20190397_NCWRC Comments_20180906

Wanucha, Dave
From: Chambers, Marla J
Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2018 12:28 PM
To: Adima, Nathan N; Steve Kichefski; Wanucha, Dave; Buncick, Marella; '[e-mail]';
Beaver, Brian T; Dagnino, Carla S; Paschal, Keith; Bob May; David Petty; Cochran, Cameron; Lipscomb, Brian S;
Dilday, Jason L; Lee, Craig J; Cox, Marissa R; Beaver, G Trent; Slaughter, Johnathan H;
[e-mail]; Lee, Amber M; Patterson, Robert D; [e-mail];
[e-mail]; Moore, Brenda L; Staley, Mark K
Cc: Zerman, William S; Robinson, Beverly G; Whittington, Kevin K
Subject: RE: R-2566BA Watauga River Bridge Replacement , Division 11; County: Watauga - Site Visit on August 22,
2018
Attachments: WatR-2566Bnc105fonsi2018-08.docx
I thought I'd share my comments on the FONSI for this project (attached), in particular the part regarding making the bridge
readily passible by wildlife. I recall from our field meeting a mention of a riprapped slope under the bridge that sounded like it
went all the way to the water. That would prevent deer from crossing, as they don't do well with riprap. I'm wanting to make
sure the bridge is being designed for passage underneath, as this is the only crossing on the project that can pass large animals.
I don't know if there will be any minutes from that field meeting, but as much as I wanted that meeting onsite, it was difficult to
hear and understand the various conversations that occurred. It was hard to hear at the road level due to traffic noise and hard
to hear under the bridge due to the roar of the river that day. I wanted to make sure the team is aware of NCWRC's concern
about widening this bridge to the east, which will decimate the habitat of the Longtail Salamander at and near the end of Old
Tweetsie Road that has been well studied and documented over the years by us, ASU, and others. This State-listed species is not
easily moved, but we are planning to attempt to move as many as we can before the mountainside is removed there. The
remaining habitat will be fragmented and it's unknown what this will do to the population. I'd really like to see, not in great
detail, but what impacts would occur if the bridge were widened to the west, like the project roadway adjacent and to the south
will be. I've heard it MAY impact Laurel Fork, but don't know if it could be avoided or what type, how much of impact would
occur. The eastern widening was selected by designers prior to knowledge about this salamander (not to be confused with the
aquatic salamander, hellbender, which is also a concern for this project.). I just want to make sure we are truly designing the
least environmentally damaging practicable option for this portion of the project.
Marla
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From: Adima, Nathan N
Sent: Monday, August 13, 2018 4:40 PM
To: Steve Kichefski <[e-mail]>; Wanucha, Dave <[e-mail]>; Chambers, Marla J
<[e-mail]>; Buncick, Marella <[e-mail]>;'[e-mail]'

