Public Hearing Public Hearing State Environmental Quality Review Act - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Portageville Bridge Project Public Hearing Public Hearing State Environmental Quality Review Act State Railroad Law State Railroad Law Eminent Domain Procedure Law Thursday, January 10, 2013 6 PM – 9 PM Genesee River Restaurant, Mount Morris, New York

Portageville Bridge Project Introduction Ray Hessinger New York State Department of Transportation New York State Department of Transportation

Portageville Bridge Project Introduction • Welcome and Introductions • Safety Briefing S f B i fi • Purpose of the Meeting • Presentation by the Project Team • Public Comments Public Comments

Portageville Bridge Project Purpose of the Meeting p g • State Environmental Quality Review Act – Present information on impacts of Project P t i f ti i t f P j t • State Railroad Law – Establish public purpose for Project • Eminent Domain Procedure Law – Present information on property acquisition • Obtain public comment on all of above Obtain public comment on all of above

Portageville Bridge Project Presentation Overview • Project Background • Project Alternatives P j Al i • Environmental Analysis • Right ‐ of ‐ Way Acquisition • DEIS Public Review Process and Next Steps DEIS Public Review Process and Next Steps • Public Comments

Project Background Early Planning Activities y g • Project Initiation – Positive Declaration of Intent to Prepare EIS, P iti D l ti f I t t t P EIS September 17, 2008 • Project Scoping P j t S i – Public Meeting October 1, 2008 • Community Advisory Committee – Meeting April 1, 2009 – Meeting November 12, 2009

Portageville Bridge Project Purpose and Need Purpose and Need, Alternatives, Design K Kevin Hauschildt i H hildt Norfolk Southern Railway Company

Project Background Purpose and Need p Purpose Provide a modern rail crossing of the Genesee River for Norfolk Provide a modern rail crossing of the Genesee River for Norfolk Southern on the Southern Tier route between Buffalo and Binghamton, capable of carrying current industry standard freight rail loads, to the greatest degree possible meeting FRA Class 4 il l d t th t t d ibl ti FRA Cl 4 speeds, while reducing ongoing maintenance efforts and costs. Needs • Critical component of Norfolk Southern’s Southern Tier route • At the end of its useful life as a freight structure; requires continuous inspection and frequent repair • Imposes restrictions on the entire Southern Tier route • Imposes restrictions on the entire Southern Tier route • Safety concerns for park users who trespass on the bridge

Project Background Project Goals j • Eliminate operational constraints along the Southern Tier route caused by the existing Portageville Bridge y g g g • Minimize difficult and costly maintenance • Optimize existing infrastructure and planned improvements to the Southern Tier route as part of Norfolk Southern’s overall operational strategy in New York and in this region of the country • Minimize dangerous interaction of railroad activities on the Minimize dangerous interaction of railroad activities on the Portageville Bridge and Letchworth State Park patrons that trespass on it

Project Alternatives Alternatives Considered No. Name Status 1 No Action / Maintenance Alternative Studied in DEIS Retains existing route restrictions; bridge will ultimately have to be taken out of service 2 Repair / Retrofit Existing Bridge Rejected Retrofit to meet Project objectives not practicable 3 New Bridge on Same Alignment Rejected No rail operation during construction 4 New Bridge on Parallel Alignment / Remove Studied in DEIS Existing Bridge 5 New Bridge on Parallel Alignment / Studied in DEIS Convey Existing Bridge 6 New Southern Alignment / Remove Existing Bridge Rejected Community impacts and cost i i d 7 New Southern Alignment / Convey Existing Bridge Rejected Community impacts and cost 8 8 Reroute Rail Traffic / Remove Existing Bridge Reroute Rail Traffic / Remove Existing Bridge Rejected Rejected Eliminates important freight rail corridor 9 Reroute Rail Traffic / Convey Existing Bridge Rejected Eliminates important freight rail corridor

Project Alternatives Alt. 1—No Build/Maintenance / • Required by SEQRA • Retain existing bridge for rail R t i i ti b id f il operations with routine maintenance • Does not meet need for Project: – Speed and weight restrictions and need for extensive maintenance remain – Jeopardizes viability of Southern Jeopardizes viability of Southern Tier route; may ultimately become unusable and have to be taken out of service

