20190397_R-2566B CP 4A Merger Meeting summary_20180419 (2)

Wanucha, Dave
From:Chambers, Marla J
Sent:Tuesday, April 17, 2018 4:33 PM
To:Teresa Gresham; Adima, Nathan N; Tarascio, Eugene; Weaver, Derrick G; Dagnino, Carla S; Dilday, Jason L;
Ledbetter, Dean; Zerman, William S; 'Buncick, Marella'; Davila, Felix (FHWA); Steve Kichefski; Wanucha, Dave;
[e-mail]; Miles, Daneil S; Staley, Mark K; Lipscomb, Brian S; Smith, Caleb
Cc:Gledhill-earley, Renee; Pilipchuk, John L; Beaver, G Trent; [e-mail]; Sealy, Stephen G; Clark, Shane
C; Kuhne, Jody C; Robbins, Jamille A
Subject:RE: \[External\] R-2566B CP 4A Merger Meeting summary
Attachments:R-2566B Merger CP 4A Minutes 3-21-18dft-mc.docx
I have provided just a minor wording change in the attached minutes. Also I have communicated with one of our biologists
regarding removal of the dam discussed in the meeting, he indicated that areas downstream of the dam should already be
susceptible to Whirling Disease, as he understands the parasite’s “spores” are hardy and likely to pass the dam, even if it wasn’t
already breached.

I also want to make the Team, especially those involved in designing the bridge replacement over the Watauga River, aware of
specific concerns that have come to light. The best documented population of Longtail Salamander in the Watauga , a state
Special Concern Species, occurs near the bridge and Old Tweetsie Road intersection. They are found in the rocky outcrops along
the river. The site near old Tweetsie Rd. has been well sampled and is known to ASU students, but much of the habitat along the
river and road has not been surveyed due to difficulty and danger in sampling the areas close to the road and at night. So we are
very concerned about the amount of land disturbance that will be associated with replacing the bridge and realigning the
entrance of Old Tweetsie Road. I believe coordinating the bridge portion (Section BA) of the project with concerned Team
members should be sooner, rather than later, to avoid delays. NCWRC staff is happy to meet on site to discuss areas of concern
and bridge construction details.

Marla

Marla Chambers // NCDOT Coordinator
Habitat Conservation Program

NC Wildlife Resources Commission
c/o NCDOT
206 Charter Street
Albemarle, North Carolina 28001
Direct Office Line: 704-244-8907
mobile: [phone]
[e-mail]

ncwildlife.org

From: Gresham, Teresa \[mailto:[e-mail]\]
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2018 9:04 AM
To: Adima, Nathan N <[e-mail]>; Tarascio, Eugene <[e-mail]>; Weaver, Derrick G
<[e-mail]>; Dagnino, Carla S <[e-mail]>; Dilday, Jason L <[e-mail]>; Ledbetter, Dean
<[e-mail]>; Zerman, William S <[e-mail]>; 'Buncick, Marella' <[e-mail]>; Chambers,
Marla J <[e-mail]>; Davila, Felix (FHWA) <[e-mail]>; Steve Kichefski
<[e-mail]>; Wanucha, Dave <[e-mail]>; [e-mail]; Miles, Daneil S
<[e-mail]>; Staley, Mark K <[e-mail]>; Lipscomb, Brian S <[e-mail]>; Smith, Caleb
<[e-mail]>
1

Cc: Gledhill-earley, Renee <[e-mail]>; Pilipchuk, John L <[e-mail]>; Beaver, G Trent
<[e-mail]>; [e-mail]; Sealy, Stephen G <[e-mail]>; Clark, Shane C <[e-mail]>;
Kuhne, Jody C <[e-mail]>; Robbins, Jamille A <[e-mail]>
Subject: \[External\] R-2566B CP 4A Merger Meeting summary

CAUTION: External email. Do not click links or open attachments unless verified. Send all suspicious email as an attachment to Report Spam.

Good morning. Attached for your review is a summary of the March 21 CP 4A meeting for R-2566B. Please let me know if you
have any revisions or additions.

