Public Hearing Documentation
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Public Hearing Documentation Interstate Highway 30 (IH 30) from Cooper Street to State Highway 161 (SH 161), including the IH 30/SH 360 Interchange CSJs: 1068-02-076, -104, -127; and 1068-04-903 Dallas County and Tarrant County, Texas Date/Time of Public Hearing: June 30, 2015 at 7:00 PM Location of Public Hearing: Hilton Arlington Hotel, 2401 East Lamar Boulevard, Arlington, Texas 76006 Date of Report: August 2015 The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project are being , or have been, carried-out by TxDOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated Decembeer 16, 2014 and executed by FHWA and TxDOT TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTENTS Certification Statement ................................................................................................... 3 Summary and Analysis/Recommendation ..................................................................... 5 Comment and Response Report ................................................................................... 15 APPENDICES: Appendix A: Public Hearing Transcript Appendix B: Copy of Written Comments Appendix C: Copy of Attendance Sheets Appendix D: Copy of Presentation Slides Appendix E: Public Hearing Photographs Appendix F: Newspaper Notifications Appendix G: Mail out Notification/Website Notification Appendix H: Mailing list/Emailed Notifications Appendix I: Copy of Handout Packet IH 30 Public Hearing Documentation Certification Statement IH 30 Public Hearing Documentation Dallas County and Tarrant County, Texas CSJs: 1068-02-076, -104, -127; and 1068-04-903 3 IH 30 Public Hearing Documentation Summary and Analysis/Recommendation IH 30 Public Hearing Documentation Dallas County and Tarrant County, Texas CSJs: 1068-02-076, -104, -127; and 1068-04-903 5 IH 30 Public Hearing Documentation PUBLIC HEARING SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS/RECOMMENDATION District / County: TxDOT Fort Worth District / Dallas County and Tarrant County Highway / Limits: IH 30 / From Cooper Street to SH 161 including the IH 30/SH 360 interchange CSJs: 1068-02-076, -104, -127; and 1068-04-903 Project Number: Project Overview The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) proposes improvements to IH 30 from Cooper Street to SH 161, including the IH 30/SH 360 interchange. The proposed project would construct a fully-directional, multi-level IH 30/SH 360 interchange providing direct connecting ramps for all freeway-to-freeway traffic movements. The proposed interchange would require reconstructing the SH 360 main lanes and frontage roads within the project limits. The proposed improvements to IH 30 would provide up to ten general purpose lanes and auxiliary lanes from Cooper Street to SH 161. Two reversible managed lanes would be provided from Center Street to SH 161. A lane balance transition would be required at the western project limit to tie in to the existing IH 30 configuration. The limits and general configuration of the existing IH 30 frontage roads would not be altered, except that one-way collector-distributor roadways between Ballpark Way and Six Flags Drive would be constructed to facilitate local access. Need and Purpose The proposed IH 30 improvements are needed to address current and projected travel demands, safety, and several types of existing facility design and operational deficiencies. There are two primary needs related to existing facility operational deficiencies. First, SH 360 currently passes over IH 30 without direct connections between either facility, which results in a serious traffic bottleneck that affects the local congestion and regional mobility. Second, there is a need for additional through capacity of the IH 30 general-purpose main lanes to help manage congestion resulting from regional growth in population and employment. The current and projected traffic demands and the above facility deficiencies are proposed to be addressed by constructing an interchange at IH 30/SH 360 to provide full directional connectivity between these two major highways. In addition, the proposed project would create additional through capacity of the IH 30 general purpose main lanes by adding two to four main lanes to the existing six lanes, and by extending the existing two-lane managed- reversible facility westward from SH 161 to Center Street. 