Natural Resources Technical Report
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TRANSFORM 66 OUTSIDE the Beltway I-66 CORRIDOR 66 IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT Multimodal Solutions - 495 to Haymarket Tier 2 Draft Environmental Assessment 193 Town of Natural Resources TechnicalTown of Report Middleburg Herndon LOUDOUN FAUQUIER 50 267 Washington Dulles McLean International Airport 309 28 286 Tysons Corner West Falls Church 7 Chantilly Dunn Loring FALLS 123 CHURCH 29 Vienna LOUDOUN Fair Lakes 50 FAIRFAX CO. 66 15 FAIRFAX CITY Centreville 286 29 236 Manassas National Battlefield Park Haymarket Fairfax Station Springfield 66 Gainesville 234 28 MANASSAS PARK PRINCE WILLIAM 29 FAUQUIER 234 123 286 215 Ft. Belvoir MANASSAS MAY 12, 2015 Tier 2 Draft Environmental Assessment Natural Resources Technical Report Draft – May 12, 2015 I-66 Corridor Improvements Project – Natural Resources Technical Report May 12, 2015 Table of Contents Chapter 1 – Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Project Description ..................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Methods ...................................................................................................................................... 1-2 Chapter 2 – Affected Environment ......................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Water Resources ....................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1.1 Streams .................................................................................................................................. 2-1 2.1.2 Wetlands ................................................................................................................................ 2-2 2.1.3 Water Quality .......................................................................................................................... 2-4 2.1.4 Coastal Zone Management Areas ....................................................................................... 2-11 2.1.5 Floodplains ........................................................................................................................... 2-11 2.2 Wildlife and Habitat .................................................................................................................. 2-12 2.2.1 General Wildlife Habitat ....................................................................................................... 2-12 2.2.2 Natural Heritage Resources ................................................................................................. 2-13 2.2.3 Invasive Species .................................................................................................................. 2-15 2.2.4 Threatened and Endangered Species ................................................................................. 2-16 Chapter 3 – Environmental Consequences ........................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Water Resources ....................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1.1 Streams and Navigable Waterways ....................................................................................... 3-1 3.1.2 Wetlands ................................................................................................................................ 3-2 3.1.3 Water Quality .......................................................................................................................... 3-3 3.1.4 Coastal Zone Management Areas ......................................................................................... 3-5 3.1.5 Floodplains ............................................................................................................................. 3-5 3.2 Wildlife and Habitat .................................................................................................................... 3-6 3.2.1 General Wildlife Habitat ......................................................................................................... 3-6 3.2.2 Natural Heritage Resources ................................................................................................... 3-6 3.2.3 Invasive Species .................................................................................................................... 3-7 3.2.4 Threatened and Endangered Species ................................................................................... 3-7 Chapter 4 – References ........................................................................................................................... 4-1 Transform 66 Outside the Beltway i I-66 Corridor Improvements Project – Natural Resources Technical Report May 12, 2015 List of Figures Figure 1-1. Alternative 2 Typical Sections ................................................................................................. 1-2 Figure 1-2. I-66 Corridor ............................................................................................................................. 1-3 Figure 2-1. Water Resources ..................................................................................................................... 2-3 Figure 2-2. Natural Heritage Resources ................................................................................................. 2-14 List of Tables Table 2-1. Wetlands within WOUS Survey Area........................................................................................ 2-2 Table 2-2. Impaired Waterbodies within 1.0 mile of I-66 Corridor ............................................................. 2-4 Table 2-3. Downstream impaired waters with TMDLs ............................................................................... 2-6 Table 2-4. 100-Year Floodplains within 500 feet of I-66 .......................................................................... 2-12 Table 2-5. Listed Species Potentially Occurring in I-66 Corridor ............................................................. 2-17 Table 3-1. Potential Impacts to Water Resources within Existing and Proposed Right of Way Areas ...... 3-1 Table 3-2. Potential Natural Heritage Resource Impacts .......................................................................... 3-6 ATTACHMENT A – Waters of the United States (WOUS) Delineation Report ATTACHMENT B – Threatened and Endangered Species Coordination Transform 66 Outside the Beltway ii Chapter 1 – Introduction 1.1 Project Description A Tier 2 study for proposed Interstate 66 (I-66) corridor improvements from US 15 in Prince William County to I-495 in Fairfax County is being undertaken by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transit (DRPT), in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The purpose of the Tier 2 study is to advance improvements identified at a conceptual level in the Tier 1 Final Environmental Impact Statement (Tier 1 FEIS) and Tier 1 Record of Decision (Tier 1 ROD) published in November 2013. The elements of this Tier 2 project represent a combination of Tier 1 build concepts over the 25-mile-long corridor. Specifically, the proposed project includes improving spot locations and chokepoints, providing for intermodal connectivity, providing safety improvements, enhancing transportation communication and technology, and adding capacity while also expanding travel choices. As part of the Tier 2 study, VDOT, DRPT, and FHWA are evaluating the environmental consequences of the No-Build Alternative and two Build Alternatives. The typical sections of Alternatives, 2A and 2B, are shown in Figure 1-1. Both alternatives would provide two express lanes and three general purpose lanes in each direction with a flexible barrier between the eastbound and westbound lanes. In addition, 14-foot-wide shoulders would be provided on the right of the general purpose lanes and 12-foot-wide shoulders would be provided on the left side of the express lanes. The difference in typical section between Alternatives 2A and 2B is the treatment of the median. With Alternative 2A, a 42-foot-wide median would be set aside for future fixed guideway transit service, and auxiliary lanes would be provided if needed, resulting in a total typical section width of 246 feet from edge of shoulder to edge of shoulder. Alternative 2B would provide concrete barrier separation between the opposing lanes of traffic and the typical section width would decrease to 206 feet with auxiliary lanes, if needed, between interchanges. Alternative 2B would essentially eliminate much or most of the existing median in some sections. Both Alternatives 2A and 2B would use a buffer system to separate the managed lanes from the general- purpose lanes in each direction, i.e., a buffer area that contains a physical marker that is less durable but more flexible than those used in barrier-separated systems. Tubular markers, pylons, stanchions, or plastic bollards are one type of marker used in buffer-separated systems. They consist of a series of painted lightweight plastic tubes, often with reflecting coating (this technique is currently in use on the Capital Beltway to separate the express lanes from the general purpose lanes). Transform 66 Outside the Beltway 1-1 I-66 Corridor Improvements Project – Natural Resources Technical Report May 12, 2015 Figure 1-1. Alternative