Pecue Lane/I-10 Interchange Project Public Meeting Transcript Thursday, November 4, 2010 Associated Builders & Contractors 19251 Highland Road 4:30pm 7:30pm 20 attendees Representatives from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LaDOTD), East Baton Rouge Parish Department of Public Works, Federal Highway Administration, and the Pecue Lane/I-10 Interchange project consultant team joined together to provide the first of two planned public meetings for this proposed Green Light Plan project: the Pecue Lane/I-10 Interchange (City/Parish Project No. 09-CS-US-0041, State Project No. 700-17-0221, and Federal Aid Project No. IM-1709(507)). Approximately 20 area residents and business owners attended the informational meeting. Prior to the public meeting, Franklin Industries, LLC (Franklin), strategically implemented several promotion methods to engage the surrounding residents and business owners potentially affected by this proposed project. Promotions of the meeting included media communications as well as three roadside banners placed along Pecue Lane, push cards delivered to all homeowners and business owners within the study area, and through electronic dissemination to key stakeholders, including the surrounding neighborhood associations and business owners. Other means of promotion included a public notice published in The Advocate, information listed on LaDOTD s website, information listed on the Green Light Plan website, as well as a project information telephone line established for this purpose. Participants received project overview information through a presentation, and were able to view the DOTD Delivery Process, the Environmental Assessment flowchart, a map of the project study area and the Interchange Justification Study previously completed for the project. Participants also received a project handout, including a comment form for their completion. Please see Attachment 2 for comment forms submitted the night of the meeting and prior to the November 15 th comment submission deadline. Attachments Attachment 1 Sign-in Sheets (General Public, Agencies and Officials, and Project Team) Attachment 2 Submitted Comment Forms Attachment 3 Meeting Handout Attachment 4 Meeting Presentation and Script Attachment 5 LaDOTD Project Delivery Process Attachment 6 Proof of Publication in The Advocate
Attachment 1 Sign-in Sheets (General Public, Agencies and Officials, Project Team)
Attachment 2 Submitted Comment Forms
Kyla Hall To: Subject: Risa Mueller RE: pecue/i-10 From: Sherrow, Shaun [mailto:sherrow@csrsonline.com] Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2010 9:23 AM To: Karen Holden; Risa Mueller Subject: FW: pecue/i-10 See comments below re: the project. Shaun Sherrow, P.E. CSRS, Inc. 6767 Perkins Road, Suite 200 Baton Rouge, La 70808 Phone: (225) 769-0546 ext 253 Fax: (225) 767-0060 www.csrsonline.com From: James or Melba Covington [mailto:jcoving1@bellsouth.net] Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2010 7:55 AM To: Sherrow, Shaun Subject: pecue/i-10 I have 2 comments regarding the interchange. 1. consider a traffic light to allow present and future residents of Woodridge and Briarwood subdivisions to have access to Pecue 2. Consider an overpass over the KCS railroad. I see some of the potential problems with alignment and access by landowners but this is going to be a major street and ther is going to be major backups with out the overpass...thanks James Covington 1
Attachment 3 Meeting Handout
PECUE LANE/I-10 INTERCHANGE East Baton Rouge Parish CITY/PARISH PROJECT NO. 09-CS-US-0041 STATE PROJECT NO. 700-17-0221 FEDERAL AID PROJECT NO. IM-1709(507) Open House Public Meeting Thursday, November 4, 2010 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm Associated Builders and Contractors 19251 Highland Road Baton Rouge, Louisiana MEETING FORMAT This Public Meeting is being conducted as an Open House. Everyone is welcomed to attend any time during the hours of 4:30pm and 7:30pm. As you entered the building you should have been asked to sign in, so a record of your participation can be maintained. A short slide presentation on the project will be shown at intervals in the classroom area, and there will be members of the project team available to answer questions in the larger meeting room after the presentations are shown. Throughout the Open House, the following informational stations will be available: 1. Sign-in and handout table 2. Slide Presentation 3. Exhibit and map display area where you may review the project area map and ask questions of project staff 4. Comment area for providing written and verbal comments and reviewing project documents Project staff is available to assist you and to receive your comments. To get the most from your visit to the meeting, it is recommended that you visit all the areas. PUBLIC COMMENTS/PARTICIPATION Your participation is vital in ensuring that decisions on the proposed project reflect the needs of the people affected by the project. You may present your views on the project verbally, through the enclosed form, or by email to sherrow@csrsonline.com. Comments may be submitted as follows: 1. Written comments handed in tonight at the comment table 2. Verbal comments recorded tonight at the comment table 3. Comments mailed to the address given on the form* 4. Comments emailed to the address listed above and on the form* *Please include your name, address, email and phone, and the date on the comment form so we may contact you if needed. Although we value and encourage comments throughout the process, comments mailed in must be postmarked within 10 days of this meeting to be included in the formal meeting report. 1
