RR OVERPASS - CUT BANK STPS 213-1(12)0 CN 4158 1 Environmental Assessment Pr opos ed loc ati on for Cu 2 t B BNSF train near proposed overpass location. ank Ove rpa ss. C u t B a n k 3 C r e Existing Skyland Road, looking west. e k Cut B N S F Ba March 2007 Old nk, Co unty Rd. 2 Mo 1 6th Ave. 2 1st NW 5th Ave. SW 5th Ave. ntana St. NW 4th Ave. SW 4th Ave. 3rd NW 2nd 1st NW Sky A 3rd Ave. SW Ave. RIT 3rd 2nd St. lan A St. SW St. St. NW 3 d Road SW SANT 2nd SW Ave. SW 2nd Ave. Main NW 4th NW 1st Ave. SW 1st Ave. 213 St. St. NW S - SW Central Ave. Central Ave. S - 213 Ave. 2nd St. 2nd 1st Ave. 3rd 1st Ave. SE ine NE 1st Alp t. C Nyh i Rai r ve. St. c 2nd Ave. SE 2nd A NE agen Rd. l ico S Mt St. e lro NE Cal n NE D NE ad V r 3rd Ave. SE 3rd A ve. Lookout ie . w Dr NE . B k lvd. 4th Ave. SE St. 4th Ave. NE e 2nd 3rd 1st e 4th C u t B a n k C r 5th Ave. SE 5th Ave. St. SE St. NE St. SE St. St. SE SE 6th Ave. SE 6th Ave. NE SE Ave. 7th SE Ave. 8th Ave. SE 9th 10th Ave. SE SE Ave. SE 2 ve. 13th A 14th Mead SE Ave. 11th SHEL BY RR Overpass - Cut Bank Environmental Assessment March 2007 Glacier County, Montana MDT Project Number STPS 213-1(12)0 CN 4158 Prepared for: Montana Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration 2701 Prospect Avenue 585 Shepard Way P.O. Box 201001 Helena, Montana 59601 Helena, Montana 59620-1001 Intentional blank page Intentional blank page March 2007 Table of Contents Summary................................................................................................................................1 No Build Alternative .................................................................................................. 1 Build (Preferred) Alternative ...................................................................................... 1 1.0 Project Purpose and Need .......................................................................................1-1 1.1 Purpose................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.2 Need..................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.3 Project Setting....................................................................................................... 1-1 1.4 Project Objectives .................................................................................................. 1-2 2.0 Alternatives ............................................................................................................2-1 2.1 Background ........................................................................................................... 2-1 Project History ....................................................................................................... 2-1 Public Involvement................................................................................................. 2-1 Project Scope and Schedule.................................................................................... 2-2 2.2 Alternatives ........................................................................................................... 2-2 Alternatives Previously Considered .......................................................................... 2-2 Alternatives Development and Screening ................................................................. 2-3 No Build Alternative ............................................................................................... 2-4 Build (Preferred) Alternative ................................................................................... 2-5 3.0 Affected Environment/Impacts and Mitigation...........................................................3-1 3.1 Transportation....................................................................................................... 3-1 Roadway Network.................................................................................................. 3-1 Travel Routes ........................................................................................................ 3-2 Traffic ................................................................................................................... 3-2 Access................................................................................................................... 3-4 Crash History......................................................................................................... 3-5 Pedestrians/Bicycles ............................................................................................... 3-6 3.2 Environmental ......................................................................................................3-11 Vegetation............................................................................................................3-11 Wildlife and Fisheries ............................................................................................3-12 Threatened and Endangered Species......................................................................3-14 Wetlands ..............................................................................................................3-14 Water Resources and Water Quality .......................................................................3-17 Floodplains ...........................................................................................................3-17 Cultural and Historic Resources..............................................................................3-17 Page TOC-i March 2007 Parks and Recreational Facilities ............................................................................3-22 Air Quality ............................................................................................................3-23 Solid Waste/Hazardous Materials ...........................................................................3-24 Noise ...................................................................................................................3-26 3.3 Social and Economic .............................................................................................3-29 Land Use ..............................................................................................................3-29 Farmlands ............................................................................................................3-30 Social and Community/Economic Impacts...............................................................3-33 Visual...................................................................................................................3-37 Energy .................................................................................................................3-42 Safety and Security ...............................................................................................3-43 Environmental Justice............................................................................................3-44 Right-of-Way and Relocations................................................................................3-46 Utilities.................................................................................................................3-48 Section 4(f) and Section 6(f) Resources..................................................................3-48 3.4 Construction Impacts ............................................................................................3-49 Transportation ......................................................................................................3-49 Environmental ......................................................................................................3-50 Social and Economic..............................................................................................3-50 3.5 Secondary and Cumulative Impacts .......................................................................3-51 Land Use ..............................................................................................................3-53 3.6 Permits ................................................................................................................3-54 4.0 Distribution List ......................................................................................................4-1 4.1 Federal Agencies.................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 State Agencies....................................................................................................... 4-1 4.3 Local Agencies....................................................................................................... 4-2 4.4 Other .................................................................................................................... 4-2 5.0 Comments and Coordination ...................................................................................5-1 5.1 Agency Consultation............................................................................................... 5-1 5.2 Cooperating Agencies............................................................................................. 5-1 5.3 Public Involvement ................................................................................................ 5-1 Summary of Issues Expressed at March 10, 2003 Public Meeting .............................. 5-2 5.4 Other Public Involvement and Coordination ............................................................. 5-4 One-on-One Policymaker Interviews.......................................................................