PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Summary S.1 Contacts Gregory J. Thorpe, Ph.D., Manager Project Development and Environmental Analysis Branch North Carolina Department of Transportation 1548 Mail Service Center Raleigh, North Carolina 27699‐1548 (919) 733‐3141 S.2 Type of Action This State Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) has been prepared for the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) in accordance with the requirements of the North Carolina State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA G.S. 113A, Article 1), for the purpose of evaluating the potential impacts of a proposed transportation improvement project. This is an informational document intended for use by both decision‐makers and the public. As such, it represents a disclosure of relevant environmental information concerning the proposed action. This document conforms to the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) guidelines that provide direction regarding implementation of the procedural provisions of SEPA/ National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The United States Army Corps of Engineers is serving in the role of Lead Federal Agency on this project. S.3 Brief Description of the Project The action proposed in this state‐funded Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is located in northeastern North Carolina along a rural 27.3‐mile corridor of US 64 from east of Columbia in Tyrrell County to US 264 in Dare County (Chapter 1, Figure 1‐1 and Figure 1‐2). The project is located as shown on Figure S‐1. The NCDOT proposes to widen the existing road from a two‐lane highway to a four‐lane expressway and build a new four‐lane bridge over the Alligator River. The posted speed limit along the improved roadway and new bridge will remain at the current 55 miles per hour (mph). In the draft NCDOT 2012‐2018 State Transportation Improvement Program, the bridge portion of the proposed project, including reconnections to existing US 64, is currently funded for right‐of‐way in FY 2012 and for construction in FY 2014. Other portions are funded only for right‐of‐way in FY 2012 and FY 2016. Mitigation in Dare County, from east of the Alligator River to US 264, is funded in FY 2014. Construction of all other sections of the new roadway is currently unfunded. The Project Study Area (PSA), shown on Figure S‐2 begins east of the Town of Columbia, continues across the northern part of Tyrrell County, across the Alligator US 64 Improvements Project (R 2544/5) iii Draft Environmental Impact Statement River, and into the Dare County mainland. The PSA is divided into five major study sections. Sections 1 and 2 are in Tyrrell County, Section 3 is the actual bridge over the Alligator River (including bridge extensions over wetlands), and Sections 4 and 5 are in Dare County. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW) bisects the PSA along the Alligator River. Development along the project corridor includes the town of Columbia, just west of the project and outside the PSA. Within the PSA, development consists primarily of a neighborhood just east of Columbia, a small community at the eastern intersection of US 64 and Old US 64 in Tyrrell County, a marina/convenience store complex on the Alligator River, and the community of East Lake in Dare County. Wetlands and canals are present on both sides of US 64 for most of the project length. The ground is generally wet and low‐lying. Roadside utilities consist mainly of underground fiber optic lines, cell towers, and aerial power. The project corridor is characterized by protected and managed natural resources, as shown on Figure S‐3. Three known structures of historical or architectural importance lie within the PSA: the Lindsay C. Warren Bridge across the Alligator River, East Lake Methodist Church and cemetery, and East Lake Fire Tower. S.4 Purpose of Proposed Project The primary purposes of the proposed action are: Consistency with North Carolina’s Strategic Highway Corridor Plan (which seeks long‐term interconnectivity of consistent transportation corridors in North Carolina) and the Intrastate Highway System (Chapter 1, Figure 1‐2). Reducing the US 64 hurricane evacuation times to better meet state clearance goals in the project study area. Maintaining a bridge across the Alligator River that meets the needs of highway users. The secondary benefits of the proposed action are: Potential for reduction in total crash rates from the conversion of a two‐lane rural roadway to a four‐lane divided section. A new Alligator River bridge will provide the opportunity for safety improvements related to the absence of a swing‐span and signalized approaches, as well as improved shoulders, wider lanes, and bicycle‐safe rails. Potential for improved regional bicycle trail connectivity and pathways from the Town of Columbia to the Outer Banks. US 64 Improvements Project (R 2544/5) iv Draft Environmental Impact Statement Project Location Albermarle Sound