PECUE LANE/I-10 INTERCHANGE East Baton Rouge Parish INTRODUCTION This meeting and handout provides information on the environmental studies that are being performed for the proposed Pecue Lane/I-10 Interchange Project. The proposed Pecue Lane/I-10 Interchange project is one of the projects included in the 2005 Half-Cent Sales Tax Extension, known as the Green Light Plan (GLP). Since this project utilizes federal funding in conjunction with state and local funds, additional processes need to occur for the project to move forward. Due to federal requirements, a Stage 1 Planning and Environmental Study is underway for the Pecue Lane/I-10 Interchange Project. This requires public involvement in the process. Tonight is the first public meeting held in conjunction with the Stage 1 study. The purpose of this public meeting is to: Provide information about the proposed project Solicit comments about the project from the public and other interested parties Explain the process through which this project must proceed Differentiate this project from other nearby projects in the Pecue Lane area, and Explain the next steps In This Handout Meeting Format... 1 Public Comments/Participation... 1 Introduction... 2 Purpose and Need... 2 Proposed Action... 2 Stage 1 Information... 3 Project Area Map... 3 EA Flowchart/Project Team... 4 Comment Form... Insert PECUE LANE/I-10 INTERCHANGE PRELIMINARY PURPOSE AND NEED One area of input which the project team needs from the public is feedback on the project s formal Purpose and Need. Any suggestions to the preliminary Purpose and Need listed below can be submitted through the comment form enclosed, or through verbal comments at the comment station. The Preliminary Purpose and Need for this project is: 1. To provide an additional interchange with I-10; 2. To mitigate traffic congestion on I-10 and the local roadway network, and 3. To provide enhanced mobility for the commerce needs of the surrounding area. PECUE LANE/I-10 INTERCHANGE PROPOSED ACTION The proposed action would include: Construction of an interchange with multiple through and turn lanes on Pecue Lane An entrance ramp and exit ramp on both east and westbound I-10 Replacing the current two lane overpass bridge Replacing the Pecue Lane/Wards Creek Bridge An extension of Reiger Road to a new intersection with Pecue Lane, and Other work within the limits of the project. The project design limits are Pecue Lane from the Kansas City Railroad tracks through to the elbow of Pecue Lane just south of Airline Highway. 2
PECUE LANE/I-10 INTERCHANGE East Baton Rouge Parish STAGE 1 INFORMATION Planning and Environmental The Department of Transportation and Development project delivery process includes a total of 7 stages, from Stage 0 to Stage 6. This project is now in Stage 1, which is the Planning and Environmental stage. Its purpose is to continue the planning and environmental effort with more emphasis on environmental review, and refinements to the planning developed in Stage 0. This stage uses the NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) process and will document potential project impacts. An Environmental Assessment document will be prepared for the proposed project. During the Environmental Assessment, each proposed road design alternative, including the No-Build alternative, is analyzed with regard to the following potential environmental impacts: Social Economic Cultural Noise Air Prime Farmlands Recreational Areas Wetlands Water Resources Flood Plains Endangered or Threatened Species, and/or Their Habitat Going forward, the project team will need your input at two more public meetings. Public Meeting II will ask for input on the proposed alternatives, which may result in the creation of additional alternative(s). Public input is also requested at the final Public Hearing when the draft Environmental Assessment document is completed. Additional public meeting information is available throughout the project at 1-877-311-5862. PECUE LANE/I-10 INTERCHANGE PROJECT AREA MAP 3
Joint Lead Agencies Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Federal Highway Administration ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PROCESS AT A GLANCE PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS INCLUDE: Project Sponsor EBR Department of Public Works Green Light Plan Lead Consultant Providence 4 Subconsultants Shread Kuyrkendall, Urban Systems, Franklin Industries, Shaw, EarthSearch
PUBLIC MEETING COMMENT FORM PECUE LANE/I-10 INTERCHANGE PROJECT BATON ROUGE, LA CITY/PARISH PROJECT NO. 09-CS-US-0041 STATE PROJECT NO. 700-17-0221 FEDERAL AID PROJECT NO. IM-1709(507) YOUR COMMENTS ARE VALUED. ALTHOUGH WE ACCEPT COMMENTS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, IN ORDER TO INSURE THAT YOUR COMMENTS BECOME PART OF THE OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT, THEY SHOULD BE SENT TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS AND BE POSTMARKED WITHIN 10 DAYS OF THIS MEETING (by November 15, 2010). Email: Or Mail: Sherrow@csrsonline.com CSRS Program Management Attn: Shaun Sherrow 6767 Perkins Road, Suite 200 Baton Rouge, LA 70808 PLEASE CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS: NAME: DATE: ADDRESS: PHONE: EMAIL:
