benning road & bridges transportation improvements PDF
Preview benning road & bridges transportation improvements
BENNING ROAD & BRIDGES D J 2015 RAFT UNE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS E A NVIRONMENTAL SSESSMENT DRAFT MAY 2016 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ES-1 This page left intentionally blank This page left intentionally blank EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The District Department of Transportation (DDOT), in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is proposing transportation improvements (the proposed action) along the Benning Road corridor in Washington, DC. The proposed action would improve transportation infrastructure conditions, enhance safety and operations along the corridor and at key intersections, enhance pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and extend streetcar transit service. FHWA is the lead federal agency for the Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements Environmental Assessment (EA), with DDOT (the Applicant) as joint lead. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), and National Park Service (NPS) are cooperating agencies. The proposed improvements are anticipated to be predominantly within DDOT right-of-way (ROW). The proposed action would also include FHWA approval to allow DDOT to use Federal Aid Route ROW on Benning Road for streetcar operations. FHWA concurred with the use of this ROW for mass transit use in a letter to DDOT dated April 18, 2013. The project is included in the adopted National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the Financially Constrained Long Range Plan (CLRP). Where noted, the “Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements EA Project Team” as listed includes the technical team members also listed in Chapter 6, List of Preparers. This EA has been prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508), FHWA’s Environmental Impact and Related Procedures (23 CFR 771 and 774), FHWA’s Technical Advisory Guidance for Preparing and Processing Environmental and Section 4(f) Documents (T6640.8A), and DDOT’s Environmental Process Manual. The project also includes the evaluation of potential effects to cultural resources in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. 300101 et seq.). The EA for the Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements project (“the project”) includes the Purpose and Need, Alternatives, Affected Environment, Environmental Consequences and Public and Agency Coordination, as outlined below. ES-1 PURPOSE AND NEED The purpose of the Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements project is to address deficiencies in transportation infrastructure conditions, improve safety conditions and operations for both motorized and non-motorized access, and to provide for increased mobility and accessibility by improving transit operations and options between the intersection of Benning Road, and Oklahoma Avenue and the Benning Road Metrorail Station. The Benning Road corridor is located within the Northeast section of Washington, DC. This area has been part of several studies and plans in the past including the DC Transit Future System Plan, the Benning Road Streetcar Extension Feasibility Study and the Benning Road Corridor Redevelopment EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ES-1 DRAFT Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements Environmental Assessment Framework Plan. The need to improve the Benning Road corridor to safely and efficiently accommodate all modes of transportation is a recurring theme in previous planning studies. The specific needs for this project are the following: • Improve transportation infrastructure conditions; • Enhance safety and operations along the corridor and at key intersections; • Enhance and install pedestrian and bicycle facilities; and • Extend streetcar transit service. The Purpose and Need was vetted through public and agency coordination (refer to Chapter 5, Public and Agency Coordination) and was used to develop and screen alternatives (refer to Chapter 2, Alternatives). ES-2 PROJECT BACKGROUND The Benning Road corridor is approximately two miles long. The study area (the “project study area”) is shown in Figure ES-1. The western terminus for the project is the intersection of Benning Road and Oklahoma Avenue and the eastern terminus is the Benning Road Metrorail Station. This area has been part of several studies and plans in the past including the DC Transit Future System Plan, DDOT Benning Road Streetcar Extension Study and Benning Road Corridor Redevelopment Framework Plan, all of which highlight the need to improve the Benning Road corridor to safely and efficiently accommodate all modes of transportation. As described in Chapter 1, Purpose and Need, the existing bridges over DC-295 (Kenilworth Avenue) and the CSX Railroad are in need of repair or rehabilitation. The existing bridges also lack adequate sidewalks. The current intersection of Benning Road and Minnesota Avenue provides several safety and operational challenges. Pedestrian and vehicular accidents as well as delays at this intersection are commonly observed. The existing corridor shows heavy transit activity and would benefit from additional transit options such as the extension of the existing H/Benning Streetcar Line that currently terminates at the Oklahoma Avenue and Benning Road intersection. ES-2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY DRAFT Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements Environmental Assessment Figure ES-1: Study Area Source: DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO); Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements EA Project Team, February 2014 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ES-3 DRAFT Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements Environmental Assessment ES-3 ALTERNATIVES Several alternatives for the Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements project were developed in accordance with the project objectives established to meet the project Purpose and Need. The details are provided in Chapter 2, Alternatives. Three alternatives, including the No Build Alternative and two Build Alternatives, are analyzed in detail in this EA. No Build Alternative: The No Build Alternative includes the existing roadway, bridges, median, sidewalks, and transit services as shown in Figure ES-2. It assumes that the currently programmed, committed, and/or funded transportation projects in the project study area would be completed. While the No Build Alternative does not completely meet the Purpose and Need of the proposed action, it provides a baseline for comparing the environmental consequences of the Build Alternatives. Build Alternative 1: Build Alternative 1 would reconstruct portions of the roadway and some structures along Benning Road to enhance safety and operations, enhance and install pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and extend streetcar service along the study corridor. It includes the following infrastructure changes to meet the project Purpose and Need: Improve transportation infrastructure conditions • Replacement of the Benning Road Bridges over DC-295 and CSX tracks with one new bridge; Enhance safety and operations along the corridor and at key intersections • Reconstruction of the intersection of Benning Road and Minnesota Avenue to provide pedestrian safety improvements; • Providing a longer turn lane on eastbound Benning Road towards northbound Minnesota Avenue; • Providing a second left-hand turn lane from northbound Minnesota Avenue to westbound Benning Road, and extending the right-turn pocket lane from southbound Minnesota Avenue to eastbound Benning Road; • Providing ADA compliant sidewalks on both sides of the bridge; • Construction of pedestrian safety improvements at Benning Road and 36th Street; Enhance and install pedestrian and bicycle facilities • Reconstruction of sidewalks and construction of shared-use paths along the corridor; and Extend streetcar service • Construction of shared streetcar lanes and ancillary facilities including platforms and propulsion systems. ES-4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY DRAFT Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements Environmental Assessment Build Alternative 1 would provide a 12-foot, curb-running streetcar shared lane for the length of the Benning Road corridor as shown in Figure ES-3. The shared streetcar lane would be constructed in the outside lane adjacent to the curb and pedestrian facilities. It would include all facilities and structures needed for the streetcar operations including traction power substations (TPSS), catenary poles, and streetcar stops. Build Alternative 1 would place passenger loading platforms at locations about a quarter-mile apart and constructed along the eastbound and westbound directions of Benning Road at six locations as shown in Figure ES-4: • Oklahoma Avenue (western terminus); • Kingman Island; • 34th Street; • 39th Street; • 42nd Street; and • Benning Road Metrorail Station (eastern terminus). EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ES-5 DRAFT Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements Environmental Assessment Figure ES-2: Existing/No Build Alternative Roadway Typical Sections A *Grassy buffer area varies and is not shown in sections A and B above ES-6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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