Thanks,
Teresa

Teresa Gresham, P.E.
Kimley-Horn | 421 Fayetteville Street, Suite 600, Raleigh, NC 27601
Direct: 919-677-2194 | Mobile: [phone] | Main: 919-677-2000

Celebrating 11 years as one of FORTUNE magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For

Email correspondence to and from this sender is subject to the N.C. Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.
2

ROY COOPER
GovExrrox
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
March 30, 2018
MEMORANDUM TO: Meeting Participants
FROM: Nathan Adima
JAMES H. TROGDON, III
SECRETARY
SUBJECT: Minutes of Merger Meeting — Concurrence Point 4A
R-2566B — Improvements to NC 105 from Clarks Creek Road
(SR 1136) in Foscoe to NC 105 Bypass (SR 1107) in Boone
Watauga County, North Carolina
On Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at 9:00 a.m., a meeting was held in the North Carolina Deparhnent of
Transportation Century Center Structures Design Conference Room C in Raleigh, NC for the subject
project. The meeting attendees were as follows:
Meeting Particivants
Merger Team
Derrick Weaver
Marella Buncick
Marla Chambers
Felix Davila
David Graham*
Steve Kichefski*
Dave Wanucha*
I�C�1Z�71�
NCDOT-Project Management Unit
USFWS
NCWRC
FHWA
High Country RPO
USACE
NCDWR
Nathan Adima NCDOT-Project Management Unit
Carla Dagnino NCDOT-NES/ECAP
Jason Dilday NCDOT-NES/ECAP
Dean Ledbetter* Division 11
Brian Lipscomb NCDOT-Hydraulics
Daneil Miles* Division 11
Caleb Smith NCDOT-Archaeology
Mark Staley* NCDOT-REU
Eugene Tarascio NCDOT-Project Management Unit
William Zerman NCDOT-Project Management Unit
Consultant
Tony Spacek* Kimley-Horn
Teresa Gresham Kimley-Horn
*Participated via phone

Purpose
Since the July 2017 CP 4A meeting, NCDOT developed a conceptual alignment to shift improvements to
the west between Old Shull's Mill Road and Broadstone Road ("western alignment"). The purpose of this
meeting was to revisit avoidance and minimization efforts and commitments for the subject project
(Concurrence Point 4A), and select the alignment to carry forward in that section.
Summary
Mr. Nathan Adima opened the meeting, stated the purpose of the meeting, and asked attendees to introduce
themselves. Ms. Teresa Gresham reviewed the information provided in the Merger packet. Information for
CP 4A had been posted prior to the meeting.
The bridge (Section BA) is part of the same environmental document as the remainder of the project
(Section B), and is included in today's discussion. The new western alignment presented today would end
at the bridge, tying in at almost the exact location as the original alignment. Ms. Marella Buncick asked
about specific impacts around the bridge, both temporary and permanent. She requested that construction
techniques and bridge design be discussed with the Merger Team. She is particularly concerned about the
hellbender, which has known occurrences by the bridge. Mr. Steve Kichefski noted that although the packet
for today's meeting focuses on the alternatives between Old Shull's Mill Road and Broadstone Road, bridge
impacts were not detailed in the previous CP 4A meeting packet, and so the Merger Team has not had an
opportunity to discuss those. Mr. David Graham said that the bridge project was important for the RPO and
local community, and he did not want to delay that project. Ms. Gresham agreed that information will be
provided at the CP 4B/design review meetings, including constructability and phasing details.
Ms. Kichefski asked how utility relocation costs were calculated. Mr. Derrick Weaver said that at this point,
the estimate uses an average cost per pole. The new western alignment minimizes utility relocations
compared with the original alignment through this section. It is unknown how the utility company would
choose to move the poles with the original alignment — they may choose to move closer to the river, into
the mountain, or offsite. Mr. Weaver has spoken with a representative of Blue Ridge Mountain EMC, who
said where possible, they would choose to move toward the river, which would likely require cutting down
vegetation for construction and maintenance. He said that the additional $3.2 million cost for the western
alignment is acceptable to NCDOT as it is only approximately 5% more than the original alignment.
The figures in the packet showed differences in the retaining walls east of the Broadstone Road bridge
compared with the original alignment. This change was due to new geotechnical information, and would
have been applied to the original alignment as well. (No changes were made to the ariginal alignment design
in preparation for this CP 4A meeting.) The two options may be slightly closer in cost and impacts if the
original alignment were updated with the new geotechnical information.
Mr. Dave Wanucha said there is an unused dam on the Watauga River. Mr. Caleb Smith noted that this is
a historic dam (meaning, it is over 50 years old, but has not been evaluated for value and potential
mitigation/documentation). It was originally part of the Saw Mill upriver. The section below the dam has
rapids and is used by kayakers. Ms. Buncick said that the dam has been partially breached, and asked for it
to be removed. She did not have concerns that removing the dam would affect the hellbender, which has
TIP Project R-2566B
NEPA/404 Merger Meeting - Concurrence Point 4A (March 2018) Page 2 of 5