Attachment 4 Meeting Presentation and Script
Welcome to the public information meeting for the Pecue Lane/I 10 Interchange project in East Baton Rouge Parish. 1
The Pecue Lane/I 10 interchange will utilize federal funding. Federally funded projects are required to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act known as NEPA. Compliance with the NEPA Process requires that an Environmental Assessment (EA) be completed for this project. Tonight s meeting is one of the first steps in the NEPA process towards developing an EA. 2
The purpose of this public meeting is to provide information about the proposed project and its history, the process through which this project must proceed; where we are now and what to expect next. Tonight we will also differentiate this project from other nearby projects in the Pecue Lane area and we would like to solicit comments about the project from the public and other interested parties and explain other opportunities for public involvement. 3
In addition to this presentation, the following informational stations are available throughout this evening s meeting: A Sign in and handout table An Exhibit and map display area AndaCommentanddocumentreviewarea If you have not signed in yet, please do so, for the attendance record, and so that you may provide us with your address for future meeting announcements Project staff are available to assist you and receive your written or verbal comments To get the most from your visit to the meeting, it is recommended that you visit all stations 4
The team working on this project includes the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Louisiana ii Department of Transportation and Development (LaDOTD), the East Baton Rouge City/Parish and Green Light Plan. The Environmental Consultant team involved in this project includes: Providence, who is serving as the environmental prime consultant, and is responsible for environmental project management and the environmental assessment document Shaw Group who will handle the air and noise study Earth Search who is responsible for the cultural resources study And Franklin Industries who is the public outreach consultant The Engineering Consultant team that will be involved throughout the environmental process includes: Shread Kuyrkendall who is the engineering consultant prime and is responsible for the line and grade study And Urban Systems who is the traffic consultant and will conduct the traffic study 5
The proposed Pecue Lane/I 10 Interchange project is one project included in the 2005 Half Cent Sales Tax Extension, known as the Green Light Plan (GLP). This project would include: Construction of an interchange with multiple through and turn lanes on Pecue Lane An entrance ramp and exit ramp on both east and westbound I 10 Replacing the current two lane overpass bridge Replacing the Pecue Lane/Wards Creek Bridge An extension of Reiger Road to a new intersection with Pecue lane And other work within the limits of the project 6
This slide shows a map of the project area. The project design limits of the proposed Pecue Lane/I 10 interchange are outlined in yellow. The southern and northern design limits along Pecue Lane are the Kansas City Railroad tracks and the elbow of Pecue Lane just south ofairline Highway. This map is also available for review tonight in the exhibit room and in your handouts. 7
The following are the key points in the project s history: In August 2005 the initial Access Point Request and Pecue Lane/I 10 Interchange Justification Study was submitted to LaDOTD. In October 2005 the proposed Pecue Lane/ I 10 Interchange Project becomes one of the projects included in the approved Half Cent Sales Tax Extension known as the Green Light Plan. A Conceptual Layout of the Pecue Lane/I 10Interchange was developedinoctober 2006 as part of the Interchange Justification Study. The Final Pecue Lane/I 10 Interchange Justification Study was submitted in December 2008 and in May of 2009 the it was conditionally accepted by FHWA. In October of 2010 the Environmental Assessment process was initiated. 8
This slide shows a conceptual layout of the Pecue Lane/I 10 interchange developed in 2006 as part of the GLP Program and the Interchange Justification Study. Please note, this design is only one of several alternatives that will be considered throughout the Environmental Assessment process. 9
So Where are we now? The City/Parish, has selected environmental and engineering teams to provide a thorough environmental review and supportive preliminary engineering design as needed to prepare the EA document. This process is expected to be completed inlate 2011 10
