A newsletter from TxDOT's Environmental Affairs ENVISION Division

Volume 2, Issue 1 Spring 1996 12 Pages Opportunity knocks via CI TEAM

By RICHARD GOLDSMITH The team also interviewed qualified to handle portions of expected to formally assume Environmental Affairs Division representatives of resource environmental project review. most of the coordination A Continuous Improvement agencies: the U.S. Fish and ENV will seek to identify steps process, others to leave that Team has identified opportuni- Wildlife Service, the U.S. in the environmental process responsibility fully with ENV. ties for the Environmental Army Corps of Engineers, the that districts can carry out In some cases, a formal Affairs Division and TxDOT Texas Historical Commission, without a review by the agreement will recognize districts to increase the speed the Texas Parks and Wildlife division. ENV will also responsibilities that have and efficiency of the environ- Department and the Texas identify qualifications needed already been assumed infor- mental coordination process. Natural Resource Conserva- for district personnel to carry mally at the district level. The initiative is the result of tion Commission. out those steps. A majority of the districts a five-month Continuous The CI findings support Acting on the CI recom- have indicated a willingness to Improvement Team process encouraging more districts to mendations will involve take formal responsbility for at completed in November 1995. talk with resource agencies separate agreements tailored to least part of the environmental The CI team – made up of and to take up environmental each of TxDOT’s 25 districts. coordination process. Houston ENV and district members – issues earlier in project Those agreements will divide and Tyler are the first districts surveyed district and ENV planning. Many districts coordination functions expected to enter into a formal personnel about the environ- already initiate such contacts between each district and mental coordination process. and have staff members ENV. Some districts are See CI team, Page 10 In this issue Ken Bohuslav enjoys

Odessa District role as ENV resource aids habitat By RICHARD GOLDSMITH five years. Now, not only does he know of tiny fish, Environmental Affairs Division environmental policies and regulations, he en Bohuslav, deputy division knows how they evolved. Page 2 director of Environmental “Because of my experience I’m used a — KAffairs, never has an ordinary lot as a resource,” he said. “I enjoy talking day. That’s because he spends much of his to people and working with people, but it Pharr District time handling the kind of issues that are means I have to delegate a lot of things never quite the same. even though I like technical work. One of works to spare “If there’s a typical day, it’s dealing my biggest rewards is knowing I have the Brown Pelicans, with problems. It’s not routine,” he says. opportunity to develop staff, help them “He’s very calm, he never panics,” says grow and see that their job becomes more Page 6 ENV’s Judy Hewson, who spent more rewarding for them.” — than a year as Bohuslav’s administrative Bohuslav graduated from the Univer- assistant. sity of Texas in 1972 with a bachelors GIS plays role, Bohuslav spends most of his time with degree in Civil Engineering. He chose a phone pressed to his ear answering engineering because he likes the system- in environmental questions and working to find solutions to atic approach it involves to problem project planning, the conflicts inherent to environmental solving, a trait he says might have served work. him equally well if he had studied law or Page 9 At age 46, Bohuslav already has 23 geology. years with TxDOT, most of that in the “It’s also appealing to me to see environmental field. When he joined TxDOT he planned to stay no more than See BOHUSLAV, Page 3 Page 2 ENVision Spring 1996 TxDOT's Odessa District helps create habitat for two tiny endangered fish By GLEN LARUM Odessa District rganizations as diverse as the ONational Cotton Council and the Texas Organization of Endangered Species have described the Balmorhea Cienega Project as “the classic win-win situation.” “In the current adversarial climate surrounding the environment, that is an achievement of major proportions,” said Odessa District Engineer Jose E. Morales. Morales credits his predessor, Marshall Huffman, who has since retired, for TxDOT’s role in the project. “Marshall’s interest was an important reason the cienega construction project was completed,” Morales said. A dedication ceremony May 3 at the state park site, just west of Balmorhea in West Texas, will cap 18 months of work and cite the contributions of all the partners in the project, including TxDOT and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Service. Odessa Distrtict Photo The Balmorhea Cienega Project The rebuilt desert cienaga near Balmorhea that TxDOT helped build. reconstructs a once-existing desert wetland (cienega) for two federally endangered fish species, Comanche the Endangered Species Act provisions Springs pupfish (Cyprinodon elegans) and that safeguard the spring flow, Pecos Gambusia (Gambusia nobilis). guaranteeing water for the park. “All that had remained of their native Once the water flows through habitat were irrigation canals and a single the fish habitat, it then is refugium canal at Balmorhea State Park, available for other uses, such remnants of a desert wetland that was as irrigation. dried up in order to more efficiently Early on, TxDOT became one of the Comanche Springs Pupfish is 1.3 to 1.8 inches long deliver water for irrigation to local key players in the project. agriculture operations.” Morales said . “We provided a detailed survey of the maintenance employees in the Balmorhea “The cienega project has a two-fold site, developed contour maps to aid in Maintenance Section, under the supervi- aim,” he explained. “The first aim is to cienega construction, drew up project sion of Balmorhea Roadway Maintenance provide for water rights to Balmorhea construction plans and provided heavy Supervisor Jose Rodriguez and Pecos State Park. The second aim is to enact a machinery and operators for construc- Area Engineer Russell Whitworth, mechanism to prevent local cotton farmers tion,” Morales said. “We did a number of things,” ex- from being shut down for negatively The prize-winning project (cited by the plained Rodriguez, “including construct- impacting an endangered species.” Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in ing of inflow and outflow structures at the The innovative solution capitalized on its first-ever recognition awards) offers an cienega, installing of above-water and important benefit to TxDOT, according to under-water viewing platforms, and Morales. constructing the pond itself.” “It banks mitigation “This unique project emphasizes the credits for TxDOT opportunity for TxDOT to lend its to use whenever a considerable expertise to the creation of future highway “win-win” situations for a variety of construction environmental interests,” Whitworth said. project requires the “It is also a wonderful educational site for destruction of existing visitors to the park.” wetlands,” he said. “Texas is a richer place when all Pecos Gambusia is 1.2 inches long. All the TxDOT work was performed by Texans work together.” he added. ENVision Spring 1996 Page 3 Bohuslav: No such thing as an ordinary day

