20091149 Ver 1_Meeting Minutes_20080820 (2)

Merger Project Team Meeting Agreement
Concurrence Point No. 4A:
Project Name & Description:
Avoidance and Minimization
Proposed Interchange at the Intersection
of US 74/NC 130 (Andrew Jackson Highway)
and NC 242 (Haynes Lennon Highway) near
Evergreen, Columbus County
TIP Project No.: R-4900
Federal Aid Project No.: NHF-74(78)
WBS Element: 40224.1.1
The Merger Project Team has concurred on this date of August 20, 2008, on the following
measures for Avoidance and Minimization for TIP Project R-4900:
Avoidance
As noted in the Environmental Assessment, complete avoidance of the stream and
wetlands is not possible due to the presence of these resources in three of the quadrants
surrounding the US 74/NC 130 and NC 242 intersection.
Signalization and traffic calming techniques were considered as potential
avoidance measures, but were dismissed as viable options because they would not
permanently solve the safety problems. In addition, they were not in line with the long
term vision for this facility. Given that US 74 is planned to be upgraded to an interstate
facility with full control of access in the future, options were limited for choosing
alternatives.
Minimization Efforts
• The standard diamond interchange was revised to a modified diamond
interchange. The ramp in the northwest quadrant was eliminated to reduce
impacts to a gum-cypress swamp wetland that had a higher quality rating than the
one in the northeast quadrant. The ramp in the southeast quadrant was also
eliminated in order to minimize wetland impacts.
• The alignment of the proposed interchange was shifted away from the existing
alignment in order to maintain traffic during construction and to prevent the
existing culvert under US 74 from being affected. Impacting the culvert would
lead to greater impacts to the stream and adjacent wetlands.

• A two span bridge is currently proposed for the interchange, as opposed to a
single span bridge. A single span bridge would avoid constructability issues that
stem from placing a bridge pier in the vicinity of the existing culvert; however,
the depth of the bridge superstructure (girders) and the height of the fill would be
increased, thus increasing the horizontal footprint of the fill roadway in the
wetland areas. Also, with a two span bridge, the lateral ditches that run parallel to
US 74 can be spanned.
USACE
FHWA
NCWRC
USEPA
NCDWQ NCDCR
• NCDOT is having a cost analysis performed on the option of building the service
road in the northeast quadrant of the proposed interchange versus purchasing the
access to the parcel of land that this road would serve. If the service road is more
expensive, NCDOT could avoid impacting these wetlands by removing the access
to this property, thereby eliminating the service road.
• Based upon NCDOT's site investigation, the culvert on NC 242 at Cow Branch
was used as a control to begin the construction limits. The proposed roadway
improvements along NC 242 begin south of the existing culvert, which eliminates
the need for a culvert extension in this environmentally sensitive area.
• Although 2:1 slopes in a wetland area are NCDOT's standard, the soils on this
site are sandy. NCDOT is using 3:1 slopes in all wetland areas for this project,
which is standard practice for projects east of I-95.
NCDOT
USFWS
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NEPA/404 MERGER TEAM MEETING
CONCURRENCE POINT #4A & 4B
Avoidance and Minimization
30% Hydraulic Review
TIP Project R-4900
WBS No. 40224. 1.1
Federal Aid No. NHF-74(78)
Proposed Interchange at the Intersection of
US 74/NC 130 (Andrew Jackson Highway)
and NC 242 (Haynes Lennon Highway)
August 20, 2008
Century Center
Hydraulics Conference Room
Purpose of Today's Meeting:
The purpose of this meeting is to reach concurrence on the avoidance and minimization
measures taken during the planning and design of this project and to review the hydraulic
recommendations.
Project Development Engineer:
Kristine 0. Graham, P.E.
[phone] x 311,
[e-mail]

