Walk Bridge Replacement Project Public Hearing Environmental - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Walk Bridge Replacement Project Public Hearing Environmental - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Walk Bridge Replacement Project Public Hearing Environmental Assessment/Section 4(f) Evaluation & Environmental Impact Evaluation (EA/EIE) November 17, 2016 www.walkbridgect.com www.walkbridgect.com Meeting Agenda 1. Welcome &

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Walk Bridge Replacement Project

Public Hearing

Environmental Assessment/Section 4(f) Evaluation & Environmental Impact Evaluation (EA/EIE) November 17, 2016

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Meeting Agenda

  • 1. Welcome & Introductions

Robert Ike, CTDOT

  • 2. Project Overview

Jim Fallon, CTDOT

  • 3. Presentation of Alternatives

Christian Brown, HNTB

  • 4. Environmental Findings

Kevin Slattery, HNTB

  • 5. Public Comment

Robert Ike, CTDOT Jim Fallon, CTDOT

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Public Hearing Purpose

  • Proposed project overview
  • Environmental review process overview
  • EA/EIE findings summary
  • Comments on the proposed project and

EA/EIE findings

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Project Overview

Jim Fallon, CTDOT

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Program Overview

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Critical Transportation Link

  • Approx.125,000 passengers daily
  • Approx. 175 trains per day
  • Projected ridership will double by

2030

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Waterway Users and River Navigation

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Bridge Issues Prompted the Project

  • Opening and closing difficulties
  • Hurricane Sandy impact
  • Maintenance not the solution
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Environmental Process

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

  • For projects requiring federal action
  • Environmental Assessment (EA)

Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA)

  • For state projects
  • Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE)

Document Existing Conditions Develop Alternatives Select Preferred Alternative Develop Proposed Mitigation Measures Public Comment Period

Public Involvement

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What is an Environmental Assessment/ Environmental Impact Evaluation (EA/EIE)?

  • Defined Purpose and Need
  • Description of affected area
  • Existing and proposed conditions
  • Analysis of alternatives
  • Preferred alternative
  • Assessment of impacts on environmental resources
  • Proposed mitigation measures
  • Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966
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Purpose and Need

  • Replace the deteriorated bridge with a resilient bridge
  • Enhance the safety and reliability of rail service
  • Offer operational flexibility and ease of maintenance
  • Provide for increased efficiencies of rail transportation
  • Maintain and improve navigational capacity and dependability
  • Incorporate bridge redundancy and provide a sustainable bridge for

significant weather events

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Section 4(f) of the DOT Act of 1966

  • Applies to use of Public Parks, Recreation

Areas, Wildlife Refuges, and Historic Properties

  • Allowed only if no feasible and prudent

alternative exists and the use includes all possible means to minimize impacts (mitigation); or the use will have a de minimis impact on the Section 4(f) resource

  • Identifies Section 4(f) Resource Impacts
  • Impact minimization and mitigation identified
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Presentation of Alternatives

Christian Brown, HNTB

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Project Alternatives

  • No Build
  • Build Alternatives
  • Rehabilitation Alternative
  • Replacement Alternative – Fixed Bridge
  • Replacement Alternative – Movable Bridge
  • Preferred Alternative

The renderings displayed are conceptual and may not reflect final design aesthetics

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Summary of Alternatives

Project Needs Rehab LL Fixed ML Fixed HL Fixed Movable

Age-related Deterioration

    

Reliability

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Resiliency

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Safety Standards

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Redundancy (dual spans)

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Operational Flexibility

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Difficulty of Maintenance

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Rail Capacity and Efficiency

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Marine Capacity and Dependability

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Sustainability

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Environmental “Footprint”

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  • Maintains existing navigation clearances
  • Historic appearance retained

Rehabilitation Alternative

  • Does not meet the Purpose and Need
  • Some components remain 120+ years old
  • High life cycle costs
  • Vulnerable to extreme weather conditions
  • Bridge malfunction disrupts all tracks
  • No navigation clearance improvements (closed)
  • Temporary run-around bridge required, resulting

in extended construction schedule, rail disruptions, navigation restrictions, and environmental impacts Estimated Construction Cost $425M - $475M

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Fixed Bridge Alternatives: High-level

Estimated Construction Cost > $1.3B

  • Meets the Purpose and Need
  • Resilient for extreme weather conditions
  • Improved reliability for rail and navigation
  • Extensive track reconstruction on the mainline and

Danbury Branch

  • Reconstruction of South Norwalk Station
  • Largest property acquisition needs
  • Highest cost of all options
  • Longest construction schedule, resulting in longest

duration of rail disruptions, navigation restrictions, and environmental impacts

The renderings displayed are conceptual and may not reflect final design aesthetics

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Fixed Bridge Alternatives: Low- and Mid-level

Estimated Construction Cost $290M - $370M

  • Resilient for extreme weather conditions
  • Improved reliability for rail traffic
  • Does not meet the Purpose and Need
  • Permanent vertical navigation restriction
  • Higher long-term costs for navigation needs
  • Temporary run-around bridge required, resulting in

extended construction schedule, rail disruptions, navigation restrictions, and environmental impacts

Low-level Mid-level

The renderings displayed are conceptual and may not reflect final design aesthetics

