US 64 from West of NC 281 at Lake Toxaway to Indian Creek Transylvania County WBS No
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US 64 From West of NC 281 at Lake Toxaway to Indian Creek Transylvania County WBS No. 34428.2.2 T.I.P. No. R-2409C EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION This is a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Administrative Action Categorical Exclusion. 2. CONTACTS The following individuals may be contacted for additional information concerning this Proposal: Mr. John F. Sullivan, III, P.E. Mr. Edward A. Green, P.E., Division Engineer Division Administrator Highway Division 14 Office Federal Highway Administration North Carolina Department of Transportation 310 New Bern Avenue, Suite 410 253 Webster Road Raleigh, North Carolina 27601 Sylva, NC 28779 Telephone: (919) 856-4346 Telephone: (828) 586-2141 3. OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ACTIONS REQUIRED The proposed action will require permits pursuant to Sections 401 and 404 of the Clean Water Act of 1977, as amended. A 401 Water Quality Certification from the Water Quality Section of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR), Division of Water Quality will be needed for fill activity in adjacent wetlands and surface waters. A Section 404 permit issued by the US Army Corps of Engineers will be required to discharge and place fill materials into wetlands. 4. PROPOSED ACTION The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and FHWA propose transportation improvements to US 64 from 0.3 mile west of NC 281 at Lake Toxaway to Indian Creek, Transylvania County. The proposed project is included in the NCDOT 2012-2020 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) as project number R-2409C. The project consists of upgrading this 1.5-mile, two-lane roadway to improve geometric design conditions and add a climbing lane. The project straightens the roadway alignment, provides standard-width travel lanes, includes unpaved shoulders, and adds a westbound climbing lane. TIP No. R-2409C, Executive Summary ES-1 5. BUILD ALTERNATIVES Two build alternatives have been studied in detail. Both alternatives widen the existing lanes to 12 feet, provide six-foot unpaved shoulders, and add a climbing lane in the westbound direction. These are described below. Alternative 2 realigns portions of the roadway to provide flatter horizontal curves and achieves a minimum design speed of 30 mph. Alternative 4 (Recommended) requires the most realignment of horizontal curves but corrects more of the alignment deficiencies. This alternative provides a minimum design speed of 40 mph. The No-Build Alternative has also been considered. It would not upgrade existing US 64 in the Lake Toxaway area. 6. SUMMARY OF IMPACTS Table i: Comparison of Preliminary Build Alternatives Alternative 4 Evaluation Factor Alternative 2 (Recommended) Estimated Costs (2012-2020 STIP) $400,000 $400,000 Right of Way $4,000,000 $4,000,000 Construction $4,400,000 $4,400,000 Total Estimated Displacements 0 0 No. of Stream Crossings 5 8 Total Stream Impacts (feet) 615 995 Total Wetland Impacts (acre) 0 0 Historic and Archaeological Resources 0 0 Section 4(f) Resources De Minimis Impact De Minimis Impact (Gorges State Park) / Not Adverse / Not Adverse May Affect, Not May Affect, Not Federally Protected Species Likely to Adversely Likely to Adversely (Small whorled Pogonia Plants) Affect Affect TIP No. R-2409C, Executive Summary ES-2 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................... ES-1 1.0 PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR THE ACTION ............................................. 1-1 1.1 GENERAL .................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION ....................................................... 1-1 1.3 EXISTING CONDITIONS ............................................................................. 1-2 1.3.1 System Linkage .................................................................................... 1-2 1.3.2 Route Classification ............................................................................. 1-2 1.3.3 Traffic Volumes and Speed Limit ......................................................... 1-3 1.3.4 Existing Traffic Capacity Analysis ........................................................ 1-3 1.3.5 Existing Facility .................................................................................... 1-3 1.3.6 Structures ............................................................................................. 1-4 1.3.7 Utilities ................................................................................................. 1-4 1.3.8 Bicycles and Pedestrians ..................................................................... 1-4 1.3.9 Accident Analysis ................................................................................. 1-4 1.3.10 School Bus Data .................................................................................. 1-6 1.3.11 Geodetic Survey Monument ................................................................. 1-6 2.0 ALTERNATIVES ............................................................................................ 2-1 2.1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION ........................................................................... 2-1 2.1.1 Design Criteria and Typical Sections ................................................... 2-1 2.1.2 Right of Way and Access Control ......................................................... 2-1 2.1.3 Proposed Alignment ............................................................................. 2-1 2.1.4 Intersection Treatment and Type of Control ......................................... 2-2 2.1.5 Structures and Drainage Recommendations........................................ 2-2 2.1.6 Bicycle and Pedestrian Provisions ....................................................... 2-2 2.2 BUILD ALTERNATIVES ............................................................................... 2-2 2.3 ALTERNATIVES ELIMINATED FROM FURTHER STUDIES ...................... 2-4 2.4 CAPACITY ANALYSIS ................................................................................. 2-4 2.4.1 Two-Lane Analysis ............................................................................... 2-4 2.4.2 Unsignalized Intersection Analysis ....................................................... 2-5 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................... 3-1 3.1 COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS ............................................................ 3-1 3.2 LAND USE ................................................................................................... 3-4 3.3 CULTURAL RESOURCES ........................................................................... 3-4 3.3.1 Historic Architecture ............................................................................. 3-4 3.3.2 Archaeology ......................................................................................... 3-4 3.4 NATURAL RESOURCES ............................................................................. 3-5 3.4.1 Physiology and Soils ............................................................................ 3-6 3.4.2 Water Resources ................................................................................. 3-6 3.4.3 Biotic Resources ................................................................................ 3-10 i 3.4.4 Threatened and Endangered Species ................................................ 3-12 3.5 AIR QUALITY ............................................................................................. 3-13 3.5.1 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) ............................. 3-13 3.5.2 Mobile Source Air Toxics (MSATS) .................................................... 3-13 3.6 TRAFFIC NOISE ........................................................................................ 3-14 4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ......................................................... 4-1 4.1 FUTURE LAND USE .................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 COMMUNITY IMPACTS .............................................................................. 4-1 4.2.1 Social and Psychological ..................................................................... 4-1 4.2.2 Physical Aspects and Visual Environment ........................................... 4-1 4.2.3 Transportation Access ......................................................................... 4-1 4.2.4 Transportation Network ........................................................................ 4-2 4.2.5 Safety ................................................................................................... 4-2 4.2.6 Environmental Justice and Title VI Considerations .............................. 4-2 4.2.7 Farmland Impacts ................................................................................ 4-3 4.3 RELOCATION IMPACTS ............................................................................. 4-4 4.4 ECONOMIC IMPACTS ................................................................................ 4-4 4.5 INDIRECT AND CUMULATIVE EFFECTS .................................................. 4-4 4.5.1 Study Area Direction and Goals ........................................................... 4-4 4.5.2 Environmental Regulations .................................................................. 4-6 4.5.3 Activities That Cause Effects ................................................................ 4-8 4.5.4 Potential Indirect and Cumulative