Final Section 4(f) Evaluation Prepared for: Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) Prepared by: AECOM Technical Services, Inc. Philadelphia, PA Version (Final): January 2021 Final Section 4(f) Evaluation January 2021 Table of Contents Final Section 4(f) Evaluation .................................................................................................. 1-1 1 Methodology ........................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Identification of Section 4(f) Properties ............................................................................. 1-2 1.1.1 Public parks ............................................................................................................1-2 1.1.2 Historic properties ................................................................................................... 1-3 1.2 Definition of Section 4(f) Uses .......................................................................................... 1-3 1.3 Temporary Occupancy Exception ..................................................................................... 1-4 1.4 Individual Section 4(f) Evaluation ..................................................................................... 1-4 1.5 De minimis Impact ............................................................................................................1-5 2 Project Purpose and Need ...................................................................................................... 2-6 3 Descriptions of No Action and Preferred Alternatives ............................................................. 3-7 3.1 No Action Alternative ........................................................................................................ 3-7 3.2 Preferred Alternative ......................................................................................................... 3-8 4 Identification and Assessment of Use of Section 4(f) Properties .......................................... 4-10 4.1 (1) Chester Valley Trail Extension .................................................................................. 4-14 4.2 (2) PNJ Interconnection; Conowingo to Plymouth Meeting Transmission Line .............. 4-16 4.3 (3) Pennsylvania Turnpike: Delaware River Extension ................................................... 4-18 4.4 (4) PECO Easement ....................................................................................................... 4-23 4.5 (5) Kingwood Road Park ................................................................................................. 4-24 4.6 (6) King of Prussia Inn .................................................................................................... 4-25 4.7 (7) Pennsylvania Turnpike: Philadelphia Extension ........................................................ 4-26 4.8 (8) General Electric Space Technology Center .............................................................. 4-27 4.9 (9) American Baptist Churches, USA Mission Center .................................................... 4-28 4.10 (10) Valley Forge National Historical Park .................................................................... 4-29 4.11 (11) Philadelphia Transit Co. Building (69th Street Transportation Center) .................. 4-30 5 Avoidance Alternatives Analysis ........................................................................................... 5-31 5.1 Feasible and Prudent Avoidance Alternative .................................................................. 5-33 5.2 Avoidance Alternative #1: No Action Alternative ............................................................ 5-34 5.3 Location Alternatives ...................................................................................................... 5-34 5.4 Alternative Actions .......................................................................................................... 5-35 5.5 Alignment Shifts and Design Changes ........................................................................... 5-36 6 Least Overall Harm Analysis ................................................................................................. 6-37 7 All Possible Planning to Minimize Harm ............................................................................... 7-45 8 Coordination .......................................................................................................................... 8-46 9 References ............................................................................................................................ 9-47 King of Prussia Rail Extension Project – FEIS i Final Section 4(f) Evaluation January 2021 List of Tables Table 3.1-1: Transportation Study Area Major Regional Committed (Funded) Projects ................ by 2040 ..................................................................................................................3-7 Table 4-1: Section 4(f) Properties Evaluated ........................................................................... 4-11 Table 4-2: Use of Section 4(f) Properties by the Preferred Alternative .................................... 4-13 Table 5-1: Potential Use of Section 4(f) Properties by Each DEIS Action Alternative ............. 5-32 Table 6-1: Least Harm Analysis Summary .............................................................................. 6-39 List of Figures Figure 3.2-1: Preferred Alternative Guideway Segments .......................................................... 3-9 Figure 4.1-1: Chester Valley Trail Extension ROW across US Route 202 ............................... 4-14 Figure 4.2-1: PNJ Interconnection; Conowingo to Plymouth Meeting Transmission Line ....... 4-16 Figure 4.2-2: Proposed Use of PNJ Interconnection; Conowingo to Plymouth Meeting ................. Transmission Line .............................................................................................. 4-17 Figure 4.3-1: Pennsylvania Turnpike: Delaware River Extension ............................................ 4-18 Figure 4.3-2: Proposed Use of Pennsylvania Turnpike: Delaware River Extension, ..................... Area 1 of 3 ......................................................................................................... 4-20 Figure 4.3-3: Proposed Use of Pennsylvania Turnpike: Delaware River Extension, ..................... Area 2 of 3 ......................................................................................................... 4-21 Figure 4.3.4: Proposed use of Pennsylvania Turnpike: Delaware River Extension, ...................... Area 3 of 3 ......................................................................................................... 4-22 Figure 4.4-1: PECO Easement ................................................................................................ 4-23 Figure 4.5-1: Kingwood Road Park .......................................................................................... 4-24 Figure 4.6-1: King of Prussia Inn ............................................................................................. 4-25 Figure 4.7-1: Pennsylvania Turnpike: Philadelphia Extension .............................................. 4-26 Figure 4.8-1: General Electric Space Technology Center ....................................................... 4-27 Figure 4.9-1: American Baptist Churches, USA Mission Center .............................................. 4-28 Figure 4.10-1: Valley Forge National Historical Park ............................................................... 4-29 Figure 4.11-1: Philadelphia Transit Co. Building (69th Street Transportation Center) .............. 4-30 List of Appendices Appendix A – Alternatives Considered Appendix B – Maps Appendix C – Section 4(f) Memos and Correspondence King of Prussia Rail Extension Project – FEIS ii Final Section 4(f) Evaluation January 2021 Final Section 4(f) Evaluation This Final Section 4(f) Evaluation has been prepared to comply with Section 4(f) of the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) Act of 1966 (49 U.S.C. § 303), hereinafter referred to as “Section 4(f),” and its implementing regulations codified at 23 CFR Part 774. Additional guidance was obtained from Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Technical Advisory T6640.8A (FHWA 1987b) and the revised FHWA Section 4(f) Policy Paper (FHWA 2012). A Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation was included in the October 17, 2017 King of Prussia Rail Extension Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), and was subject to public and US Department of the Interior (DOI) review during the DEIS public comment period (October 17, 2017 to December 8, 2017). Because a new Section 4(f) property was identified after the DEIS was published, FTA re-issued the Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation for public and DOI review on November 25, 2020 in compliance with 23 CFR 774.5(a). FTA provided notification of its intent to make a de minimis impact determination in this Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation (23 CFR 774.5(b)). FTA received concurrence from the US Department of the Interior on the Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation on November 22, 2020 (Appendix C). FTA received no comments on the Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation. This Final Section 4(f) Evaluation is included in the January 8, 2021 King of Prussia Rail Extension Combined FEIS/ROD. The Final Section 4(f) Evaluation identifies properties that are protected by Section 4(f), evaluates the use of these properties by the King of Prussia Rail Extension (Project),