Project Description
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) proposes to upgrade
the intersection of US 74/NC 130 and NC 242 to an interchange (see Figure 1). The
project will upgrade the existing at-grade intersection of a four-lane divided highway
with a two-lane facility to a modified diamond interchange with two loops. These
improvements are proposed to improve the safety of this intersection.
This project is included in the approved 2009-2015 Transportation Improvement
Program (TIP). The estimated TIP cost is $10,434,000, which includes $70,000 for
mitigation, $664,000 for right-of-way acquisition, and $9,700,000 for construction.
Right-of-way acquisition is scheduled to begin in January 2009 and construction is
anticipated for July 2010.
Avoidance and Minimization
Avoidance
As noted in the Environmental Assessment, complete avoidance of the stream and
wetlands is not possible due to the presence of these resources in three of the quadrants
surrounding the US 74/NC 130 and NC 242 intersection.
Signalization and traffic calming techniques were considered as potential
avoidance measures, but were dismissed as viable options because they would not
permanently solve the safety problems. In addition, they were not in line with the long
term vision for this facility. Given that US 74 is planned to be upgraded to an interstate
facility with full control of access in the future, options were limited for choosing
alternatives.
Minimization Efforts
• The standard diamond interchange was revised to a modified diamond
interchange. The ramp in the northwest quadrant was eliminated to reduce
impacts to a gum-cypress swamp wetland that had a higher quality rating than the
one in the northeast quadrant. The ramp in the southeast quadrant was also
eliminated in order to minimize wetland impacts.
• The alignment of the proposed interchange was shifted away from the existing
alignment in order to maintain traffic during construction and to prevent the
existing culvert under US 74 from being affected. Impacting the culvert would
lead to greater impacts to the stream and adjacent wetlands.
• A two span bridge is currently proposed for the interchange, as opposed to a
single span bridge. A single span bridge would avoid constructability issues that
stem from placing a bridge pier in the vicinity of the existing culvert; however,
1
the depth of the bridge superstructure (girders) and the height of the fill would be
increased, thus increasing the horizontal footprint of the fill roadway in the
wetland areas. Also, with a two span bridge, the lateral ditches that run parallel to
US 74 can be spanned.
• NCDOT is having a cost analysis performed on the option of building the service
road in the northeast quadrant of the proposed interchange versus purchasing the
access to the parcel of land that this road would serve. If the service road is more
expensive, NCDOT could avoid impacting these wetlands by removing the access
to this property, thereby eliminating the service road.
• Based upon NCDOT's site investigation, the culvert on NC 242 at Cow Branch
was used as a control to begin the construction limits. The proposed roadway
improvements along NC 242 begin south of the existing culvert, which eliminates
the need for a culvert extension in this environmentally sensitive area.
• Although 2:1 slopes in a wetland area are NCDOT's standard, the soils on this
site are sandy. NCDOT is using 3:1 slopes in all wetland areas for this project,
which is standard practice for projects-east of I-95.

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HYDRAULICS DESIGN/PERMIT DRAWINGS REVIEW "REVISED"
Hydraulics Conference Room
NCDOT Century Center Complex
August 20, 2008
9:00 Clawson R-2417AA, US 421/NC87 (Sanford Bypass)
From West of SR-1400 (Cumnock Road)
To East of US 1-15-501
Lee County, Division 8
4C Permit Drawing Review (4B Meeting held 6/15/05)
Team Members: Richard Spencer - USACE
Gary Jordan - USFWS
Travis Wilson - NCWRC
Polly Lespinasse - NCDWQ
Kathy Matthews - EPA
Donnie Brew - FHWA
David Harris - REU
Cathy Houser - Roadway
Betsy Cox - Structure
JayMcInnis - PDEA
Rachelle Beauregard - NEU .
John Olinger - Division 8
10:00 Clawson R-4900, US 74 at NC 242 Intersection
Columbus County, Division 6
Hydraulic Design Review (411)
Team Members: Richard Spencer - USACE
Gary Jordan - USFWS
Travis Wilson - NCWRC
Rob Ridings - NCDWQ
Kathy Matthews - EPA
Donnie Brew - FHWA
David Harris - REU
Roger Thomas - Roadway
Omar Azizi -Structure
Charles R. Cox - PDEA
Chris Rivenbark - NEU
Tracey Pittman - Division 6
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11:00 Clawson U-4007A, Jacksonville US 17 - White Street Extension
Onslow County, Division 3
4B Hydraulic Design Review
Team Members: Brad Shaver -USACE
Gary Jordan - USFWS
Travis Wilson - NCWRC
David Wainwright - NCDWQ
Kathy Matthews - EPA
Steve Sollod - NCDCM
Stephen Lane - NCDCM
Donnie Brew - FHWA
David Harris - REU
Bryan Taylor - Roadway
Omar Azizi - Structure
Brian Yamamoto = PDEA
Chris Rivenbark - NEU
Joe Blair - Division 3
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Khaled AI-Akhdar R-2823, Rocky Mount Northern Connector.
From SR 1,604 (Hunter Hill Rd) to US 301
Nash County, Division 4 .
4B Hydraulic Design Review
Design/Build Project
Team Members: William Wescott - USACE
Gary Jordan - USFWS
Travis Wilson - NCWRC
Rob Ridings - NCDWQ
Kathy Matthews - EPA
Donnie Brew - FHWA
Sarah McBride - SHPO
David Harris - REU
Lonnie Brooks - Structure
Jay A. McInnis - PDEA
Anne Gamber - Hydro
Chris Rivenbark - NEU
Wendy O. Johnson - Division 4
Rodger Rochelle - ADU
Teresa Bruton - ADU
2:00 Adjourn
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