20191029 Ver 1_I-5700 GP 31 Additional Info GP31_20190910

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Roy COOPER
GOVERNOR
September 17, 2019
US Army Corps of Engineers
Raleigh Regulatory Field Office
3331 Heritage Trade Dr., Suite 105
Wake Forest, NC 27587
Attention: James Lastinger
NCDOT Coordinator, Division 5
JAMES H. TROGmN, III
SECRETARY
Subject: Additional Information for General Permit 31 Application for the proposed
Improvements for the Interchange of I-40 and Airport Boulevard in Morrisville, Wake
County, Division 5, WBS 50118.1.FS1, TIP No. I-5700.
Reference: Incomplete Application Notification dated August 29, 2019 from the US Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE)
Dear Sir:
The USACE Incomplete Application Notification addresses usage of a General Permit 31, avoidance and
minimization for losses to waters of the U.S., and insufficient mitigation for project impacts. Each of
these topics are addressed below.
General Permit 31
As mentioned in the Incomplete Application Notification, in previous communication, the Department
had indicated the project had gone through the NEPA/404 Merger Process. This information was
inadvertently based on the 4B and 4C Merger meetings.
The proposed project will convert the existing interchange at I-40 and SR 3015 (Airport Blvd) to a
diverging diamond interchange and construct an auxiliary lane on 1-40 WB from SR 3015 to 1-540.
Pleasant Grove Church Rd will be realigned to North to provide better separation between intersections
on SR 3015. The project will also include the addition of a 10-foot side path on the west side of Airport
Blvd to facilitate pedestrian traffic and a connection to the Stirrup Iron Creek Greenway planned on the
West side of Airport Blvd.
NCDOT is submitting this additional information to satisfy the requirements for usage of a USACE
General Permit 31 - Activity C. Activity C is for minor widening projects, such as paving and/or
widening secondary roads, or interchange improvements, when permanent impacts which result in a loss
of waters of the U.S. from installation and/or extension of culverts and/or pipes will be less than or equal
to 500 linear feet of stream and/or one acre of wetland/non-tidal open water for each single and complete
linear project. We understand that all four quadrants of the interchange act together and therefore the
impacts must be cumulative along with any impacts that are close enough to the interchange to be
Mailing Address:
NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS UNIT
1598 MAIL SERVICE CENTER
RALEIGH, NC 27699-1598
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Customer Service: 1-877-368-4968
Website: www.ncdot.gov
Location:
1000 BIRCH RIDGE DRIVE
RALEIGH, NC 27699

influenced by changes to the interchange. We also understand that there are several sites that can be
considered as independent from the interchange as well as single and complete projects.
The entire project has impacts to streams and wetlands less than 1.0 acre. The impact sites that are
considered as part of the interchange or are close enough to the interchange to be influenced by changes
are: Sites 2A, 213, 3A, 313, 4, 413, 5A, 5C, 5D, 5E, 6, 7, 8A, 813, and 9. The total amount of permanent
stream loss associated with the interchange is 489 linear feet. See Table 1.
Table 1. I-5700 Stream Impacts
Permit
Stream
Stream
Permanent
Bank
Temporary
USAGE
DWR
Site*
Name/ID'
StatusZ
Stream
Stabilization
Stream
Required
Required
Impacts
Impacts
Miti ation
Miti ation
1
UT SIC /
P
20
15
2:1
No
SL
2A*
UT SIC
I
26
12
2:1
No
/SD
2B*
UT SIC /
I
40
10
No
No
SD
53
2:1
No45
3A*
SIC
P
15
No
No
3B*
SIC
P
15
33
2:1
No
4B*
UT BC /
P
23
20
No
No
SF
5A*
BC
P
10
20
No
No
69
2:1
No
5C*
BC
p
86
53
No
No
5D*
BC
P
14
38
2:1
No
176
2:1
No
5E*
BC
p
73
20
No
No
6*
UT BC /
1
10
10
2:1
No
SA
7*
UT BC /
1
20
24
2:1
No
SB
8A*
UT BC /
P
121
2:1
No
SH
9*
UT SIC /
1
45
17
No
No
SE
10A
UT BC /
P
57
17
2:1
No
SJ
11
UT BC /
P
45
23
2:1
No
SG
11A
UT BC /
P
28
10
No
No
SB (I-
5506
12
UT BC /
I
40
No
No
SA (I-
5506
Total Stream Impacts
611
365
377
*Interchange Sites, 'Stirrup Iron Creek (SIC); Brier Creek (BC), Perennial (P) or Intermittent (1)

