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Home My WebLink About20190516 R-2615 merger meeting minutes revisedR-2615 CP 1 and 2 Merger Meeting Summary May 16, 2019 �IMPSON ENGINEERS SDCIATES Meeting Summary June 19, 2019 SUBJECT: R-2615 Combined Concurrence Points 1 and 2 Merger Meeting TIME / DATE: 8:00 AM / May 16, 2019 LOCATION: NCDOT Century Center Building A, Structures Conference Room C SUMMARY BY: Johnna Kashmer and Martha Register, Simpson Engineers & Associates ATTENDANCE: Lori Beckwith — US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Monte Matthews — USACE Donnie Brew — Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Dave Wanucha — North Carolina Division of Water Resources (NCDWR) Robert Patterson — NCDWR David Graham — High Country Rural Planning Organization Verrol McLeary— NCDOT PMU Nathan Adima — NCDOT PMU Kevin Moore — NCDOT PMU Brook Anderson — NCDOT Hydraulics Michelle Berry— NCDOT Hydraulics Michael Turchy— NCDOT EAU Mark Staley — NCDOT Roadside Environmental William Akabi-Davis — NCDOT Roadway Design Caleb Smith — NCDOT Archaeology Richard Green — NCDOT Photogrammetry Mike Pekarek— Mott Macdonald David Martin — Mott Macdonald Martha Register —Simpson Engineers & Associates Johnna Kashmer —Simpson Engineers &Associates 5640 Dillard Drive, Suite 20G Cary, NG 27518 (919) 852-0468 (Office) (919) 852-0598 (Fax) MEETING MATERIALS: A sign in sheet was utilized, and an agenda and packet were provided. A power point was presented and made available on SharePoint before the meeting. MEETING SUMMARY: The primary purpose of the meeting was to present and discuss Concurrence Point 1 - Purpose and Need and Study Area Boundary, and Concurrence Point 2 —Alternatives carried forward for Detailed Design, for the proposed widening of US 321/US 421 west of Boone, NC (R-2615). R-2615 CP 1 and 2 Merger Meeting Summary May 16, 2019 Following introductions, Martha Register presented the status and background of the project before going into more detail on concurrence points 1 and 2. Conversations about each concurrence point were held simultaneously. NCDOT is currently revisiting the funding source for this project including the potential to utilize federal funding. FHWA is participating in these meetings as a courtesy until funding decisions are finalized. FHWA asks when will the funding questions be decided. NCDOT indicated that conversation will be had in the next few months. FHWA requested that funding status be reviewed as soon as possible. USACE is currently the lead federal agency. • The team discussed if it was necessary to make the purpose and need specific to the main line. It was decided that the statement should make note of the design year and focus on the highest average weekly traffic conditions. • Discussions also focused on if Level of Service (LOS) was an appropriate metric or if travel time saving was the desired metric. It was decided that Level of Service was an appropriate metric. • In addition, discussion revolved around if intersection delay was reflective of the LOS of the corridor. Much of the travel delay is related with heavy queuing for turning movements and the lack of long roadway segments between intersections. Due to the relatively short project corridor containing a number intersections and their overall even spacing, the intersections' overall LOS generally reflects traffics ability to flow in the corridor and can be an adequate metric for traffic flow along the mainline. • USACE requested that discussions of project related Logical Termini and Independent Utility be incorporated into the environmental document. • All resource agencies concur with the CP1 Form as presented and a copy of the concurrence form will be distributed electronically for signatures. • USACE stated that typically resource agencies weigh in on a best fit alignment and wants to better understand the process of how the best fit alignment was selected. It was noted that this is a preliminary best fit alignment and was a first attempt at avoiding known resources in the project corridor. Future discussions will be planned for the team to present how the preliminary best fit alternative was selected. It was noted that Concurrence Point 2a includes a review of the alignment. • Archaeology surveys have not yet been conducted. Screening has been conducted to determine where surveys would be needed if the locations will be impacted by proposed improvements. • How the project deals with Federally Protected Species is dependent on the determination of the lead federal agency. FHWA and USACE operate under different agreements/processes when consulting with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. • There is a proposed mitigation bank along the west side of Linville Creek Road north of the bridge. Roadway design wants to tie the project back into the existing Linville Creek Road in before the bridged. The proposed bank limits will be confirmed and shown on the environmental features maps. • More discussion needed regarding the alignment of the best -fit alternative specifically in regions where there appear to be paralleling stream impacts and in the vicinity of the Vilas community. NCDOT is aware that additional work needs to be completed to tighten the design and to incorporate minimization measures. The measures may include steeper slopes, holding the existing edge of pavement or shoulder, express gutters, retaining walls and/or reduction the median width. R-2615 CID 1 and 2 Merger Meeting Summary May 16, 2019 • It was noted that the project has the potential to impact FEMA regulated floodplains/floodways especially in the northern half of the project corridor. Additional hydraulic modeling will be needed to make informed decisions regarding floodplain impacts. • The Agencies asked that the language on concurrence form 2 be revised to better reflect that the best -fit alternative is a concept and subject to review and modification by the Merger Team. The resource agencies will provide input on the revised language. Once the language is accepted a copy of the form will be distributed electronically for signature. ACTION ITEMS: • List USACE as the lead agency on each concurrence form. • Update the language on concurrence form 2 and coordinate with FHWA, USACE and NCDWR prior to distribution for signatures. • Include the draft concurrence form in the packet at future merger meetings. • Identify the mitigation bank on Linville Creek Road in future project mapping.