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Movable Bridge Alternatives

Estimated Construction Cost: $330M - $460M

  • Lowest cost to satisfy Purpose and Need
  • Resilient for extreme weather conditions
  • Improved reliability for rail and navigation
  • Fewest foundations in the river
  • Potential for shortest construction schedule
  • Temporary run-around is not required, resulting

in the shortest duration of rail disruptions, navigation restrictions, and environmental impacts

170’ Rolling Lift

170’ Vertical Lift 240’ Vertical Lift

The renderings displayed are conceptual and may not reflect final design aesthetics

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Comparison: Movable Bridge Alternatives

The renderings displayed are conceptual and may not reflect final design aesthetics

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Preferred Alternative: 240’ Vertical Lift Span

Estimated Construction Cost: $425 - $460M

Highlighted Benefits

  • Shortest overall construction schedule
  • Lowest risk during construction
  • Shortest period of two-track train service
  • No extended navigation restrictions
  • Shortest duration of local impacts
  • Fewest number of foundations in the water
  • Architectural and aesthetic flexibility
  • Improved alignment with Stroffolino Bridge

The renderings displayed are conceptual and may not reflect final design aesthetics

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Environmental Findings

Kevin Slattery, HNTB

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Combined NEPA/CEPA Process

Publish EA/EIE Public Hearing – 11/17/16 CTDOT and FTA Respond to Public & Agency Comments Initiate Project Purpose & Need Identified Public Scoping

Scoping Meeting – 2/24/15

Agency Scoping Meeting – 3/5/15

Prepare EA/EIE under NEPA/CEPA Initiate Final Design & Permitting Public Comment Period Ends 12/5/16 Construction and Impact Mitigations

Record

  • f

Decision (CEPA) FONSI or Proceed to EIS (NEPA)

Prepare Final Documents under NEPA/CEPA

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Cooperating and Participating Agencies

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Resources Evaluated

Transportation

  • Rail
  • Marine
  • Traffic
  • Transit

Community

  • Land Use
  • Zoning
  • Property acquisition
  • Socioeconomic
  • Plans and Policies
  • Parklands, recreation areas,

community facilities Natural/Aquatic Resources

  • Water quality
  • Aquatic resources, floodplains
  • Tidal and freshwater wetlands
  • Coastal management resources
  • Threatened/endangered species
  • Historic/archaeological sites
  • Water dependent uses
  • Visual resources
  • Air, noise, vibration
  • Terrestrial resources
  • Hazardous materials and risk sites
  • Public utilities and service
  • Safety and security
  • Environmental justice
  • Secondary/cumulative impacts
  • Municipal/regional plans
  • State plan of conservation/

development

Cultural and Other Resources

  • Parking
  • Pedestrians
  • Bicycles
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Environmental Impacts

  • Wildlife/terrestrial habitats
  • Water quality impacts
  • Tidal and freshwater wetland < 0.1 ac.
  • Upland habitat along railroad embankment
  • Floodplain use/possible flood flow effects

Water and Natural Resources Noise and Vibration

  • Noise/vibration near the work areas
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Environmental Impacts

Traffic, Pedestrians, Bicycles

  • Road and parking
  • Pedestrian and bicycle disruptions

Economics

  • Nearby land-based and upstream water-based

businesses during construction

  • Property tax revenue reduction
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Environmental Impacts

Historic Properties/Archeological Sites

  • Adverse effects to:
  • National Register-listed Walk Bridge
  • Eligible Fort Point Street Bridge, walls, high

towers, catenary supports

  • No adverse effects to surrounding historic buildings
  • Potential effects to:
  • Pre-colonial contact/historic period

archeological resources

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Potential Mitigation Measures

Plans Identified in EA/EIE

  • Health and Safety
  • Dredged/Contaminated Materials Management
  • Construction Site Safety and Security
  • Stormwater Pollution Prevention
  • Communications Management
  • Business Coordination
  • Wetland Compensatory Mitigation
  • Historic and Archaeological Mitigation MOA

Plans Developed Prior to Construction Commencement

  • Air Quality Control
  • Dust Control
  • Noise and Vibration Control
  • Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures

Construction Coordination Action Plan

  • Traffic Management
  • Alternative/Replacement Parking
  • Marine Transportation/Water-dependent Use
  • Waterfront Access
  • Designated Truck Haul Route
  • Historic Building Protection
  • Environmental Compliance Action
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Public Comment

Robert Ike, CTDOT and Jim Fallon, CTDOT

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How to Comment

Document Availability:

 Norwalk City Hall, Town Clerk  Norwalk Public Library  East Norwalk Association Library  South Norwalk Branch Library  Western Connecticut Council of Governments  Connecticut Department of Transportation

Your input is important to decisions about the Walk Bridge project Written Comments may be made by:

Comment Form (available in the lobby) Online at www.walkbridgect.com/contactus By email to info@walkbridgect.com By mail to: Mr. Mark W. Alexander, 2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT, 06111

Comment Period Ends: December 5, 2016

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Next Steps

2016 2017 2018 2019

EA/EIE Development

We are here

Comment Period Final NEPA/CEPA Docs Environmental Permitting Design Development Final Design Aesthetic Flexibility Develop Mitigation Plans

Construction

Implementation of Mitigation Measures Public Input on Design and Mitigation

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Format for Comments

  • Testimony will be limited to three (3) minutes
  • We will be calling on people in the order they have signed up
  • Those not signed up will be given the opportunity to speak