FINAL DESIGN REPORT / ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT APRIL 2015 Highway / Intersection Project P.I.N. 4531.07 Route 531 Terminus Improvement Monroe County Towns of Ogden and Sweden U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ANDREW M. CUOMO, Governor JOAN MCDONALD, Commissioner APRIL 2015 Final Design Report /Environmental Assessment PIN 4531.07 TABLE OF CONTENTS COVER (Title / PIN / Location) PROJECT APPROVAL SHEET LIST OF PREPARERS CHAPTER 1 - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................1 -3 1.2. Purpose and Need ........................................................................................................................1 -3 1.3. What Alternatives Are Being Considered? ...................................................................................1 -4 1.4. How will the Alternatives Affect the Environment? ........................................................................1 -6 1.5. What Are The Costs & Schedules? ..............................................................................................1 -8 1.6. Which Alternative is Preferred? ...................................................................................................1 -9 1.7. What are the Opportunities for Public Involvment……………………………………………………..1 - 10 CHAPTER 2 - PROJECT CONTEXT: HISTORY, TRANSPORTATION PLANS, CONDITIONS AND NEEDS 2.1. Project History ..............................................................................................................................2 -1 2.2. Transportation Plans and Land Use .............................................................................................2 -2 2.2.1. Local Plans for the Project Area......................................................................................... 2-2 2.2.2. Transportation Corridor...................................................................................................... 2-2 2.3. Transportation Conditions, Deficiencies and Engineering Considerations ...................................2 -3 2.3.1. Operations (Traffic and Safety) & Maintenance................................................................. 2-3 2.3.2. Multimodal.......................................................................................................................... 2-13 2.3.3. Infrastructure...................................................................................................................... 2-14 2.3.4. Potential Enhancement Opportunities................................................................................ 2-18 2.3.5. Miscellaneous..................................................................................................................... 2 -19 CHAPTER 3 – ALTERNATIVES 3.1. Alternatives Considered and Eliminated from Further Study ........................................................3 -1 3.2. Feasible Build Alternatives ...........................................................................................................3 -3 3.2.1. Description of Feasible Alternatives................................................................................... 3-3 3.2.2 Preferred Alternative........................................................................................................... 3-15 3.2.3. Design Criteria for Feasible Alternative(s).......................................................................... 3-15 3.3. Engineering Considerations..........................................................................................................3 -21 3.3.1. Operations (Traffic and Safety) & Maintenance................................................................. 3-21 3.3.2. Multimodal.......................................................................................................................... 3-40 3.3.3. Infrastructure...................................................................................................................... 3-47 3.3.4. Landscape and Environmental Enhancements.................................................................. 3-55 3.3.5. Miscellaneous..................................................................................................................... 3-56 CHAPTER 4 - SOCIAL, ECONOMIC & ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS 4.1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................4 -1 4.2. Social ...........................................................................................................................................4 -3 4.3 Economic ......................................................................................................................................4 -15 4.4 Environmental................................................................................................................................4 -16 4.5 Construction Effects………………..…………………………………………………………………… 4-51 iii APRIL 2015 Final Design Report /Environmental Assessment PIN 4531.07 Appendices A Plans, Profiles & Typical Sections – Feasible Alternatives 2, 3 & 5 Environmental Information B • SHPO Correspondence / Finding Document • Correspondence Traffic Information • Accident Analysis, Safety Screen` C • Design Speed Review • Pedestrian Generator Checklist Public Involvement (PI) Plan and Input from Stakeholders D • Public Hearing Sign-in sheet • Public Hearing Comment Summary E Non-Standard Features Justification F Conceptual Stage Relocation Plan & Right of Way G Matrix Evaluation Technical Appendices Available upon request Technical Memorandum – APRIL 2010 Technical Memorandum for PIN 4531.05 A1 Route 531 Extension Study (Washington Street to Redman Road) Towns of Ogden & Sweden, Monroe County B1 Pavement Evaluation & Treatment Selection Report (PETSR) Drainage – Route 531 Terminus improvement Project, Technical Memorandum Floodplain Evaluation, C1 July 9, 2013 D1 Route 531 Farmland documentation – Prime & Unique, Agricultural District Separate Engineering Reports Available upon request 1. Culvert Inspection Report Pending 2. Air Quality Analysis Report – March 2013 3. Noise Analysis Report – May 2013 4. Wetland Assessment & Delineation Report – November 2013 5. Hazardous Waste Assessment – April 2012 6. Public Hearing Transcript – February 25, 2015 iv APRIL 2015 Final Design Report /Environmental Assessment PIN 4531.07 CHAPTER 1 - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report serves as the project Design Approval Document (DAD), providing documentation for the Route 531 Terminus Improvement project, including defining the needs and objectives for the project study area and how these will be met as well as an assessment of the environmental effects. This report will assess existing conditions, identify the overall project objectives, analyze alternative solutions, and discuss the social, economic and environmental effects on the community resulting from the implementation of the alternatives under consideration. This Design Approval Document was prepared in accordance with the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Project Development Manual, 17 NYCRR Part 15, and 23 CFR 771, the American Association of State Highways and Transportation Official’s (AASHTO) “A Policy on Geometric Design of Streets and Highways, 2004”, and “A Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, 2012”. There were three (3) feasible alternatives under consideration and each has been reviewed for their social, economic and environmental effects. NYSDOT’s Environmental Action Plan describes the process to be used in developing Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) federal aid Transportation projects. Following the Environmental Action Plan ensures compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); this project will be advanced as a Class III Action (Environmental Assessment) under NEPA. This project has also been classified as a Non- Type II (Environmental Assessment) project under the SEQRA guidelines, and NYSDOT satisfies SEQRA requirements with the preparation of this report. The Federal Highway Administration is the lead agency for the NEPA process and the NYSDOT is the lead agency under SEQRA. Refer to Chapter IV for further discussions regarding classification and the environmental procedure. The preferred alternative that best meets the project objectives is Alternative 2, the At-Grade Conventional Signalized Intersection. This decision is based on an evaluation of comments received on the ‘Draft Design Report / Environmental Assessment (DR/EA)’ and on comments received after the February 5, 2015 Public Hearing. Project Location and Evolution: The Route 531 Terminus is located in the western portion of the Town of Ogden with the Route 31 terminus work extending into the Town of Sweden in Monroe County. Route 31 serves as a major east west corridor for the western side of Monroe County. The project study area is east of Route 260, Sweden-Walker Road and extends east past Route 36; it begins 700 ft west of Salmon Creek Road on Route 31 and proceeds easterly, for approximately 2 miles, along Route 31 and then Route 531, to approximately 2,000 feet east of the current Route 531 Terminus with Route 36. The Genesee Transportation Council (GTC) Resolution #94-16 adopted December 15, 1994 identified the extension of the NYS Route 531 to the west as a potential Major Investment Study (MIS). The Final