20071823 Ver 1_Other Agency Comments_20080410

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
WILMINGTON DISTRICT, CORPS OF ENGINEERS
P.O. BOX 1890
WILMINGTON. NORTH CAROLINA 28402-1890
REPLY TO p p
ATTENTION OF: April 8, 2008
Regulatory Division
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Action ID 199801941, US 1 Widening, Richmond and Moore Counties
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Project R-2502, State Project No. 6.589009T.
Mr. Gregory J. Thorpe, Ph.D.
Environmental Management Director
Project Development & Environmental Analysis
1548 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1548
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NC DENR MRO
DWO-Surface Water Protection
Dear Mr. Thorpe:
This is in response to your permit application, dated October 27, 2007, requesting
authorization to place fill material into approximately 5.18 acres of wetlands to widen US 1 from
SR 1001 (Marston Road) (TIP R-2502A and B) in Richmond County to the existing multi-lane
facility just north of the Moore County line, North Carolina.
After review of your permit application, information subsequently provided and your
responses to Mr. Marsh Smith's letter dated February 14, 2008, we have determined that your
application requires further clarification of certain identified issues before further review can
continue. Please provide information relating to the relationship of TIP projects R-2501 and R-
2502. It appears, based on information we have, that the construction of R-2502 would
necessitate the construction of R-2501 to accommodate the existing and projected through traffic
flow beyond SR 1001 toward Rockingham. Available information indicates that R-2501 and R-
2502 are interrelated in that R-2502 is dependent on the completion of R-2501 to provide free
uninterrupted flow of traffic traveling to Rockingham and Hamlet (726 DHV and 6600
directional ADT). Furthermore, considering the age of the current available traffic data for both
projects, decisions on the projects are being made based on past conditions, which have most
likely changed since the studies were completed some eight years ago. Therefore, we ask that
you provide more up to date traffic analysis information for both R-2501 and R-2502.
Since the purpose and need of both projects has a traffic safety component and that the
study contained within the state environmental assessment and environmental impact statement
is eleven years old, we require a more up to date accident study be provided for the
administrative record and incorporation into our decision documents.
Also, you will need to provide a discussion concerning any significant changes within the
study area that may have occurred since the development of the environmental documents. This
should include, but should not necessarily be limited to, information on displacements, new
development or new highway projects constructed within the study area. Also, a brief synopsis
describing future highway projects that are planned within the area should be provided as part of
this response. This information should include a discussion of how the projects would be related
to the purposed project under review.
In order to conduct a thorough and proper public interest review and to access the
cumulative effects of the proposed project, it is essential that-accurate and detailed information
regarding the project 'be'provided. Until this information is provided, the application will be
considered incomplete and processing cannot proceed. When we have received the requested
information described above, we will continue our review of the proposed project pursuant with
our Regulations at 33 CFR 325.
Should you have any questions concerning our request or wish to discuss the matter
fin ther, please contact me at [phone].
Sincerely,
Richard K. Spencer
Regulatory Project Manager
Copies furnished:
. Polly Lespinasse
Di 'sion of Water Quality
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
610 E. Center Ave., Suite 301
Mooresville, NC 28115
Mr. Ken Averitte
Division of Water Quality
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
225 Green Street, Suite 714
Fayetteville, NC 288301-5043
Mr. James Pflaum
Project Development and Environmental Analysis
North Carolina Department of Transportation
1548 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1548