening decision. The External Scoping Meeting would likely take place on March 18th or 19t". And a public meeting in Charlotte and another in Matthews would be scheduled for March 30t" and 315t (likely). • It was noted that the U-5526 project is driving the public involvement as the Categorical Exclusion for that project is due June 2015. Action Items: • A Merger Screening will take place via e-mail within two weeks of this meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 9:45 AM. Please direct any comments or questions about the meeting summary to Wilson Stroud, 919-707-6045, wstroud@ncdot.�ov; Keith Lewis, 919-334-5619, kdlewis@vhb.com; or pon Brown, 919-334-5609, dbrown@vhb.com.