BOWERS HILL INTERCHANGE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Study Introduction HRTPO TTAC Working Group August 28, 2020 Background Bowers Hill Interchange Environmental Impact Statement 2 Background to Original Bowers Hill Study • October 2016 – Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO)/Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commisson (HRTAC) identified a recommended preferred alternative for Hampton Roads Crossing Study (HRCS) Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) • The Bowers Hill interchange and several portions of Interstate 664 were considered under the HRCS and determined to be operationally independent • 2017 - HRTAC provided funding to study the Bowers Hill interchange and included it as a priority project 3 Study Area 4 Background to New Bowers Hill Study • April 4, 2019 – FHWA/VDOT issued the Bowers Hill Environmental Assessment for public comment • Late 2019 – VDOT, HRTPO, and HRTAC advanced plans for the Hampton Roads Express Lane Network (HRELN) • Early 2020 – HRTPO notified VDOT of plans to modify the scope of the Bowers Hill study to extend the study area and consider how the HRELN would interact with the study area • Spring 2020 – VDOT opened discussions with FHWA about completing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that will comply with the One Federal Decision policy 5 Bowers Hill EIS Preliminary Study Area • I-664 - Up to College Drive interchange • I-64 – The first interchange southeast of Bowers Hill (Military Highway) • I-264 – The first interchange east of Bowers Hill (Greenwood Drive) • Route 13/58/460 – The Bisco Street/Airport entrance intersection 6 Study Process • National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) • National Environmental Policy Act and Clean Water Act (Section 404) Merged Process for Highway Projects in Virginia (Merged Process) • One Federal Decision Policy (OFD) Bowers Hill Interchange – Study Re-Introduction and Methodologies 7 Ongoing Activities Bowers Hill Interchange – Study Re-Introduction and Methodologies 8 Ongoing Activities • Agency Coordination • Property Access and Field Work • Public Outreach • Data Collection 9 Next Steps Bowers Hill Interchange – Study Re-Introduction and Methodologies 10 Next Steps Activity Timeframe Agency Meeting September 9th Request Concurrence on Methodologies from Agencies and September 9th Begin Discussion of Purpose and Need Agency Meeting Website Updates and Survey Launch Mid-September Brief Working Group on Purpose and Need September 25th Request Concurrence on Purpose and Need from Agencies November Agency Meeting (Tentative) 11.