The National Environmental Policy Act, known as NEPA, requires federal agencies to take into account the social, economic, and environmental impacts of their proposed actions An Environmental Assessment (EA) is a NEPA requirement that documents the Purpose and need of a proposed action and the potential impacts from that action. Through this NEPA process a Purpose and Need will be developed and refined and each alternative derived throughout the Environmental Assessment, including the no build alternative, will be analyzed with regard to the following potential environmental impacts: Social, economic, cultural, noise, air, farmland, recreational areas, wetlands, water resources, flood plains, and endangered or threatened species, and/or their habitat 11
The EA will also include a line and grade study which will be used to develop the proposed roadway design. The EA will then be submitted by the Louisiana DOTD to the FHWA with a recommendation of the preferred alternative and a request that a finding of no significant impact, known as a FONSI, be issued. If a FONSI is issued the project can move to final engineering design and construction. 12
This slide shows aflowchart of the NEPA process. We are currently in Phase I of the NEPA Process. A copy of this diagram is included with the handout for this evening s meeting for your reference. 13
So what is your role in the development of the EA? Provide feedback through written or verbal comments on the preliminary Purpose and Need and Alternatives to be developed Provide key information on the project area Provide feedback through written or verbal comments on the Draft EA 14
Additional access to I 10 is needed to accommodate the increased traffic demand and changing travel patterns. The preliminary purpose and need for the proposed project is: 1. To provide an additional interchange with I 10 2. To mitigate traffic congestion on I 10 and the local roadway network 3. To provide enhanced mobility for the commerce needs of the surrounding area Comments on the project s preliminary Purpose and Need are welcomed. 15
This interchange will provide: 1. Relief to existing interstate interchanges. 2. A reduction in travel time and improved access to the new Women s Hospital that is currently under construction. 3. Redistribution of traffic to reduce delays and congestion in this area. 4. And a safer alternative truck distribution access to and from I 10 into the local industrial/commercial area. 16
Project Cost The preliminary cost estimate for this project including design, construction, and right of way is $55,000,000.00 Project funding sources include state, federal, and local funding. 17
The Preliminary Project Schedule is: This First Public Meeting to present the proposed project. A Second Public Meeting is tentatively planned for February 2011 to present proposed alternatives. In summer/early fall 2011 the draft EA is expected to be available for review by the public and the Public Hearing will be held. In Late 2011 the Final EA is expected to be submitted and a FONSI requested. 18
Before the Second Public Meeting Comments and Suggestions from this meeting will be reviewed, field work and data collection will be completed, and alternatives will be developed. After the second public meeting all comments and suggestions will be reviewed, data will be further reviewed, and the draft EA document will be developed and made available to the public for review prior to the public hearing. At the Public Hearing you will have an opportunity to review the Draft EA and submit any comments or suggestions you may have for the development of the Final EA. And finally comments and suggestions from the Public Hearing will we reviewed and the Stage 1 document will be submitted to FHWA for FONSI approval. 19
Handouts with comment forms are available at the sign in table Written comments may be turned in this evening, mailed to the address on the form or emailed to the address given at the end of this presentation. Verbal comments may also be recorded at this meeting in the comment area Although comments are welcomed throughout the EA process, they must be postmarked within 10 days of this public meeting in order to be included in the official transcript. Verbal comments may also be recorded at this meeting in the comment area We hope that you find this evening s meeting informative, and we appreciate your feedback 20
The transcript of this meeting will be available for review and/or purchase at the LA DOTD s District 61 Office, located at 8100 Airline Highway Baton Rouge, LA 70815 and at LaDOTD s Headquarters located at 1201 Capitol Access Rd. Baton Rouge, LA 70802. It will also be available for download on the GLP website at greenlight.csrsonline.com. The Transcript will include a copies of the meeting announcement along with proof of publication of this announcement; sign in sheets verbal and written comments received at the meeting; the meeting handout and a copy of this presentation. We hope that you find this evening s meeting informative, and we appreciate your feedback 21
For Questions and Comments regarding this project, please contact Shaun Sherrow with the Green Light Plan at 225 769 0546 ext 253, or by email at the address shown on the screen. Additional information regarding the project can be found on the Green Light Plan website at greenlight.csrsonline.com 22
This presentation will be repeated throughout this evening s meeting and will begin at the times shown on this slide 23
Attachment 5 LaDOTD Project Delivery Process
Attachment 6 Proof of Publication in The Advocate