Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
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Finding of No Significant Impact 2016 US 89 Etna North Finding of No Significant Impact Table of Contents Page No. Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose and Need ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Preferred Alternative ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Summary of Impacts and Mitigation Measures—Preferred Alternative ............................................... 5 Construction Impacts .................................................................................................................................... 9 Permits Required .......................................................................................................................................... 10 EA Availability and Review ........................................................................................................................ 11 Summary of Comments .............................................................................................................................. 12 Public Comments ................................................................................................................................ 12 Agency Comments ............................................................................................................................. 12 Appendix A: EA Availability and Public Hearing Notices Appendix B: Public Hearing Materials Appendix C: EA Availability and Public Hearing Newspaper Article Appendix D: Public and Agency Comments on the EA List of Figures Figure 1: Preferred Alternative ..................................................................................................................... 2 Figure 2: Proposed Curve and Sag Improvements .................................................................................. 3 Figure 3: Proposed START Bus Park-and-Ride and Mailbox Clusters ...................................................... 4 Figure 4: Proposed Wildlife Viewing Area .................................................................................................. 4 List of Tables Table 1: Summary of Impacts and Mitigation Measures for Preferred Alternative ............................. 5 Table 2: Summary of Construction Impacts and Mitigation Measures for Preferred Alternative ..... 9 i March 17, 2016 US 89 Etna North Finding of No Significant Impact Introduction Preferred Alternative The Wyoming Department of Transportation The Preferred Alternative is identified in the EA as (WYDOT) has evaluated the impacts of improving Alternative 5: Five-lane Roadway with Center Turn the existing US 89 two-lane roadway between Etna Lane. This alternative would improve the existing and Alpine by adding a continuous center left-turn two-lane roadway by adding a continuous center lane and two travel/passing lanes to the roadway. left-turn lane and two travel/passing lanes to the The impacts and mitigation measures are described roadway. Passing would be accomplished using and documented in the September 2015 travel lanes (see Figure 1). Environmental Assessment (EA). The 30-day public and agency review period began October 12, 2015 The design would include: and ended on November 18, 2015. Four 12-foot travel lanes (two lanes in each direction) The EA and this Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) were prepared in compliance with the One continuous 12-foot center left-turn National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other lane applicable laws, Executive Orders, and related 8-foot shoulders on the outside lanes requirements. As required by NEPA, an environmental analysis was conducted, potential In addition, the Preferred Alternative includes the impacts associated with the proposed project were following elements that are included in the No Build documented, and mitigation measures were Alternative: determined. No significant impacts were identified during the course of this environmental analysis. Reactive maintenance – responding to This project is included in the WYDOT fiscal year safety inspections, complaints, or 2018 State Improvement Program. Therefore, emergencies: construction may begin as early as fall of 2017, Repairing due to flooding and instead of 2021 as stated in the EA. temperature extremes Purpose and Need Repairing potholes, cracks, guardrails, fences, shoulders as needed The purpose of this project as described above is to Roadway sweeping improve US 89 between Etna and the Town of Routine maintenance – maintaining a Alpine to fulfill its intended function as a Rural regular schedule: Principal Arterial. In general, the project is needed Patching damaged areas to: Inspecting, cleaning and repairing Increase highway capacity and improve drainage systems (ditches, culverts, mobility. curb and gutter, drains) Improve highway safety. Stabilizing embankments and cut areas Repairing fences Improve roadway conditions. Mowing A highway should be designed to accommodate Cleaning and repairing road signs traffic volume expected to occur within the life of Replacing road markings the facility under reasonable maintenance. For widening projects when capacity and level of service Programmed maintenance – more in-depth, are assessed, the analysis should be based on a 20- planned resurfacing, reconditioning, or year traffic projection. Therefore, this project is reconstruction. designed to improve highway operations until 2034, Winter service: the project’s “design year.” Design year is the year Pre-treating (e.g., applying traction a project is expected to cease operating at the level sand/ gravel) for which it was designed. Interim design year is an approximate midpoint between construction and the Removing snow and ice design year (2024). Snow plowing 1 March 17, 2016 US 89 Etna North Finding of No Significant Impact The Preferred Alternative also includes the following Consolidate all mailboxes along US 89 actions common to all build alternatives analyzed in within the Project Area into two mailbox the EA: clusters. One would be located within the START bus park-and-ride on County Road Improve three curves and two dips or (CR) 107 (Sanderson Lane) and the other depressions (sags) within the Project Area, along a pull-out located on Stewart Trail including the curve just south of Alpine (see Road approximately 300 feet north of US Figure 2). The purpose of these 89. Both CR 107 and Stewart Trail Road improvements is to enhance safety and would be improved up to approximately help reduce the number of future accidents. 400 to 500 feet from US 89. The purpose of In general, the improvements would this consolidation is to improve safety by include: eliminating stop-and-start traffic along the Slightly shifting the alignment no more corridor associated with mail delivery and than 50 feet to the east at the curve retrieval (see Figure 3). just south of the town of Alpine to help Construct a new pull-out and parking area flatten the curve radius. to accommodate approximately 20 vehicles Slightly shifting the alignment no more for wildlife viewing at the Greys River than 50 feet to the west just north of feedground. The Wyoming Game & Fish McCoy Road. Department is proposing construction of a Slightly shifting the alignment no more small observation building in conjunction than 50 feet to the west between the with this viewing area (see Figure 4). two curves just north of County Road Construct a new parking area at the 105. intersection of McCoy Road and US 89 on Slightly correcting slope irregularities the west side of the highway. at the sag just north of Dell Creek Road. Remove the single-lane dirt “spur” road north of Alpine Hills Drive that connects it Build a new START bus park-and-ride on to US 89. Access to Alpine Hills Drive would the northeast quadrant of the US remain. 89/Sanderson Lane intersection. The one- acre park-and-ride would be accessed In addition, snow plows would accommodate directly from Sanderson Lane (not US 89) existing access points. No additional snow would be and would accommodate 27 parking spaces piled at access points, which would remain (see Figure 3). WYDOT coordinated with unimpeded. START to determine the design and capacity requirements of this park-and- ride. Figure 1: Preferred Alternative 2 March 17, 2016 US 89 Etna North Finding of No Significant Impact Figure 2: Proposed Curve and Sag Improvements 3 March 17, 2016 US 89 Etna North Finding of No Significant Impact Figure 3: Proposed START Bus Park-and-Ride and Figure 4: Proposed Wildlife Viewing Area Mailbox Clusters Alternative 5 meets the purpose and need, meets the project goals, minimizes impacts to landowners to the extent practicable, is feasible to construct, and has acceptable environmental impacts. Although this alternative would result in a number of environmental impacts, none are anticipated to rise to the level of not being able to be permitted or supported by a state or federal resource agency. 4 March 17, 2016 US 89 Etna North Finding of No Significant Impact Summary of Impacts and Mitigation identified by WYDOT to eliminate or minimize social and environmental impacts as a result of implementing the Measures—Preferred Alternative Preferred Alternative. Table 1 summarizes the impacts associated with the Preferred