The permit sites that are being considered as far enough removed from the interchange and independent
(single and complete) are: Sites 1, 10A, 10B, IOC, 11, 11A, and 12. Only Sites 1, 10A, and 11 are
considered to have permanent stream loss of 122 linear feet. See Table 2.
Table 2. Permanent Stream Interchange Independent Sites
Permit
Site
Approximate Distance from
Interchange (feet)
Permanent Stream
Impact (linear feet)
1
1200
20
10A
1000
57
11
1300
45
Total Permanent Stream Impact
122
By removing the 122 linear feet of impacts from the overall project total of 611 linear feet and separating
these sites from the interchange sites, proposed permanent stream impacts fall under the 500 linear feet
threshold for each single and complete project crossing as per Activity C of the General Permit 31.
In addition to the stream impacts and to clarify the wetland impacts occurring for this project see Table 3.
Table 3. I-5700 Wetland Impacts
Permit
Site
Wetland
ID MR
NCWAM
Classification AL
Permanent
Fill (ac)
Excavation
(ac)
Mechanized
Clearing ac
3B
WI
Bottomland Hardwood
Forest
0.005
4
WD
Headwater Forest
0.006
8B
WH
Bottomland Hardwood
Forest
0.300
0.07
10A
WN
Non -tidal Freshwater
Marsh
0.006
10B
WK
Non -tidal Freshwater
Marsh
0.03
Totals b Impact Type
0.300
0.005
0.112
Total Permanent Wetland Impacts
0.417
Avoidance and Minimization
The Incomplete Application Notification for I-5700 stipulates that the application did not include a
statement explaining how avoidance and minimization for losses of waters of the U.S. were achieved. The
Stormwater Management Plan included with the permit drawings provided avoidance and minimization
measures. Additionally, Section E. (1) of the Preconstruction Notification also detailed several measures.
See below for avoidance and minimization measures from design and construction techniques.
Measures taken to avoid or minimize the proposed impacts during design:
1) NCDOT minimized construction footprint and the right-of-way requirements by converting the existing
Airport Boulevard interchange to a diverging diamond as opposed to a flyover interchange to minimize
impacts.
2) Utilized rock plating from -L- 53+50 to 58+00 left to eliminate stream impacts to Brier
Creek and minimize buffer impacts to Buffer Zone 1 up to -Y3-.

3) Utilized shoulder berm gutter to contain runoff from roadway to eliminate it from discharging directly in
lake feeding Stirrup Creek at Y- station 25+00 to 34+00 left. It is piped eastward and allowed treatment
in proposed and existing ditch work before entering the lake.
4) Alignment is designed to minimize wetland and stream crossing impacts by using 2:1 slopes to reduce
structure length and limit wetland impacts, by using grassed swales to the maximum extent practical, and
by using open channel design with rip rap on banks only where practical in areas of parallel jurisdictional
stream impacts.
5) Outside the limits of the interchange fill slopes have been steepened to 2:1 or 1.5:1 with rock plating to
avoid streams.
Measures taken to avoid or minimize the proposed impacts through construction techniques:
1) Proposed culvert at Sta. 29+90 -Y3- will be buried 1' and has a 1' sill. Culvert barrel will be back filled
with native material to sill height.
2) Channel improvements and bank stabilization will be used at culvert inlets and outlets to help stabilize
channels and minimize erosion.
3) Countersunk rip rap pads with armored slopes/banks will be used at pipe outlets to prevent scour holes,
erosion, and to protect the existing channel.
4) A filtration basin will provide water quality treatment for a broad spectrum of water quality parameters of
concern. Design Standards in Sensitive Watersheds will be implemented.
Compensatory Mitigation
The Incomplete Application Notification stated that the mitigation proposal is insufficient. NCDOT is
proposing the standard mitigation ratio for permanent stream losses and wetland impacts at a 2:1 ratio.
Wetland mitigation is being provided by NC Division of Mitigation Services (see attached letter). Stream
mitigation is being provided from the Jeffrey's Warehouse Mitigation Site.
Jeffrey's Warehouse Mitigation Site
ONEID 096-003
The Jeffrey's Warehouse Mitigation Site is located in Wayne County within the USGS hydrologic unit
03020201 of the Neuse River. NCDOT acquired the 93.16 acre site to mitigate for unavoidable,
jurisdictional impacts associated with TIP R-1030AA. Monitoring requirements were performed from
2007 to 2011 and the site was closed out in 2012. Table 1 shows the final mitigation quantities approved
for the site. The site has been placed on the NCDOT On -site Debit Ledger for use within HUC
03020201. Tables 2-6 indicate all mitigation debits that have occurred per regulatory agency approval.
In order to offset unavoidable impacts affiliated with TIP I-5700, the Jeffery's Warehouse Mitigation Site
will be debited 611 linear feet of Stream Restoration at a 2:1 ratio. Debits are shown below.