Continued from Page 1 something built. I think that’s why I moved in that direction (engineering),” he said. He joined the department in 1973 as an engineering assistant with the Highway Safety Improvement Section. That job gave him the opportunity to work in a new program, developing federal safety programs. The section looked for loca- tions with a high number of accidents and then worked with the districts “to see what we needed to do.” “Safety was really on the cutting edge then,” Bohuslav said. “We saw dramatic changes in accident reductions at the locations we targeted.” In 1981, Bohuslav moved to the Environmental Section of the Highway Design Division “to take on a different challenge. I could see a lot more emphasis would be placed in that area,” he said. Except for two years in Field Area I of the Highway Design Division in the mid- ’80s, Bohuslav has stayed in the environ- mental arena. He became director of the Design Division’s Environment Studies Section in 1987. A separate Environmental Affairs Division independent of the Design Division was created in 1992 as a policy making arm of the department. In October 1993, the current Environmental Affairs Division was created by combining the ENV division with Design’s Environmen- tal Section. Bohuslav was named deputy division director of this new and larger organization in early 1994. When TxDOT went through Sunset review in the early ‘90s, Bohuslav said it drove home to the department the impor- tance of responding to the public’s concern for the environment. “Before we went through Sunset I think the department felt very secure in the job it was doing and the public perception of us. I think what we realized through the process was that our perception of ourselves was not necessarily that of other Photo by Richard Goldsmith people.” From its inception in 1917, TxDOT Environmental Affairs Deputy Division Director Ken Bohuslav flanked by worked hard to create a unified system of the Gibb Gilchrist Award hanging on his office wall. paved roads and bridges. A new road was then perceived as something positive and educated public, most of whom have need it,” Bohuslav said. the public wasn’t sensitive to pollution or never known not having good roads. Because of that he says, it is no longer land use changes. Sometime in the 1970s, “What we’re dealing with now is a enough to provide safe, efficient transpor- however, the emphasis switched from customer who wants the best system, but tation systems at the lowest possible cost. building new projects to maintaining what doesn’t want to see it or smell it or hear it. See BOHUSLAV, Page 11 existed. With that transition came a better They just want it to be there when they Page 4 ENVision Spring 1996 San Antonio District's FM 1517 project tree mitigation benefits State School

