Environmental Assessment New I-79 Interchange Morgantown, West Virginia Prepared for: U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration West Virginia Department of Transportation Division of Highways December 2013 West Virginia Department of Transportation Environmental Assessment December 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................................... ii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................ vii ES.1 Project Description ........................................................................................................ vii ES.2 Purpose ........................................................................................................................... vii ES.3 Need ................................................................................................................................ vii ES.4 Economic Conditions .................................................................................................. viii ES.5 Preliminary Alternatives Considered ......................................................................... ix ES.6 Environmental Impacts .................................................................................................. x ES.7 Preferred Alternative ...................................................................................................... x CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE AND NEED ................................................ 1 1.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................1 1.1.1 Existing Highway Network .....................................................................................1 1.1.2 University Town Centre and Long Range Development Plan ...........................1 1.1.3 Project Funding ..........................................................................................................3 1.2 Purpose ..............................................................................................................................3 1.3 Need ...................................................................................................................................3 1.3.1 Reduce Traffic and Congestion ...............................................................................3 1.3.2 Improve Safety ...........................................................................................................4 1.3.3 Consistency with Local Land Use Plans ................................................................5 CHAPTER 2 - ALTERNATIVES ...................................................................................................... 8 2.1 No-Build ............................................................................................................................8 2.2 Transportation System Management (TSM) ..............................................................10 2.3 Build Alternatives ..........................................................................................................11 2.3.1 Design Criteria for Build Alternatives .................................................................11 2.3.2 Modify the Existing Interchanges .........................................................................11 2.3.3 Construct a New Interchange ................................................................................14 2.3.4 New Interchange Types..........................................................................................17 2.3.4.1 Tight Diamond Interchange ..........................................................................18 2.3.4.2 Diamond Interchange with Roundabout ....................................................19 2.3.4.3 Wide Diamond Interchange .........................................................................20 2.3.4.4 Split Diamond Interchange ............................................................................21 2.3.4.5 Trumpet for Ramp D .....................................................................................21 2.3.4.6. Single Point Urban Interchange ..................................................................22 2.3.4.7 Diverging Diamond Interchange ..................................................................23 Project No. 52354 ii West Virginia Department of Transportation Environmental Assessment December 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2.4 Preliminary Impact Analysis .......................................................................................23 2.5 Recommended Preferred Alternative .........................................................................24 2.6 Public Involvement ........................................................................................................25 CHAPTER 3 - AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND MITIGATION ......................................... 26 3.1 Social and Economic Characteristics ...........................................................................27 3.1.1 Demographics ..........................................................................................................27 3.1.2 Environmental Justice .............................................................................................28 3.1.3 Socioeconomics ........................................................................................................30 3.1.4 Community Facilities and Services .......................................................................32 3.1.5 Relocations and Displacements .............................................................................32 3.2 Land Use and Land Cover ............................................................................................33 3.3 Farmland .........................................................................................................................37 3.4 Cultural Resources .........................................................................................................37 3.4.1 Archaeological Resources ......................................................................................38 3.4.2 Historic Resources ...................................................................................................39 3.5 Section 4(f) Resources ....................................................................................................41 3.6 Section 6(f) Resources ....................................................................................................41 3.7 Air Quality ......................................................................................................................42 3.8 Noise ................................................................................................................................44 3.9 Soils ..................................................................................................................................49 3.10 Geology ...........................................................................................................................51 3.11 Groundwater ..................................................................................................................53 3.11.1 General ..................................................................................................................53 3.11.2 Wells ......................................................................................................................54 3.12 Surface Water Resources ...............................................................................................55 3.12.1 Streams ..................................................................................................................56 3.12.2 Wetlands ...............................................................................................................60 3.12.3 Floodplains ...........................................................................................................61 3.13 Terrestrial Vegetation & Wildlife ................................................................................63 3.14 Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species ................................................................68 3.15 Hazardous Materials Assessment ...............................................................................69 3.16 Energy ..............................................................................................................................72 3.17 Secondary and Cumulative Impacts ...........................................................................73 3.17.1 Secondary Impacts ...............................................................................................73 3.17.2 Cumulative Impacts ............................................................................................74 3.18 Temporary Construction Impacts ...............................................................................76 Project No. 52354 iii West Virginia Department of Transportation Environmental Assessment December 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS 3.19 Impact Summary ............................................................................................................76 CHAPTER 4 - REFERENCES ......................................................................................................... 78 CHAPTER 5 – LIST OF PREPARERS AND REVIEWERS ........................................................