many occurrences downstream. Ifthe dam is removed, it is anticipated to improve habitat. Mr. Jason Dilday
asked if there is concern about spreading whirling disease by removing the dam. Ms. Marla Chambers
suggested evaluating this further, and also noted that e-r� �s she has seen an email about a group wantin�
to work with �-r-eH� the Hounds Ears community regarding removing the dam. With the western aligrunent,
there is not a new retaining wall by this dam, and removing it would be out of scope for Project R-2566B.
However, Mr. Kichefski said that additional analysis will be needed, since changing the flow of the river
may affect the roadway and bridge design.
Mr. Wanucha asked if there is animal passage under the bridge. Ms. Buncick and Ms. Chambers believe
there is a little high ground that can be used. There are no other safe crossings of NC 105 for large animals
nearby, so it is likely used.
As part of LEDPA (March 15, 2017), the Merger Team agreed to a best fit alternative with the proposed
rypical section, including a westbound passing lane in the section from Old Shull's Mill Road to Broadstone
Road. Mr. Kichefslci said that the additional cost and potential relocation of the western alignment is
concerning, but the unknowns of the utility relocation as part of the original alignment are also concerning.
The western alignment appears to provide more assurances for minimizing iinpacts to and near the Watauga
River, including to the hellbender. Ms. Chainbers agreed, noting that she encourages holding the existing
eastern edge of pavement to the extent practicable. The rest of the Merger Team agreed as well. Several
agency ineinbers thanked NCDOT for gathering additional geotechnical information, and for evaluating
this potential new alignment.
Ms. Buncick noted that the western alignment may be inore difficult for NCDOT to build, but also is
anticipated to provide additional opportunities for stormwater treatment. Mr. Bill Zerman said that NCDOT
has done an early assessment of potential stormwater treatment options. He provided a brief overview of
these options. (1) Bio swales are likely not feasible with the western aligmnent. (2) Shallow infiltration
basins are now possible with the western aligmnent, but would have been more difficult with the original
alignment. (3) Bio emba�nents may be feasible.
A decision about the status of the hellbender should be known by September 2018. The impacts to the
hellbender at the bridge will be mostly temporary during construction.
Final designs have begun on Section BA, but not on the reinainder of Section B. A CP 4B meeting will be
scheduled once there is sufficient information on the entire corridor. However, a design review meeting
will be scheduled far the bridge section sooner to keep the final design on schedule. Constructability,
phasing, and temporary and permanent impacts at the bridge will be discussed at that time. NCDOT will
provide information on the hellbender locations (from Ms. Chambers) at that meeting. A map of previously
found locations is attached to this meeting surrnnary.
Ms. Buncicl< asked for additional consideration of a retaining wall near Laurel Forlc and its tributary.
Mr. Dilday said that NCDOT anticipates completing a phased permit application before the CP 4B meeting.
Mr. Kichefski noted that preliminary numbers will also Ue needed for Section B(slope stakes plus 25'
TIP Project R-25668
NEPA/404 Merger Meeting - Concurre�2ce Poi�2t 4A (March 2018) Page 3 of 5

buffer is acceptable). He also asked NCDOT to present a list of compensatory mitigation measures for the
bridge at the CP 4B/design review meetings.
Conclusion
The Merger Team agreed to carry forward the western alignment from Old Shull's Mill Road to Broadstone
Road.
The Merger Team discussed the avoidance and minimization commitments. The following avoidance and
minimization measures were included in the design:
• Selected a best-fit alignment that minimizes impacts to Watauga River, Laurel Fork, and Big
Branch, including widening asymmetrically in several locations.
• Shifted the alignment to the west between Sta 176+00 and 265+00 to reduce impacts on animal
passageway parallel with the Watauga River and floodplains.
• Added several retaining walls and concrete barriers to further reduce impacts to streams.
• Used steeper slopes to minimize or avoid impacts in several locations.
The following commitments have been made, and will be discussed again at the CP 4B and 4C meetings:
• The feasibility of holding the existing utility line between old Shull's Mill Road (north) and
Broadstone Road will be investigated.
• Temporary construction easements will be kept outside of the floodplain, floodway, and Watauga
River where feasible.
• Permanent construction and slope stakes will stay out of 100-year floodplain, floodway, and
Watauga River. If not feasible, the Merger team will revisit CP 4A.
• Section BA will not be constructed until sufiicient information is available to apply for a phased
permit
The foregoing constitutes our understanding of the matters discussed and the conclusions
reached. If there are any questions, corrections, omissions, or additional comments please
advise the author within five working days after receipt of these minutes.
cc: Meeting Participants
Project File
TIP Project R-2566B
NEPA/404 Merger Meeting - Concurrence Point 4A (March 2018) Page 4 of 5

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