Table 1. Mitigation Quantities Approved
MiTgaeion
Debit Amount
StartinAmount �F
Notes
Yp
3020201
Non Riparian Wetland
16.23
Restoration
3020201
Riparian Wetland
12.36
Preservation
3020201
Riparian Wetland
3.66
Restoration
3020201
IStrearn Restoration
F 3731
3020201
IBuffer Restoration
1 316507
Table 2. Mitigation Debits — Non Riparian Wetlands
Debit
Mitigation Type
Status
Site TIP
Action ID#
Notes
Amount
on Riparian
2.76
Close
R-2719A
�2008-02460
Restoration
Out
on Riparian
0.92
Close
r-4304
2004-20510
Restoration
Out
on Riparian
1.96
Close
�R-2814A&B
2008-01316
Restoration
Out
Table 3. Mitigation Debits — Riparian Wetland Preservation
Mitigation Type
Debit Amount
Status JFSite
TIP I
Action ID# Notes
Riparian Wetland 3.05
Close Out
R-
2008-01316
Preservation
2814A&B
Riparian Wetland 8.61
Close Out
2008-00252
Preservation
�R-2554A
Table 4. Mitigation Debits — Riparian Wetland Restoration
Mitigation Type IDebit Amount
Status
Site TIP
I Action ID#
F Notes
Riparian Wetland 2.49
Restoration
Close
Out
�R-2814A&B
2008-01316
Riparian Wetland
Restoration
0.21
Close
Out
R-2554A
Riparian Wetland
Restoration
0.22
Close
Out
B-4659
�009-01781
2:1 Ratio
Riparian Wetland
Restoration
0.3
Close
Out
I-3318BB
Proposed Debit.
NCDOT was
required to mitigate
at a 2:1 ratio

Table 5. Mitigation Debits — Stream Restoration
gation Type
Debit
Status
Site TIP
Action ID#M
L
]E
Amount
Stream Restoration
452
Close
B-3528
�226ft@2:
2008-00153
226ft@2:1
Out
1
Stream Restoration
F61
FCIose
U-4011
2005-20914
Stream Restoration
--
F25
Close
Out
U-3344A
r-20445
Stream Restoration
279
Close
EB-4993
�2011-00602
Out
Stream Restoration
174
Close
Out
�R-3825a
2011-01695
Stream Restoration
20
I-5311/1-
Noserii�
ut
5338
Stream Restoration
151
1-5506
Debit from the
Nose
ut
permit application
Stream Restoration
83
Close
Bridge 277
Unable to find
Out
over Black
documentation to
Creek on
confirm
Old stage
Rd (SR
1006)
Stream Restoration
1222
Close
I-5700
611 @ 2:1
Out

Table 6. Mitigation Debits — Buffer Restoration
Mitigation Debit
Type Amount Status Site TIP Action ID#Notes
yp
rRestoration
er P
8648 Close B-4300 2004-20705
Out j
Buffer 161453 Close IR-2719A 2008-02460
Restoration Out
_
Buffer 3653 Close IB-4304 2004 20510
Restoration Out I I
Buffer 16398 Close B-4592 2008-02056
Restoration Out
Buffer �— 24458 Close U-4703 2005-20126
Restoration Out
Buffer 45558 Close U-3344A 12003-20445
Restoration Out
Buffer 11393 Close ;Div. Proj. SR 1340 2010-00420
Restoration Out
Buffer 2199 Close '',Div. Proj. SR1204 o action ID due to a non -
Restoration Out reporting NWP14
Buffer 3
Restoration
We believe the information provided has addressed the USACE concerns stipulated in the Incomplete
Application Notification. The Department hereby requests the USACE to process the application as a
General Permit 31. Thank you for your assistance with this project. If you have any further questions,
please contact Deanna Riffey at driffey ncdot.gov or [phone].
Sincerely,
J.+"/ c '�?'
Philip S. Harris III, P.E., C.P.M., Unit Head
Environmental Analysis Unit
cc: Rob Ridings, NC Division of Water Resources