Sound Side Rd Haulover 1225 Loop Rd Point 1220 Fort Landing Rd Rd ROANOKE 1223 CROATAN SOUND Goat Neck Durant SOUND 1224 Island 1221 Newfoundland Rd Mashoes Rd Old US 64 R iv 1229 East Lake er neck 1229 Scuppernong Rd 1222 COLUMBIA Old US 64 William B. Umstead Dare County Memorial BridgeRegional Airport River Elelmentary School Rd Brier Hall Rd Lindsey C. Warren EAST MANNS 1173 1171 LAKE HARBOR Bridge MANTEO 1300 Mills Rd 1102 South DARE 1318 Lake Virginia Dare Racoon Rd 1301 Memorial Bridge Levels Rd 1302 Laurel Rd COUNTY Rd Bay 1104 Lake Lake Neighborhood Roanoke Deep Bay Rd 1303 Pump Rd 1169 Island Bodwell 1101 Rd B N Perimeter Rd Laurel Bay u f f Bodwell R i v e r Rd a l o Sawyer Lake Rd Gadwall C Rd i t Timberlake Rd Butler Rd y Milltail R d 1103 Creek S an Cub Rd Ridge d y R Blueberry Rd New Lands Rd d Koehring Rd Bay Rd Frying Pan Rd Milltail Rd Bear Rd Grassy Patch Rd Milltail GrouseRd Creek A l l i g a t o r Dry Ridge N Rd Possum Rd Borrow Pit Rd Long 264 Cedar Rd Curve Rd PAMLICO SOUND Pollock Rd Navy Shell Rd Canvasback Rd The Frying Point Peter Rd Pan TYRRELL Little Field Rd Overswamp Rd Storm Rd Road Navy Rd Rd Eagle Panther Rd Alligator COUNTY 3500 Foot Rd Navy Lead Rd Navy Center Rd Perimeter Rd Grapevine Holly Rd Ralph Rd Shell Rd Richmond Rd. Jumper Rd Landing H&B Road N Gumneck Rd Jackson Rd Pine Rd Grapevine Log Rd Jackson RdBluewing Rd S Faircloth Rd Stumpy Point Rd Gumneck Dry Ridge S Rd DARE COUNTY BOMBING RANGE Hooper Rd Rd Beechland Legend Rd ter Rd Whipping Creek ime Lake er P Worth Project Limits Rd Stumpy Air Force Center Maple Rd Lead Rd Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge Point Whipping Waters Rd Bay 0 1 2 3 4 5 Gum Neck Landing Creek Lake SCALE IN MILES Air Force Rd Stomper Whipping Creek Rd Shell Rd US 64 Improvements Project County: TYRRELL / DARE COUNTIES Vicinity Map Environmental Impact Statement NCDOT Div: 1 TIP Nos.: R2544 & R2545 US 64 Improvements - Tyrrell/Dare Counties NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS WBS: 35487 PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS BRANCH Figure S-1 PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK (BACK OF 11x17 GRAPHIC) d n Rd. a l d n u fo w 1216 e N MANNS 1209 HARBOR Old US 64 1229 1214 1229 1222 END PROJECT 64 Old US 64 BEGIN PROJECT Existing Lindsay C. Warren 1209 Riverneck Rd Bridge 1209 Y upp T c e N Y S rn T o U n COLUMBIA 64 N g O U 1300 Elementary School Rd C River O L C L 94 264 E E R Mills Rd 1301 R R A Y 1110 1302 D T Rd 1303 Levels Alligator River Jerry Post Office Rd Timberlake Rd TYRRELL (Intracoastal Waterway) DARE Bodwell Rd COUNTY COUNTY 94 Break Point 3 Point Break 4 Point Break Break Point 1 Point Break 2 Point Break SECTION 1 SECTION 2 SECTION 3 SECTION 4 SECTION 5 Legend Project Study Area Project Location US 64 Improvements Project County: TYRRELL / DARE COUNTIES Project Study Area Environmental Impact Statement NCDOT Div: 1 TIP Nos.: R2544 & R2545 NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS WBS: 35487 PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS BRANCH Figure S-2 PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK (BACK OF 11x17 GRAPHIC) Project Location Albemarle Sound Sound Side Rd Haulover 1225 Loop Rd Palmetto-Peartree Point Hidden Lake 1220 Preserve Fort Landing Rd Rd CROATAN SOUND Wetland 1223 Goat Neck Palmetto-PeartreePalmetto-Peartree Mitigation Bank Durant 1224 SwampPreserve Forest River Neck 1221 Island Mashoes Swamp Marshes Newfoundland Rd Mashoes Rd Old US 64 R iv 1229 East Lake er ne ck Rd 1229 Scu 1222 p Great Dismal Swamp p Old US 64 Palmetto- William B. Umstead e COLUMBIA Alligator Creek/ rn Wetland Peartree Alligator River/ Memorial Bridge ong River Second Creek Swamp Forest Mitigation Bank Preserve South Lake Swamp Forest Brier Hall Rd Mashoes Pocosin Elementary School Rd Phase I Lindsay C. Warren EAST MANNS Great Dismal Swamp 1173 1171 LAKE HARBOR Bridge 1300 Mills Rd Wetland 1102 South Lake DARE Virginia Dare 1301 Mitigation Bank Alligator Creek/ 1318 Memorial Bridge Scuppernong River Levels Rd 1302 Phase II Second Creek Swamp Forest Laurel Rd COUNTY Bay Lake Neighborhood 1104 Swamp Forest Lake Alligator River Deep Bay Rd 1303 Pump Rd 1169 Rd Gameland 1101 B N Perimeter Rd Bodwell Laurel Bay u f f R i v e r Rd a l Sawyer Lake Rd o Gadwall C Rd i t Timberlake Rd Butler Rd y Milltail R d Alligator River TYRRELL 1103 National Wildlife Creek S Roanoke/Stumpy an g Refuge Cub Rd dy Rid e Alligator River/ R Blueberry Rd d Point Marshes and Pocosin New Lands Rd COUNTY Swamp Forest Koehring Rd Bay Rd Bear Rd Upper Alligator Frying Pan Rd Milltail Rd Grassy Patch Rd Milltail GrouseRd River Pocosin Creek A l l i g a t o r Frying Pan Dry Ridge N Rd Possum Rd Borrow Pit Rd Legend Swamps Long Cedar Rd Curve Rd Project Corridor Alligator River/ Pollock Rd Significant Natural Heritage Areas Swamp Forest Navy Shell Rd Canvasback Rd The Frying Point Peter Rd Alligator River Gameland Pan Dare Little Field Rd Overswamp Rd Storm Rd Road Navy Rd County Rd Eagle J.