R-5927 Merger Screening Meeting Minutes.2024.02.26 FINAL

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Merger Screening Meeting Summary

Subject: Project 48544.1.1 (R-5927) Moore County
F.A. Project N/A
US 15/US 501 From NC 2 and NC 211 Traffic Circle in Pinehurst to NC 73. Widen to
Multilanes.

Location: In Person, NCDOT/Microsoft Teams Meeting (virtual)

Date: January 10, 2024

Attendees Representing E-Mail
Allison Kluttz NCDOT Division 8 [e-mail]
Jeffrey Teague NCDOT Division 8 [e-mail]
Greg Davis NCDOT Division 8 [e-mail]
Morgan DeWit NCDOT Division 8 [e-mail]
Morgan Weatherford NCDOT Environmental Policy [e-mail]
Mike Sanderson NCDOT Environmental Policy [e-mail]
Rex Badgett NCDOT Division 8 Environmental [e-mail]
Steve Brumagin USACE Project Manager [e-mail]
Monte Matthews USACE NCDOT Coordinator [e-mail]
Amy Chapman NCDEQ-DWR NCDOT Coordinator [e-mail]
Seth Wilcher FHWA [e-mail]
Brian Yamamoto NV5 (Division 8 GESC) [e-mail]
Rick DeCola Mead & Hunt Project Manager [e-mail]
Jennifer Satterthwaite Mead & Hunt Merger Coordination [e-mail]
Veronica Miller Mead & Hunt Natural Resources [e-mail]
Siobhan Gordon Mead & Hunt NEPA, Comm. Studies [e-mail]
Jason Boyer Mead & Hunt Structures [e-mail]
Brad Smith Mead & Hunt Hydrology [e-mail]

This meeting was the Merger Screening for the widening of US 15-501. The purpose of the meeting was
to determine whether the proposed project would benefit from following the established Section
404/NEPA Merger Process. The following items were discussed:

· Express design was presented for widening US 15-501 to 4 lanes with options to provide a
median or not.
o Express design is a preliminary planning tool primarily used to help determine costs.
o Under either option, the express design proposed widening to the west to leverage extra
existing ROW on that side.

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· Based on preliminary traffic projections, both current and future traffic volumes cause undesirable
levels of congestion and indicate a need for capacity improvements on US 15-501.
o Current Express Design Traffic Volume (EDTV) for a four-lane divided section show:
 Northern end: 11,500 vehicles per day (vpd) in 2019 projected to increase to
16,900 by 2045.
 Southern end: 18,000 vpd in 2019 projected to increase to 24,900 by 2045.
o A traffic capacity analysis will be developed for the updated traffic forecast and show
more detail about what improvements are warranted.
o A more detailed traffic forecast was originally anticipated to be complete at the end of
January, but is not expected in the middle of April (updated after meeting).
· Schedule
o ROW – August 2025
o Letting – August 2028
 Division 8 representatives indicated project letting will need to be delayed to after
June 2029 to avoid construction activities during the US Open golf tournament.
· TARPO indicated a new MPO has been established as of the first of the year and should be
included in future project scoping and/or merger meetings.
· Potential Environmental Issues:
o Historic bridge on Lea Road
 Express design shows this section of Lea Road will be abandoned.
 Demolition of the bridge may be necessary to accommodate a widening to the
west.
 If complete avoidance of the bridge is not feasible, FHWA indicated impacts to
bridge could likely be addressed through programmatic Section 4(f)
documentation.
o Pinehurst Greenway
 The Pinehurst Greenway is located west of and parallel to US 15-501.
 A small portion has been established, but additional segments are planned.
 Owned by Village of Pinehurst
 The existing portion Pinehurst Greenway was not developed using funds
managed under Section 6(f) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF),
but would be subject to protection under Section 4(f) of the Department of
Transportation Act since it is a publicly-owned recreational resource that is open
to the public.
o Waters of the US
 Delineations have been completed and there are some potentially non-
jurisdictional/isolated features.
 Preliminary design has not been completed and impacts have not been
calculated yet.
 Propose to request a preliminary jurisdictional determination (PJD) for the
majority of the project with smaller approved jurisdictional determination (AJD)
sections around the questionable features.
· Plan to submit JD in spring 2024.
o The AJD could potentially be submitted later if there are
concerns about it expiring prior to construction.
 AJD would expire in 5 years after approval. PJD has no
expiration.
 USACE understood the concerns, but also mentioned
that a determination will need to be made to move the
project forward.
 Water classification – Type 3: drinking water and recreation
o Archeological Studies are scheduled to occur in some locations.

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o Protected Species
 Red Cockaded woodpecker (RCW)
· There are Safe Harbor properties within the PSA.
o The team discussed how Section 7 of the Endangered Species
Act compliance is coordinated with Safe Harbor properties.
 NCDOT to investigate.
 Tricolored bat
· There is a recent programmatic agreement approved by the US Fish and
Wildlife Service for impacts to the Tricolered bat in NCDOT Divisions 1 -
8 distributed by NCDOT.
· Plan to survey structures in the corridor.
 Michaux’s Sumac
· Will survey in the spring.
o Farms are present at the northern end.
o Permitting
 General Permit 31 (GP31) can be used if the merger process is followed.
· State or Federal NEPA document
o It was determined a federal document will be prepared for the proposed project to
maintain the option of using federal funds in the future.
o Complete Federal CE Type 3 or Environmental Assessment.
 Impacts are unknown at this point. Will discuss further with EPU.
· Merger
o Multiple parties mentioned benefits to following merger.
 Do not have to include a wide array of alternatives at Concurrence Point 2, just
the no build and the best fit.
 Following merger would make it possible to use GP31 to permit wetland and
stream impacts.
o Can drop out of merger later if it is deemed unnecessary after further natural resource
investigations.
o Decided to proceed with Merger. EPU will work with Mead & Hunt to develop the Merger
Plan.

Respectfully submitted,
MEAD & HUNT, Inc.

ec: Attendees