Project Alternatives Alt. 4—New Bridge / Remove Existing Bridge g g g • Build new bridge, 75 feet south of existing bridge h f i i b id • Allow for 35 mph train operations • Remove existing bridge g g • Open views of gorge • Realign Park Road • Realign Park Road • Replace Highbridge parking lot ki l t

Project Alternatives Alt. 4—New Bridge / Remove Existing Bridge g g g

Project Alternatives Alt. 5—New Bridge / Convey Existing Bridge g / y g g • Build new bridge, 75 feet south of existing bridge h f i i b id • Allow for 35 mph train operations • Convey existing bridge to y g g a suitable owner • Realign Park Road Realign Park Road • Replace Highbridge parking lot parking lot

Project Alternatives Alt. 5—New Bridge / Convey Existing Bridge g / y g g

Project Alternatives Construction Stages: Rock Excavation g

Project Alternatives Construction Stages: Bridge Structure g g

Project Alternatives Construction Stages: Completion g p

Portageville Bridge Project Environmental Analysis Chris Calvert AKRF, Inc. AKRF, Inc.

Environmental Analysis DEIS Conclusions Topic No Impact Impact ● Social Conditions ● Economic Conditions ● Wetlands ● ● Surface Waterbodies and Watercourses Surface Waterbodies and Watercourses ● Wild and Scenic Rivers ● ● Navigable Waters Navigable Waters ● Floodplains ● Coastal Resources ● Groundwater, Aquifers, and Reservoirs ● Stormwater Management ● General Ecology and Wildlife Resources ● Critical Environmental Areas

Environmental Analysis DEIS Conclusions Topic No Impact Impact ● Historic and Cultural Resources ● Parklands and Recreational Resources ● Visual Resources ● F Farmlands l d ● Air Quality ● ● Energy and Greenhouse Gases Energy and Greenhouse Gases ● Noise ● Asbestos ● Hazardous Waste and Contaminated Materials ● Construction Effects ● Indirect Effects ● Cumulative Effects

Environmental Analysis Wetlands Impact Filling of 0.05 ‐ acre freshwater g wetland near parking area Mitigation Mitigation Implement permit conditions, if any, to be set by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of Engineers

Environmental Analysis Surface Waterbodies and Watercourses Impacts • Potential erosion and sediment loading into Genesee River • If bridge piers are removed, river habitats could be disturbed Mitigation • • Implement a Stormwater Pollution Implement a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan • If existing piers are removed, obtain the required permits and obtain the required permits and implement suitable mitigation, such as turbidity curtains, pursuant to permit requirements pursuant to permit requirements

Environmental Analysis General Ecology and Wildlife Resources gy Impact Removal of approximately 3 acres of forested habitat and disturbance of 1.1 acres pp y of cliff habitat Mitigation Mitigation • Implement a tree planting and revegetation program • Establish an invasive species control program

Environmental Analysis Historic and Cultural Resources Impacts • Removal (Alternative 4) or alteration ( ) (Alternative 5) of the existing Portageville Bridge • Alteration or removal of historic park p features: – Park Road – Highbridge Parking Area Highbridge Parking Area – Stone walls and steps – Relocation of trailheads of Gorge and Mary Jemison Trails and Mary Jemison Trails

Environmental Analysis Historic and Cultural Resources Mitigation • Documentation of the Portageville B id Bridge and other affected historic d th ff t d hi t i resources • An interpretive kiosk with text and photographs to document the history, h t h t d t th hi t design, and use of the Portageville Bridge • F For Alternative 4, salvage features of the Alt ti 4 l f t f th bridge for display or use in Letchworth State Park • R Reuse stone from stone walls for t f t ll f replacement walls, to the extent feasible • Use an appropriate paint color for the new bridge and apply form liners and b id d l f li d coloring to surfaces of all approach piers and abutment stems to resemble rock

Environmental Analysis Parks and Recreational Resources Impacts • Acquisition of approximately 2.8 acres of parkland for the new right ‐ of ‐ way q pp y p g y • Relocation of park features, including Park Road, the Highbridge Parking Area, and portions of two trails

Environmental Analysis Parks and Recreational Resources Mitigation • Realign Park Road and construct new, expanded replacement parking g , p p p g • Replace a portion of the Mary Jemison Trail and a portion of the Gorge Trail, including its stone steps and stone walls • Upgrade the entrance booth at the Castile Entrance to the park Upgrade the entrance booth at the Castile Entrance to the park