By Barrlynn J. West, Jr. satisfying the need to mitigate within a School will take over. The trees should San Antonio District comparable riparian environment. have a higher survival rate in this environ- The San Antonio District found an After talks with the State School, 125 ment, as opposed to being planted along ideal off-site mitigation solution when a trees were planted Jan. 15 by the FM 1517 the highway, because they are not as project to widen FM 1517 couldn’t avoid contractor on about 2.5 acres. The trees subject to theft and will be maintained by taking a stand of trees along a creek. are pecans, cedar elms, burr oaks and the State School. In addition, TxDOT will FM 1517 (Eckhert Road) is in a Mexican live oaks, types likely to grow not incur any cost for the maintenance of suburban area of northwest San Antonio. well along the creek. The trees are the trees after the initial three months. Construction is in progress to widen 1.8 concentrated where a draw and the Planting trees at the State School miles of the two-lane road to a four-lane unnamed tributary to the San Antonio enabled the San Antonio District to meet curbed roadway with a continuous left River intersect. mitigation requirements and enhance the turn lane. The improvement project TxDOT’s contractor will maintain the environment while establishing a scenic includes replacement of the existing trees for three months. Then the State area for State School residents to enjoy. drainage/overflow structure at Huebner Creek. To prevent flooding of the roadway, the larger proposed drainage structure required clearing, realignment and reshaping of the creek channel for 60 feet upstream and 500 feet downstream. Tree mitigation was included in the design, such as using portions of existing creek embankments where possible to minimize excavations. However, the channel work could not avoid removal of a dense stand of cedar elm and hackberry along with oak and persimmon trees that are part of the riparian environment along the creek. Consultation with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service resulted in a mitigation plan to compensate for loss of the trees. Several on-site options were considered. However, development adjacent to the easement and the number of existing trees within the channel left no room for more trees. Also, the drainage easement is in a 100-year floodplain and hydraulic calculations showed that trees could not remain in the channel without raising the elevation of the 100-year flood, a viola- tion of San Antonio’s “zero tolerance” Floodplain Ordinance. Because mitigation could not be achieved on-site, off-site options were explored. In the quest for a suitable mitigation site, the San Antonio District learned that the State School, part of the San Antonio State Hospital Complex, needed trees for a planned nature area with hiking trails for their patients. This Photo by Barrlynn West area on the southeast portion of the San Antonio District Vegetation Manager Marvin Hatter stakes tree hospital complex also includes an un- locations adjacent to a tributary of the San Antonio River for the FM 1517 named tributary of the San Antonio River, tree mitigation project. ENVision Spring 1996 Page 5 Historic Austin bridge restored

By JIM DOBBINS Environmental Affairs Division aced with the vexing choice of either keeping a historic bridge Fthat did not meet federal safety standards or replacing the span, TxDOT helped the City of Austin make the Deion Sanders-like decision to do “both.” West Austin’s one-lane Huck Slough Bridge, also known as the Mount Bonnell Road Bridge, stood to be demolished to make room for a modern two-lane replacement. Earmarked for destruction by Austin in 1984, the span was saved due both to protests by preservationists and a drop in city tax revenue caused by the mid-1980s real estate bust. The city-maintained bridge was eligible for the federal bridge replacement and rehabilitation program. Structures eligible under this program receive 80 percent federal funding, with state and local entities responsible for the remaining 20 Photo by Richard Goldsmith percent, as well as acquisition of any additional right of way. Because TxDOT The old Mount Bonnell Bridge (background) coexists with the new. administers federal highway dollars spent in the state, the Environmental Affairs now called Austin Bridge Company – that team effort. Division's Cultural Resources Manage- built the bridge 72 years earlier. Com- Barbara Stocklin, a historic preserva- ment Section became involved in the pleted in August of last year, the project tion planner with ENV, said the project effort to save the 74-year-old structure. cost $544,788. succeeded because the involved agencies One of only about 60 Warren polygo- and groups were brought in early to make nal chord pony truss bridges left in Texas, design decisions. The final plan was Huck Slough Bridge is also significant ‘Instead of the historic issues chosen by consensus from a variety of because it has been altered very little since being an afterthought, or options available on each design issue. it was built. The bridge is one of the few “Instead of the historic issues being an remaining truss bridges in Austin and for something looked at late in afterthought, or something looked at late many years served as the gateway to the process, in this case all in the process, in this case all the parties scenic Mount Bonnell, a 775-foot prom- the parties cooperated early cooperated early on to come up with the ontory overlooking the city, Lake Austin on to come up with the best best solutions to perserve the bridge,” and the Hill Country. This uniqueness Stocklin said. makes the bridge eligible for the National solutions to perserve the Mike McKissick of TxDOT’s Austin Register of Historic Places. bridge.’ District and Mark Chandler of Austin Huck Slough Bridge was built in 1922 —Barbara Stocklin Bridge Company served as project by the Austin Brothers Bridge Company managers. of Dallas on a contract let by the Travis Because of the steep terrain, McKissick County Commissioners Court for the now Because of the historic significance of found that building retaining walls for the bargain price of $1,999. At 100-feet long the project and to ensure success, TxDOT project was a challenge. This was and 16-feet wide, the steel-frame bridge employees from the Environmental overcome by increasing the wall segments supports a timber deck covered by asphalt. Affairs Division (ENV), the Design from their typical 4.5 feet length to 12 Because the steep approach to the crossing Division and the Austin District worked feet. proved to be precarious for some, the with representatives from the City of Another obstacle encountered by bridge was raised 12 feet in 1929 by the Austin, the Texas Historical Commission, McKissick came when the pier for the same contractor who built it. The lower, neighborhood associations and the new bridge was placed. The City of original bridge foundations are still contracting company. Jeff Cotham of Austin’s Davis Water Treatment Plant visible. TxDOT’s Design Division served as owns the land under the bridge. A In late 1994, the contract for the new structural designer for the project. number of pipes run underground in the bridge and the refurbishment and conver- Cotham found that aesthetic consider- area, connecting the plant with the water sion of the old one into a pedestrian ations and “making everybody happy” See BRIDGES, Page 12 crossing was let to the same company – were the most challenging aspects of this Page 6 ENVision Spring 1996 Pharr District works to end Brow