6 IH 30 Public Hearing Documentation Environmental Document Approval The TxDOT Environmental Affairs Division approved the document as satisfactory for further processing on May 26, 2015. TxDOT conducted a public meeting on December 2, 2014. Public Notices Notices were placed in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and in La Estrella (Spanish) on a 30- day publication schedule prior to the public hearing. The table below shows publication dates for the public notices. The notice was also posted on www.txdot.gov 30 days prior to the public hearing. Notices were mailed to adjacentt property owners, public officials, and registered attendees of the December 2, 2014 public meeting. Newspaper Ad Type Publication Date Star-Telegram Classified Legal Notice Sunday, May 31, 2015 La Estrella Classified Legal Notice Saturday, June 6, 2015 Public Hearing Date and Place An open house and public hearing was held at the Hilton Arlington Hotel located at 2401 East Lamar Boulevard, Arlington, Texas 76006, on Tuesday, June 30, 2015. The open house started at 6:00 p.m. and the public hearing presentatiion started at 7:00 p.m. Attendance The registration sheets indicated 137 people attended the public hearing. Of these, 86 were private citizens. The remaining attendees were from TxDOT, the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), elected and local officials, city and county department representatives, and project consultants. Conducted By Mr. Loyl C. Bussell, P.E., Deputy District Engineer for the Fort Worth District of TxDOT, moderated and provided the introduction for the hearing. The elected or local officials in attendance were Tammy Dubberke representing Chris Turner, Texas State Representative, District 101; Sheri Capehart, Arlington City Council, District 2; Kathryn Wilemon, Arlington City Council, District 4; and Charlie Parker, Arlington City Council, District 1. Mr. Bussell explained the public hearing purpose. Mr. Matt Craig, P.E., Halff Associates, Inc., discussed the recommended corridor and interchange improvements. Ms. Jamye Sawey, Fort Worth District of TxDOT, discussed the environmental assessment. Mr. Weldon 7 IH 30 Public Hearing Documentation Swanger, TxDOT Right of Way Division, explained the right of way (ROW) acquisition and relocation assistance process. Exhibits Plan view exhibits illustrating the proposed project were displayed for public review and comment. These exhibits reflect key aspects of the design schematic for the proposed project, including tyypical roadway cross sections, and an orthographic rendering display of the proposed project corridor. Other exhibits included posters of computer rendered aerial images depicting the proposed interchange design, a computer-rendered video overflight of the entire project corridor, and posters with notices in English and Spanish of FHWA’s assignment of federal authority to TxDOT to implement the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Plans and exhibits illustrating the proposed improvements were displayed at the public hearing as depicted in the public hearing layout diagram in Figure 1. TxDOT’s State Purchase of Right of Way booklet, TxDOT’s Relocation Assistance booklet, and The State of Texas Landowner’s Bill of Rights were made available to the hearing attendees. Other materials available to attendees included a handout packet consisting of an agenda/public hearing information sheet, a comment form, and request to make an oral statement form; a copy of the public hearing slides; Winter 2015 Mobility Matters, newsletter of the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area; and NCTCOG’s Charting the Future – Your Guide to Transportation Planning in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area. At the environmental table, copies of the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA), a copy of the SH 360 EA (2006) and IH 30 EA (2007) were available for examination. Representatives from TxDOT and project team consultants were available at each plan set table, as well as the environmental and ROW tables, to answer questions and assist the public with explanation of the plans and exhibits. Project team members were also available to accommodate thee communication needs of individuals speaking Spanish, as necessary. The design schematic and Draft EA have been published on TxDOT’s Website at the following link: http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/get- involved/about/hearings-meetings/fort-worth/0630115.html. 8 IH 30 Public Hearing Documentation Figure 1: IH 30/SH360 Public Hearing Room Layout 9 IH 30 Public Hearing Documentation Comments from Elected/Local Officials There were two verbal comments and two written commentss provided by elected/local officials. Verbal Two elected/local officials spoke in support of the proposed project. A City of Arlington council member pledged the city’s support to Six Flags Over Texas and the Texas Rangers ballpark to aid in managing traffic flow that is going to be affected during construction of the proposed project. He also commended voters for going to polls and supporting the funds transfer of the Rainy Day Fund to Proposition 1 funds. This change allowed essential too be allocated for the proposed projoject. Another City of Arlington council