Post on 25-Jun-2020
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
Accelerated Community and Agency Involvement
Hampton Roads Crossing Study (HRCS)Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS)
July 20, 2017
Angel Deem, VDOTEric Almquist, RK&K
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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HRCS HISTORY
• 1991: Initial Federal funding
• 1997: I-64 Crossing Major Investment Study completed
• October 1999: HRCS Draft EIS published
• March 2001: HRCS Final EIS published
• June 2001: Record of Decision (ROD) issued for HRCS
• 2003: P3 proposal; Revised ROD
• 2012: HRBT Draft EIS published
• 2013: NEPA re-evaluation
• July 2015: Supplemental EIS
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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Funding
• Hampton Roads Transportation Fund
• Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission (HRTAC)
• Authorized to use HRTF monies and tolls for new construction projects
• Regional collaboration with Transportation Planning Organization
• Approximately $4 Billion identified for preferred alternative
Public is ready to move forward…
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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Supplemental EIS
• VDOT’s charge:• Revisit the EIS from 2001
• Identify a preferred alternative that USACE would agree is permittable
• Get approval from Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) within 18 months
• Obtain Record of Decision within 2 years
• Notice of Intent issued: July 2015
• ROD issued: June 2017
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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Study Area
MARYLAND
WESTVIRGINIA
VIRGINIA
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
NEWPORTNEWS
HAMPTON
SUFFOLK
NORFOLK
PORTSMOUTH
CHESAPEAKE
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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Purpose and Need
• Accommodate travel demand
• Improve transit access
• Increase regional accessibility
• Address geometric deficiencies
• Enhance emergency evacuation capability
• Improve strategic military connectivity
• Increase access to port facilities
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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Commonwealth Transportation Board | September 2016
Alternative A
• Includes improvements to I-64 between I-664 and I-564
• Widen I-64 to a consistent six-lane facility
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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Commonwealth Transportation Board | September 2016
Alternative B
• Same improvements considered under Alternative A
• Extend I-564 across the Elizabeth River with a new bridge-tunnel
• Construct new facility along the east side of Craney Island and widen Route 164
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
9
Commonwealth Transportation Board | September 2016
Alternative C
• Widen I-664
• Extend I-564 across the Elizabeth River with a new bridge-tunnel
• Construct new facility along the east side of Craney Island
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
* Selected Alternative from 2001 ROD
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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Commonwealth Transportation Board | September 2016
Alternative D
• Includes all sections considered in other alternatives
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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Community and Agency Involvement
Public
• Regionally important project
• Population – 1.7 million
• Issues broadly understood
• Familiarity with past studies
• Understanding of previous alternatives
Agency
• 60 agencies involved with scoping
• Federal Cooperating agencies:
•US Army Corps of Engineers
•US Coast Guard
•US EPA
• Federal Transit Administration
•Natl Marine Fisheries Service
•US Navy
Local Government
• 7 separate jurisdictions•City of Hampton
•City of Newport News
•City of Norfolk
•City of Portsmouth
•City of Suffolk
•City of Chesapeake
•City of Virginia Beach
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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Public Involvement
• Citizen Information Meetings – July 2015 and December 2015
• Location Public Hearings – September 2016
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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Public Involvement Schedule
• June 2015: Study initiated
• June 2015: Notice of Intent / Property owner letters mailed
• July 2015: Public Meetings / Scoping comment period
• December 2015: Public Meetings / Alternatives comment period
• August 2016: Draft SEIS / 45-day public comment period
• September 2016: Location Public Hearing
• December 2016: Commonwealth Transportation Board – Pref Alternative
• April 2017: Final SEIS / 30-day review period
• June 2017: FHWA Record of Decision
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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Key Stakeholders
• Informed and engaged
• Coordination and commitments to avoid:• Major ROW impact
• Historic Properties
• Military bases
• Parks
• Maintain flexibility for design / construction
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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Agency Coordination Plan
• Targeted scoping approach
• Concurrence milestones• Purpose and Need
• Retained Alternatives
• Preferred Alternative
• Incorporated concurrence steps for NEPA/Section 404
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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Environmental / Scoping
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
• Socioeconomic resources
• Historic properties
• Section 4(f)
• Wetlands
• Wildlife / T&E Species
• Hazardous Materials
• Noise
• Air Quality
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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Environmental Methodology
• Incorporated technical information directly from agencies into SEIS
• Obtained early methodology concurrence for:• Environmental Justice
• Indirect and Cumulative Effects
• WOUS / Wetlands
• Hydrodynamics
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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Local Governments
• City of Hampton
• City of Newport News
• City of Norfolk
• City of Portsmouth
• City of Suffolk
• City of Chesapeake
• City of Virginia Beach
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
NEWPORTNEWS
NORFOLK
PORTSMOUTH
CHESAPEAKE
VIRGINIABEACH
HAMPTON
SUFFOLK
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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Local Governments
• 14 meetings with• HRTPO / HRTAC• Local City Councils and Boards
• Open, collaborative approach• Meetings open to public• Presentations saved on website• Close relationship with VDOT District
• Inclusion as NEPA Cooperating Agencies
• Used concurrent materials from other agency/public meetings
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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Commonwealth Transportation Board | September 2016
Selected Alternative
• Refined from Alternative A
• $3.3 Billion Cost Estimate from Final SEIS
• Concurrence from USACE: likely the Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative (LEDPA) per Section 404
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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A Region Comes Together
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
• Unanimous agreement from regional officials
• Commonwealth Transportation Board approval
• VDOT advancing next steps toward design, construction
Hampton Roads Crossing Study
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
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Thank you
Eric Almquist
Senior Manager, Transportation
RK&K
ealmquist@rkk.com
410-462-9135
AASHTO SCOE/SCOD Joint Meeting | July 2017
Angel Deem
State Environmental Division Director
Virginia Department of Transportation
angel.deem@vdot.virginia.gov
804-371-6756