By VELMA GARCIA The Queen Isabella Causeway is a 2.4-mile-long, four- Pharr District lane bridge connecting Port Isabel and South Padre xDOT’s Pharr District is continuing Island. The bridge center span rises 84 feet above the Tefforts to eliminate the accidental deaths Gulf Intercostal Waterway. A TTI study indicated the and injuries of endangered Brown greatest Brown Pelican activity is in the causeway Pelicans that land on the Queen Isabella vicinity, with the majority of observations from Causeway and are then sometimes struck by August through October. vehicles. The first reported death of a Brown Pelican on The Eastern Brown Pelican (Pelicanus the causeway was in September 1984. Since then a occidentalis carolinensis) is a large bird with number of Brown Pelican deaths have been docu- an average a weight of 7.5 pounds, a body mented between September and early March each length of 4 feet and a wingspan of 6.5 feet. It year. flies 14 to 35 miles per hour, often with slow The increasing traffic mortality of the endangered wing beats close to the water. The Brown birds prompted a 1988-90 TTI study. The Brown Pelican is a coastal resident who seldom Pelican’s behavior was studied and those findings, strays inland. coupled with wind tunnel studies of the airflow around The Texas population of the Eastern models of the bridge, led to the conclusion that the Brown Pelican, once in the thousands, mortalities result from a combination of several factors: suffered two serious declines in the last • An increase in the pelican population. hundred years. The first decline, in the • The flight patterns of the birds as they fly to roosting 1930s, was a result of persecution by sites in the evenings. fishermen. A second more serious • The occasional presence of strong northerly winds and decline became apparent in the early inclement weather. 1950s. This decline was attributed to • Air flow patterns above the bridge deck. severe weather conditions, disease and The study concluded that the birds are not intentionally exposure to pesticides. By 1962 no landing on the bridge deck; rather turbulence above the deck Brown Pelicans were reported in causes the birds to land if they attempt to fly over the bridge locations that formerly served as without sufficient initial altitude. The study especially indicates a either wintering or breeding areas. connection between pelican deaths and the passage of cold fronts In 1971, the U.S. Department of accompanied by strong north winds. the Interior placed the Texas The study determined that flashing lights, propane subspecies of the Eastern Brown cannons or other noise makers are not likely to Pelican on the endangered discourage pelicans from intentionally landing. species list. Alternate roosting structures and platforms Audubon Christmas Bird or additional railings on the bridge were Counts from 1974 to 1994 also found not to be effective. illustrate the dramatic The study identified traffic recovery of the Brown control measures as the actions Pelican in Texas. Nine birds most likely to effectively reduce were sighted in Texas in 1974 pelican mortalities. and none in 1976. However, Several meetings have been since 1977, when 29 birds held between TxDOT, USFWS, were sighted, the pelican Texas Parks and Wildlife Depart- population has steadily ment, local city and park officials, increased. The numbers for local citizens, a veterinarian from both South Texas and the Port a local zoo and a professor from a Isabel/Brownsville area in- local substation of the university, creased steadily between 1984 to discuss the deaths and efforts to and 1994. The Christmas Count preserve and protect the Brown recorded 86 sightings for this Pelican. It was agreed among those area in 1993 and 78 in 1994. present at the meetings that if the In early February a group of traffic would just slow down to allow TxDOT volunteers, along with Texas for reaction time to miss a downed Transportation Institute (TTI) person- pelican, the mortalities would be nel, observed flying patterns and activities eliminated or reduced. of the Brown Pelican in the Queen Isabella As a result of these meetings and the Causeway area and counted between 75 recommendations from the TTI report, and 100 pelicans each day. TxDOT took the following actions: ENVision Spring 1996 Page 7 wn Pelican deaths on causeway

