U-5878 Start of Study letter_herndon

Transportation
December 12, 2016
SUBJECT: Request for Input
NCDOT TIP Project U-5878
Commerce Drive Extension
Onslow County, North Carolina
Mr. Mason Herndon,
PAT McCRORY
Governor
NICHOLAS J. TENNYSON
Secretary
The North Carolina Department of Transporiation (NCDOT), Highway Division 3, plans to extend
Commerce Drive on new location to SR 1406 (Piney Green Road) in Onslow Counry. The proposed
project is included in NCDOT's 2016 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) as U-5878. The
purpose of the proj ect is to help alleviate traffic congestion along US 17 (North Marine Boulevard).
As part of the Commerce Drive Extension project, the City of Jacksonville proposes to upgrade a
500 foot section of Commerce Drive from the U-5878 western terminus to its intersection with
Fairway Road. The project length would be approximately 0.4 mile long, including both the
NCDOT and City of Jacksonville segments.
Commerce Drive east of Fairway Road is currently a 20 foot wide facility with no paveinent
markings and rural shoulders. There are currently no sidewalks along Commerce Drive in the
Project Study Area (PSA), although sidewalks are intermittently present elsewhere in the corridor.
The Division plans to construct a two lane road with shoulders matching the cross section of
Commerce Drive west of Fairway Road.
Land use in the PSA is primarily residential and commercial. Based on a review of the North
Carolina State Historic Preservation Office's GIS Web Service, there are no historic properties
within or in close proximity to the PSA. There are two religious facilities in the PSA, First United
Pentecostal Church and the E.J. Hines Baptist Center.
On behalf of NCDOT, STV Engineers, Inc. is developing a combined State Environmental
Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact (EA/FONS� per NCDOT SEPA guidance. As part
of this process, we are soliciting early input from agencies concerning the features or resources
within their jurisdiction and potential impacts of the proposed Commerce Drive Extension.
Attached to this letter are two maps for your information and reference: a project constraints map
and a topographic quadrangle map. The PSA is shown on both maps.
Based on a desktop environmental review, there are likely to be wetlands present in the PSA. Based
on the National Wetlands Inventory, there is an open freshwater pond system (Palustrine
Unconsolidated Bottom, permanently flooded, diked/impounded [PUBHh]) and an unnamed
tributary to Northeast Creek within the PSA. No known occurrences of threatened or endangered
species within the PSA are identifed in the NC Natural Heritage Program's datasets. Wetland and
stream field efforts have begun and are being coordinated with the Corps, and current jurisdictional
mapping is depicted in the attached constraints mapping.
�Nothing Compares��_
State of North Carolina � Department of Transportation I Division 3
SSOL Barbados Blvd. Castle Hayne, NC 28429
[phone](T)

Right of way acquisition and some residential relocations are anticipated. Off-site detours are not
anticipated.
This letter se:rves as the NCDOT externai scoping and start of study Ietter. To ensure tl�at
environmental issues are fully evaluated, the Division rec�uests that you respond in writing
concerning beneficial or adverse impaets of the proposed project related to the interest af your
agency. NCDQT looks forward to receiving your comments on the project by January 16, 2017.
�omments should be addressed to the following member of the consultant team:
Ms. Elizabeth Scatt
STV Engineers, Inc.
1500 Pe:rinaeier Park Dr, Suite 120
Morrisville, NC 27560
Phone: 919-238-b677
Ernail: eliz�[e-mail]
Your expeditious handling of this natice will be appreciated.
Si ,
.
David Leonard, PE
Division Design Engineer
NCDOT Division 3
AEtachmenfs: USG� Topographic Map
Constraints Map