<[e-mail]>; Beaver, Brian T<[e-mail]>; Dagnino, Carla S<[e-mail]>; Paschal,
Keith <[e-mail]>; Bob May <[e-mail]>; David Petty <[e-mail]>; Cochran,
Cameron <[e-mail]>; Lipscomb, Brian S<[e-mail]>; Dilday, Jason L<[e-mail]>; Lee, Craig J
<[e-mail]>; Cox, Marissa R<[e-mail]>; Beaver, G Trent <[e-mail]>; Slaughter, Johnathan H
<[e-mail]>; [e-mail]; Lee, Amber M<[e-mail]>; Patterson, Robert D
<[e-mail]>; [e-mail]; [e-mail]; Moore, Brenda L<[e-mail]>;
Staley, Mark K <[e-mail]>
Cc: Zerman, William S<[e-mail]>; Robinson, Beverly G<[e-mail]>; Whittington, Kevin K
<[e-mail]>
Subject: R-2566BA Watauga River Bridge Replacement, Division 11; County: Watauga - Site Visit on August 22, 2018
AI I,
Following our m��ting of August 8, 2018 on th� r�vi�w of r�dlin� plans, constructability and impact issu�s of proj�ct R-2566�A,
a sit� m��ting has b��n sch�dul�d for � n�s ay, �a �ast 22, 2 1� at 9:3 a n�ar th� int�rs�cti�n �f � 1 5
an r�a st�n� �a , Vilas, � 2�692.
If th�r� is n��d for Van Pool, a 15-s�at�r van has b��n r�s�rv�d at th� County Maint�nanc� Yard locat�d at 1865 NC-194 North,
�oon�, NC 28607, vvhich is about 15 minut�s from th� sit� (Contact at th� County Maint�nanc� Yard is K�vin Whittington —(828)
268-6044).
I hop� s�� you at th� sit� at 9e30am.
Thanks.
Nathan N. Adima, PE
Project Manager
Project Management Unit — Divisions 11-14
North Carolina Department of Transportation
919 707 6210 office
919 707 6200 main
u�_� d. i_m� �_� u� � d r� t.�
1000 Birch Ridge Drive
Raleigh, NC 27610
1582 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 2699-1582
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� North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission �
Gordon Myers, Executive Director
August 31, 2018
MEMORANDUM
TO: Lyn Hardison, Environmental Assistance and SEPA Coordinator
Division of Environmental Assistance & Customer Services, NCDENR
FROM: Marla Chambers, Western NCDOT Coordinator ��ti���- �l��t,��z�
Habitat Conservation Program, NCWRC
SUBJECT: Review of the Finding Of No Significant Impact document for NCDOT's
proposal to improve NC 105 from Clark's Creek Road (SR 1136) near Foscoe to
NC 105 Bypass (SR 1107) in Boone, Watauga County. TIP No. R-2566B.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation has submitted for review a Finding Of No
Significant Impact document for the subject project. Staff biologists with the North Carolina
Wildlife Resources Commission have reviewed the information provided. These comments are
provided in accordance with the provisions of the state and federal Environmental Policy Acts
(G.S. 113A-lthrough 113-10; 1 NCAC 25 and 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(c), respectively), the Clean
Water Act of 1977 (33 U.S.C. 466 et seq.) and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (48 Stat.
401, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 661-667d), as applicable.
The NCDOT proposes to improve NC 105 from Clark's Creek Road (SR 1136) near Foscoe to
NC 105 Bypass (SR 1107) in Boone. NCWRC submitted scoping comments, dated February 18,
2010, on the larger R-2566 project from Linville in Avery County to Boone in Watauga County
and comments on the Environmental Assessment, dated December 9, 2016, for the B section. In
both, we requested an investigation to identify potential wildlife collision hotspots to help
determine the need for wildlife crossings to reduce habitat fragmentation and improve public
safety. That does not appear to have been done. The widened roadway will increase the
likelihood of vehicle-wildlife accidents.
The bridge over the Watauga River (R-2566BA) is the only bridge structure on the B section of
the project. The bridge should be designed and constructed in a manner that will maintain and
Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

R-2566B, NC 105 FOSCOE TO BOONE 2 AUGUST 31, 2018
WATAUGA R. & LAUREL FORK, WATAUGA CO.
enhance wildlife passage. A riprap-free level path, preferably at least 10-foot wide, should be
provided under the bridge on both sides of the river. It may also be appropriate to enhance other
hydraulic crossings for wildlife passage.
We continue to recommend context sensitive solutions to minimize impacts to aquatic and
terrestrial resources along the project and ensure compatibility with the natural and human
environment of the area. We encourage NCDOT and local officials to work together and to use
low impact development techniques to maximize the management of storm water quantity and
quality in the project area. Information on LID measures can be found at
www lc�w�����c�cl�v�lc���m�����.c���;, ����p://www._�p��v/c�wc�w/��ps/l,�cl/l�cl����l..��`and
k����://�vww.s�c���m��v����c�����.���/. Other important protective measures can be found in the
Guidance Memorandum to Address and Mitigate Secondary and Cumulative Impacts to Aquatic
and Terrestrial Wildlife Resources and Water Quality at
�����a://www.��cw�]c�l��`�.c�r�/�a���c�ls/0/C"c���s��v����/c�c�c�������s/2(J02 C�.��c����c�!°�I���c�r������m��`fc��.��c
c�fl�c��ry�fl�c�C"��m�:�l���v�I�m���c�s.�c��`
Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this project. If you have any questions
regarding these comments, please contact me at ����.l�..c����m�:���.s�ez)��cw�lc�l��`�.c�r�; or (704) 244-
8907.
Cc: Marella Buncick, USFWS
Dave Wanucha, NCDWR
Steve Kichefski, USACE