• Flashing signs to reduce speed were enacted during northers and inclement incidents from occurring. This could be installed at each end of the bridge and at weather months, specifically from Septem- used in conjunction with the changeable the crest of the bridge (this was done after ber through February. message signs and the flashing warning it was determined that a silhouette sign In addition, a public service announce- signs. previously installed was not effective. ment was produced by TxDOT and has TxDOT is also considering other • Lights on the causeway were been airing on local, national and interna- possible mitigation measures to preserve adjusted to turn on 30 minutes earlier in tional television stations since January. the Brown Pelican. These include adding the evenings. This public service announcement was more banners to the causeway, a publicity • Changeable message signs were intended to make the public aware of the campaign to include flyers and posters, installed at each end of the bridge to warn pelican population and its adding call boxes at each end of motorists to slow down and drive endangered status. The the causeway, and installation cautiously for conditions that may exist announcement encourages of weather monitoring devices on the bridge. motorists to reduce speed to detect northers. • Windsocks and banners to distract on the causeway and the pelicans were installed on light poles provides information on how at the crest of the bridge. to assist downed or injured • A “Pelican Patrol” consisting of pelicans. TxDOT personnel was established to During this winter only four patrol the bridge during northers to pick pelicans have died on the up or assist downed pelicans and activate causeway, a low number com- the warning signs. pared to eight last January. • A plan was established to determine TTI is conducting new research to who would pick up the birds and where examine the feasibility of applying they would be taken. These measures are advanced technologies, not only to help respond more effectively to incidents on the causeway, but to proactively predict – and therefore potentially prevent – some Page 8 ENVision Spring 1996 Houston District's Hebert wins We're trying APA award for wetlands habitat to live up to By NORM WIGINGTON immediate and extremely positive. Passing Houston District motorists have complimented it and TxDOT’s Eastex Wetlands Habitat nearby business have asked whether or not your ideas Project in the Houston District became the a picnic area will be installed on the site. first department project recognized by the The answer is, of course, no. No parking Before the first edition of presitigious American Planning Associa- areas are adjacent to the site and there are ENVision was produced, environ- tion (APA). no pedestrian walkways to the traffic mental coordinators at TxDOT’s The project was one of four recognized island. As a wetlands habitat area it is 25 districts were informally by the Houston section of the APA’s designed to remain a wild place, protected surveyed by phone. All but three Award Program for 1995. The Project won by its moat of traffic. Heron and egrets were reached and they turned up in the Development in Context category, already fish these ideas for the newsletter: one of four categories established by the the pond and 1) Almost all want to read Houston section. flocks of about projects in other districts so The winning projects were recognized ducks have they can know problems faced by at a special banquet in Houston where a been seen peers, how those problems are large crystal trophy was awarded. The sitting on the solved and how mitigation efforts awards recognize the outstanding efforts pond. are handled elsewhere. of planners, developers, special interest “I have 2) Mitigation success stories. groups and individuals that have exempli- worked on 3) Advance warning that a fied the principles and practices of urban many kinds of policy change is in the works and planning. projects,” updates on policy and regulation Humble Maintenance Supervisor James Hebert said, changes. Hebert developed the Eastex Wetlands “but this one 4) A division directory with Habitat Project. The project involved combines most phone numbers and description of many aspects of current roadside manage- of the smart James Hebert what each person does (see Fall/ ment, including the active intervention of work we have done over the years — Winter 1995 edition). Hebert in the planning process prior to the relocating fully mature trees, installing 5) Profiles of both division and completion of the new freeway. US 59 water features and developing native grass district personnel with photos to North (Eastex Freeway) is under construc- areas where no mowing will ever be connect names with faces. tion in Houston from the downtown area required.” 6) Current contacts in each to the Harris County line. At the intersec- The site was a dusty construction work region for Fish & Wildlife, Parks tion of the freeway and Beltway 8, Hebert zone in June 1995 with no expectation of & Wildlife, the Army Corps of designed a wetlands habitat using native plantings or vegetation until construction Engineers, TNRCC and other grasses and trees surrounding a pond he was completed in September 1996. agencies. designed and stocked with fish from local By intervening now and dedicating the 7) General information on bayous. site, the contractor agreed not to use the endangered species. Deputy District Engineer Steven site as a storage area or work zone. 8) Interesting projects or Simmons complimented Hebert and the If imitation is the highest form of oddities encountered. Humble maintenance office for working flattery, then the project has been 9) A training course schedule. “so creatively and imaginatively.” complimented by no less than the general 10) One coordinator wants to “It is through these kinds of projects contractor responsible for the three-level see a list of violations committed that the public becomes aware of the work intersection of US 59 at BW 8. The by TxDOT districts, the fines and that is done by this department. I am very contractor has, with Hebert’s assistance, what was done to rectify the proud of Mr. Hebert, his work and his initiated the construction of a complimen- violation. people,” Simmons said. tary site diagonally across the intersection “We don’t like to air dirty The project is noteworthy for several from the current site. laundry, but facts are facts. Tell reasons. Fully mature live oak trees that The project was nominated for the what was done wrong and what would have otherwise been destroyed were award by Mel Goodwin, a planner with was done to correct it so that when transplanted from construction clearing TxDOT and a member of the Houston we head down that same road, we areas. Mayhaw and cypress trees grown in section of the APA. don’t get slapped,” that coordina- the maintenance yard nursery under “I understood that TxDOT had never tor said. Hebert’s direction were also planted on the won any award given by the APA and it Many of these ideas have been site. Native grasses and wildflowers will was important that TxDOT be given the incorporated into ENVision or be established that will remain a non- recognition it deserves,” Goodwin said, will be used in the future. Thanks mowing area. Hebert installed the pond “especially when it is of award-winning for the input! and trees before freeway completion. caliber.” Public response to the project has been ENVision Spring 1996 Page 9

