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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20081706 Ver 1_Meeting Minutes_20031003 o• SfA1p o STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MICHAEL F. EASLEY LYNDO TIPPETT GOVERNOR SECRETARY October 3, 2003 MEMORANDUM TO: File FROM: Karen B. Capps, PE Project Development Engineer Subject: Replacement of Bridge No. 4 on US 401 over Shocco Creek, Warren County, State Project No. 8.1411001 F. A. Project No. BRZ-401(145), TIP No. B-4307 A scoping meeting was held for the subject bridge replacement on August 19, 2003 in the Roadway Design Conference room. The following people were in attendance. Bill Goodwin PDEA Michael Summers Bridge Maintenance Karen Capps PDEA Tinnette Hales Right of Way Eric Alsmeyer USACOE Jay Woolard Traffic Control Glenn Mumford Roadway Design Jaime Adrignola PDEA/PICS Tim Gardiner PDEA/PICS John Pilipchuk Geotechnical Michael Ellington Program Development Roy Girolami Sturcture Design Randy Henegar Hydraulics Derek Bradner Location & Surveys Kirby Warrick Right of Way BenJetta Johnson Traffic Engineering GENERAL PROJECT INFORMATION Current Schedule Document: August 2004 Right of Way: August 2005 Construction: August 2006 MAILING ADDRESS: TELEPHONE: 919-733-3141 LOCATION: NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FAX: 919-733-9794 TRANSPORTATION BUILDING PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS 1 SOUTH WILMINGTON STREET 1548 MAIL SERVICE CENTER WEBSITE. WWW.DOH.DOT.STATE.NC.US RALEIGH NC RALEIGH NC 27699-1548 Bridge No. 4 was originally built in 1934. It is 71 feet long and 21.3 feet wide. The bridge is posted at 28 tons for single vehicle and 37 tons for TTST's. The sufficiency rating for the bridge is 49.3 out of a possible 100. The approach roadway width is approximately 19 feet with 6-foot grass shoulders. Traffic Information US 401 is classified as a Rural Major Collector with a posted speed limit of 55 mph. The current ADT is 1600 vpd and the projected 2025 ADT is 3400 vpd. There are currently 3% Duals and 2% TTST's. There are six school bus trips across the existing bridge daily. The school expressed concerns about detouring the buses if the road is closed. They would like for NC DOT to provide a turn around place, suitable for a bus, on both sides of the bridge. Additionally, advanced notice will be required for their coordination efforts. Accidents There have been no accidents reported in the project vicinity in a recent three-year study period. Cross Section of New Bridge According to March 2000 Bridge Policy Based on the NCDOT Bridge Policy, the minimum typical section for the proposed bridge should be able to carry two 12-foot lanes with 3.0-foot offsets. Possible Offsite Detour There is an offsite detour available for this project. It utilizes SR 1614 and SR 1620. However, it should be noted that the roadway width is less than the width found on US 401 and it is through an area that is residential in nature. If this detour is used, the road closure time for replacing the bridge should be kept to a minimum. The detour is approximately 3.2 miles in length. SCOPING COMMENTS Division 5 stated that SR 1614 could be used as an offsite detour and that the bridge on this route was currently being replaced. There are beaver swamps with wetlands both up and down stream of the bridge. The proposed design may need to look at raising the elevation of the proposed bridge. The project is located in the Tar-Pamlico River Basin. There are known populations of mussels in Shocco Creek downstream from the existing bridge. Michael Summers, Bridge Maintenance, asked if US 401 or the existing bridge is part of the North Carolina Moving Ahead Program (NCMA). The project list for NCMA was checked and does not include either the road or the bridge as part of this program. Warren County Emergency Services indicated that a road closure on this project would not create emergency response concerns for the county. They request at least one (1) month advance notice on when construction will start and the length of time the road will be closed. The Geotechnical Unit has no concerns on this project at this time. The National Marine Fisheries Service stated that there are on NMFS trust fishery resources located on at this project site. Normal environmental concerns apply. The Wildlife Resources Commission stated that there are recorded populations of Dwarf wedge mussel and Tar spinymussel downstream of the project site. Further mussel surveys will be required and appropriate coordination with USFWS and NCWRC. The Division of Water Quality has not commented on the project to date. The Division of Parks and Recreation stated that this project has the potential to impact rare sedge. The Division of Marine Fisheries has not commented on the project to date. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service stated that they have significant concerns pertaining to listed mussels in the project area and that a Section 7 field meeting should be scheduled as soon as possible. The North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources Mary Pope Furr, Office of Human Environment has indicated that the existing bridge could potentially be eligible for designation on the Historic Bridge Survey. The State Historic Preservation Office has also stated that the existing bridge is noted as having historical or architectural importance. Further studies will be required in order to determine eligibility. The Natural Resources Technical Report The project falls within the Tar-Pamlico River Basin and will be subject to riparian buffer rules. Shocco Creek is classified as C NSW.. There are no Watershed Critical Areas or water resources classified as High Quality Waters, Water Supplies, or Outstanding Resource Waters within 1.0 mile (1.5 km) of the project area. The project area does contain jurisdictional wetlands. There are known populations of the dwarf wedge mussel located downstream of the project site. Both the dwarf wedge mussel and the Tar spinymussel are protected species in Warren County. The biological conclusion is unresolved for these two species. Therefore, mussel surveys will be required on this project and Section 7 issues resolved before the project can proceed. The Location Surveys Unit stated that there are no visible utilities in the project vicinity. However, there is a marker located on the western side of the existing structure that reads "Carolina Telephone and Telegraph Company Exchange Boundary." The Hydraulics Unit recommends replacing the existing bridge with a 135-foot (41.1-m) bridge at the existing bridge location and with approximately the same low chord elevation. If an onsite detour is used, the detour structure should be 135 feet (41.1-m) in length and located downstream of the existing structure. The NC DOT Rail Division stated that there are no rail interactions on this project. The Community Impact Assessment Report stated that while county officials were concerned about the proposed bridge replacement and how it would impact the citizens, they also desire safer bridges for carrying school buses. The report also requests that school bus turnarounds be provided during construction. It is recommended that a public involvement plan be worked out with sensitivity to the makeup of the surrounding population. A citizen education component may need to be added to lessen any potential negative psychological impacts of the project. ALTERNATES FOR EVALUATION The following alternates were cared forward for further study. 1. Replace the existing bridge with a new bridge in the same location and at approximately the same low chord elevation. The new structure should be approximately 135 feet in length. Traffic will be detoured offsite using SR 1614 and SR 1620. Roadway Design will have the preliminary plans and construction costs estimates to PDEA by January 2004. ALTERNATES ELIMINATED FROM FURTHER STUDY 1. Replace the existing bridge with a new bridge in the same location and low chord elevation while maintaining traffic onsite with a temporary detour. 2. Replace the existing bridge with a new bridge on new location while maintaining traffic on the existing structure during construction. Both of these alternates were eliminated due to environmental concerns. NEXT STEPS 1. PDEA will send the wetland delineation files to Roadway Design and the Hydraulics Unit. 2. PDEA will request a right of way estimate for the project. 3. PDEA will schedule mussel surveys for the project. 4. PDEA will meet with the Public Involvement/Community Studies Unit to devise some form of public involvement for the project. 5. PDEA will coordinate with Division 5 to assess the need for the detour route to be upgraded. Coordination will include cost estimates and possible environmental impacts on the detour route of widening are required.