Photo by Richard Goldsmith Water Quality Specialist David Van Gorder and GIS Specialist Jennifer Gaa at ENV's GIS workstation. GIS applied to environmental projects By TOM BRUECHERT materials and water resources. As it turns out, ISD was seeking prototype Environmental Affairs Division GIS can perform complex and detailed users to test various aspects of GIS The private sector is ahead of us in the analyses. In a nutshell, it allows data to be equipment and software. After a couple Geographic Information System (GIS) examined or manipulated in a plan view or of meetings and within a short period of field, but the Environmental Affairs map format. Information is in layers that time, a GIS prototype was in place. Division is gearing up to meet the de- can be overlaid in any combination. For The team knew the learning curve mands of both the public and the depart- instance, one layer could show the habitats would be quite steep, and given the ment. of endangered species, historic properties workload we feared that proficiency might When ENV was reorganized in or drainage areas. take awhile. The team had the foresight to October 1993, several staff members These individual layers can be overlaid also work on justification for a full-time formed a fledgling GIS Advisory Team. and used to generate a comprehensive employee to help fulfill the GIS need. They planned then to pursue GIS as a tool map showing all resources relevant to a Once approved by Division Director to improve the way environmental specific project’s alternative routes. This Dianna Noble, our team advisor and research and studies are conducted within is invaluable in efforts to avoid, minimize automation administrator, Dee Dee TxDOT. The team started with members and/or mitigate impacts to the environ- Broberg, hired Jennifer Gaa as our new who shared a common interest in GIS and ment while planning, designing, construct- graphics workstation specialist, a.k.a. has since been filled out with specialists ing and maintaining our transportation “GIS guru.” representing each of ENV’s disciplines: system. The Anderson Tract Wetland Mitiga- project management, historic structures, The team, with approval from division tion Project, in essence a wetland mitiga- archeology, biological resources, commu- management, sought help from experts in nications, noise abatement, hazardous the Information Systems Division (ISD). See GIS, Page 10 Page 10 ENVision Spring 1996 GIS: ENV developing Continued from Page 9 tion bank, is an ongoing effort that uses GIS to account for credit and debit activity among four Northeast Texas dis- tricts. A very detailed characterization report of existing wetland types on the project was assembled using various GIS related equipment and software. This report was required to initiate use of the project and was distributed to federal and state resource and regulatory agencies. A similar GIS effort will be undertaken shortly for the Blue Elbow Swamp Mitigation Bank in the Beaumont District. The Texas Historical Commission is using enhancement funds to develop a database on historical and archeological properties. This database will be incorporated with GIS Photo by Richard Goldsmith software to log and pinpoint site-specific information. ENV ENV's GIS group meets regularly to track progress. is tracking their progress in this effort and suggesting options to better serve TxDOT needs in the Cultural Resources Management area. This partnership should assist in stream- ENV GIS TEAM CONTACTS lining the cultural review process. Tom Bruechert Team Leader (512) 416-2735 One of the main goals is to find the best way to serve and Dee Dee Broberg Team Advisor (512) 416-2578 support district environmental needs with GIS. With this in Jennifer Gaa GIS Liaison (512) 416-2782 mind we ask for your comments. We would like to know Hugo Bustos Project Management (512) 416-2784 what you think about this effort so please call us and look for Gary Hammer Historic Structures (512) 416-2755 a survey/questionnaire in the future. Barbara Hickman Archaeology (512) 416-2637 For more information on the activities of the team please Kim Jenkins Biological Resources (512) 416-2733 contact Tom Bruechert at (512) 416-2735 or Jennifer Gaa at Greg Quinn Communications (512) 416-2616 (512) 416-2782; for technical information on current GIS Mike Shearer Noise Abatement (512) 416-2622 hardware and software, contact Chris Collier of Information Erin Trujillo Hazardous Materials (512) 416-3232 Systems Division at (512) 302 -2094. David VanGorder Water Resources (512) 416-3012 CI team: Sept. 1 goal for district agreements

Continued from Page 1 responsibilities. And ENV will monitor efforts, and in detailed Section 106 agreement. The first meeting to develop compliance with environmental regula- historic preservation coordination and an agreement between the Houston tions. Section 7 or 10(a) Endangered Species District and ENV took place Feb. 28. The ENV will remain responsible for Act coordination. next ENVision will summarize work on making sure the environmental process is • Districts should include resource that agreement. followed uniformly across the state and agencies, ENV and the Federal Highway Sometime in fiscal year 1997 is the will continue to keep a complete adminis- Administration in early project develop- goal for having an agreement in place with trative record of all environmental ment coordination. all 25 TxDOT districts. coordination for all projects. • Memoranda of Understanding Those districts that take over some of Among other CI team recommenda- (MOUs) with resource agencies should be the environmental coordination now tions: reviewed. handled by ENV do so with the under- • ENV should concentrate more of its • ENV should develop a process to standing that no additional employees will efforts on providing policy, guidance and ensure that TxDOT is in compliance with be funded. However one of the recom- procedures, as well as providing expertise, environmental laws, regulations and mendations is that the Senior Management support and assistance on projects and policies. Team encourage districts to devote some environmental issues. • ENV should examine what environ- positions to environmental specialists. • Districts with the desire and capabil- mental documents could be approved or ENV is responsible for ensuring that a ity should assume coordination with cleared by districts with submittal to ENV. district has the expertise to handle a resource agencies. ENV should help • ENV should evaluate its operations to particular function. districts develop working relationships find ways to reduce turnaround time and ENV will increase the level of guid- with those resource agencies. ENV should accommodate reasonable district dead- ance and training provided to district assist in areas in which districts are not personnel so that they can handle new coordinating, help with detailed mitigation See CI, Page 11 ENVision Spring 1996 Page 11 Bohuslav: Proud of improving communication

Continued from Page 3 tal cause within the department. Now he says the department must respond “We need to be perceived as helping to a whole range of environmental issues ‘I think planners and the districts and that can’t be an illusion,” as well. designers understand the he says. That realization has led to closer Bohuslav’s efforts have not gone coordination with the state and federal need for environmental unrecognized. In 1991, he won the Gibb agencies – such as Texas Parks and concerns. It’s not perceived Gilchrist Award. His diplomatic and Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife as an obstacle anymore but leadership abilities, his coordination with Service and the Texas Historical Commis- as an integral part of the other agencies and efforts to set up a sion – that have direct responsibility for computer system for tracking the complex guarding the environment and historical process. This has taken place environmental review process were all and archeological property. Those because of the efforts of the cited as reasons for the award. “I was relationships are formalized in memoran- Transportation Commission totally surprised,” he says. “It’s one of the dums of understanding, or MOUs. to be an environmentally highlights of my career to win the award.” “We’re all agencies serving the same sensitive agency and because Bohuslav used to play a lot of softball, customer. Our goals may be different, but but now his passion is golf. He likes it for we must all work together,” Bohuslav of awareness on the part of the fellowship and because it gets him said. employees.’ outdoors. “Golf is an individual sport even But closer coordination has made it —Ken Bohuslav though you play with other people. The easier for each agency to meet its goals, he rewards and disappointments are immedi- says. ate with each shot.” Asked what he is most proud of the environmental process was something Bohuslav was raised in Hallettsville, contributing to TxDOT, Bohuslav said, that had to be done, not as something that but moved to Atlanta, Texas, for his senior “Opening up lines of communication with built highways,” he said. Now such year of high school. There he met his resource agencies and putting our agency matters as minimizing right of way future wife, Darlene. They attended UT in a position to understand both sides and clearing and working around nesting together and now have two sons, Adam, to accomplish our goals without one side seasons are routine. 18, and Matthew, 15, who share a strong feeling that they got the short end of the “I think planners and designers interest in music. His sons love to crank stick.” understand the need for environmental up the volume on their guitar amps and He’s also proud of “Helping move the concerns. It’s not perceived as an obstacle they have a garage band called “Bark environmental process forward and anymore but as an integral part of the Stranger.” changing the attitudes in the department process,” he said. “This has taken place Bohuslav believes TxDOT is leading toward environmental work as something because of the efforts of the Transporta- the nation with its innovative designs to we should be doing, not just because it’s tion Commission to be an environmentally limit environmental damage from trans- required.” sensitive agency and because of awareness portation projects. He’s also very proud of Getting TxDOT engineers and planners on the part of employees.” the ENV staff, who he says are a “strong, to adopt a positive attitude about the Bohuslav believes his background as dedicated, fiercely protective group of environmental process was an initial an engineer, plus lots of diplomacy, has people. What they do is really a way of obstacle. “The general perception was that helped him communicate the environmen- life for them, not just a job.” Dobbins joins ENV CI: Environmental conference Jim Dobbins joined ENV's Communications Group in January, transferring from the Vehicle Titles recommended for TxDOT and Registration Division where he worked for 11 years. Continued from Page 10 in project development, including project ENV also lost two staffers lines. design, right of way acquisition and recently. Allison Pleasant, a hazard- • ENV should develop training to implementation. ous materials specialist in the enable districts to competently assume and • An automated tracking system for the Pollution Prevention and Abatement better understand the environmental environmental process is needed. Section since May 1994, left in coordination process. • ENV and districts should use project- February to move to Atlanta, • ENV should also develop a compre- specific partnering to continue to improve Georgia, where she plans to go back hensive continuing education program for their working relationships. to school. Chris Ward, a Cultural district project development, construction • An environmental conference should Resources Management archeologist and maintenance personnel. be held and ENV should attend other since April 1993, left in December to • A career ladder should be developed TxDOT conferences to promote environ- become a project archeologist for for district environmental specialists. mental awareness among all TxDOT Texas Parks and Wildlife. • ENV should cross-train its personnel employees. Page 12 ENVision Spring 1996

Environmental Affairs Division 125 East 11th Street Austin, Texas 78701-2483

Address correction requested

Bridges: Visual harmony achieved

Continued from Page 5 Mount Bonnell Road was moved a few steep drop-off. intake facility on the shore of nearby Lake feet to the west to cross over the new two- TxDOT is proud of its historic preser- Austin. Most of these pipes date to the lane span. vation efforts, and realizes that modern 1950s, and no accurate maps of their Sidewalks accessible to persons with problems can be solved without destroy- location were available. Fortunately, none disabilities now connect either side of the ing the past. The team approach em- of these were cut during the project. former one-lane Huck Slough Bridge. ployed in the preservation of Huck Slough The replacement span lies just west of The metal portions of the bridge were Bridge is a fine example of what can be the original bridge. Visual harmony with cleaned and repainted the original primer accomplished when representatives from the old structure was maintained by using a red – a rust-like hue – with the approval several agencies and the community work traditional open concrete type rail. The two of the neighborhood association. The together to find an acceptable solution. bridges are tied together at each end with original span now proudly displays an Now, too, can the department reply to metal pipe railing designed to match the “Austin Landmark” medallion. The these choices with a resounding “Both!” historical structure. The new bridge sits on bridge rails were modified for pedestrian a specially designed decorative pier. use and protects the unwary from the

ENVision is a publication of the via GroupWise to RGOLDSMI. Environmental Affairs Division, Deadline: May 20 for the next issue. Division Director Texas Department of Transporta- Is ENVision going to the right Dianna F. Noble, P.E. tion, 125 East 11th Street, Austin, person in your organization? Please Texas, 78701-2483. contact us to correct an address or to Deputy Division Director We welcome ideas for stories and suggest additions to the mailing list. Ken Bohuslav, P.E. standing features. Submit those to the above address, attention Richard RECYCLED PAPER Editor Richard Goldsmith Goldsmith, phone 512-416-2743 or SOY-BASED INK