Chester Bridge Environmental Assessment (EA) CAG Meeting #2 October - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Chester Bridge Environmental Assessment (EA) CAG Meeting #2 October 12, 2017

Agenda • Introductions • Purpose & Need review and Merger Approval • Review of the Conceptual Alternatives • Recap of the Public Meeting • Engineering Data Gathering and Analysis Update • Environmental Data Gathering and Analysis Update • Purpose & Need Screening Criteria • Next Steps 2

Purpose and Need 3

Project Study Area

Major Elements of Study Area Major Study Area Elements

Project Purpose • The Chester Bridge EA is a transportation study that will investigate and identify improvements intended to develop a safe and reliable Route 51 crossing of the Mississippi River. • Overall, the purpose of the Chester Bridge EA is to: • Improve the reliability of the crossing • Improve the functionality of the crossing

Project Need • The Route 51 crossing is too narrow for current standards • The Route 51 crossing is in poor condition • Route 51 is prone to flood‐related closures • The Route 51 crossing is important to local and regional connectivity

The Route 51 Crossings Are Too Narrow for Current Design Standards

Narrow Travel Lanes • Existing bridges have 22’ wide decks

Lack of Emergency Shoulder Lanes • Accidents and/or stalled vehicles • Maintenance Photo credit: Google Earth

Approach Span Alignments • Curve throughout the Horse Island Chute Bridge and both approaches • Encroachment into opposing travel lane

Bike/Pedestrian Access • Important bicycle resources • U.S. Bicycle Route 76 and Illinois Mississippi River Trail

The Route 51 Mississippi River Crossing is in Poor Condition

Existing Route 51 Mississippi River Bridge Conditions • MoDOT’s 2016 Bridge Inventory and Inspection System reports the following conditions for the Chester Bridge (L0135): • Deck condition: Poor (4/9) • Superstructure condition: Poor (4/9) • Substructure condition: Poor (4/9) • Bridge is scour critical; bridge foundations determined to be unstable • The Chester Bridge has been placed on the MoDOT List of Poor Bridges because of historically documented poor conditions

Route 51 is Prone to Flood‐Related Closures

Bois Brule Levee and Drainage District • US Army Corps of Engineers operates the Bois Brule Levee and Drainage District • Cares for the maintenance of the levees and chutes • Bois Brule Levee and Drainage District protects approximately 26,000 acres • At Route 51, the elevation of the road is lower than the top of the levee • Creates a gap in the levee • To cover this gap, a temporary flood wall is placed across the road closing Route 51

Route 51 Temporary Flood Wall • Four occurrences of flood gauge at or above 44 feet • Closure of Route 51 at 44 feet on the Chester Gauge • 1973, 1993, 2015, 2017 • Duration of most recent: 12/28/15 – 1/4/16 and 5/4/17 – 5/10/17 • Closures result in 100+ mile detours

The Route 51 crossing is important to local and regional connectivity

Local and Regional Connectivity • Access to/from Chester • Businesses include Gilster‐Mary Lee, Conagra, and Menard Correctional Center • Schools • Farm equipment • Connection to truck bypass in Chester • Access to I‐55 • Access to SE Missouri and SW Illinois

Conceptual Alternatives

Logical Termini FHWA issues guidelines in designating logical termini for a study. They serve as rational end points for a project and serve as general geographical boundaries for a review of any environmental impacts caused by the study. Based on these criteria, the logical termini for the Chester Bridge EA are: • In Missouri, the intersection of Route 51 and Perry County Roads 239/944. • In Illinois, the intersection of Route 150 and Taylor Street.

Types of Alternatives to be Considered • No‐build • Routine maintenance only, no improvements • Rehabilitate the existing bridges • Mississippi River and Horse Island Chute bridges • Structural fixes to the existing bridges • No widening of the existing bridges • New bridges • Either upstream, down stream, or at present location 2 2

Conceptual Alternatives

Bridge Type and Aesthetic Treatments • The type of bridge will not be determined in the NEPA Document (If a new bridge is the Preferred Alternative) • Suitable bridge types will be identified based on cost, navigation, and other engineering factors • Bridge type will be determined during design • Aesthetic specifics will not be identified in the NEPA Document • Aesthetic details will be part of the design phase • Aesthetic enhancements beyond what is required to accomplish the project goals would be funded by the local communities 2 7

POTENTIAL BRIDGE TYPES Tied Arch Continuous Extradosed Through Truss Cable Stay Segmental Girder Note: Potential bridge types may be further limited by FAA and US Coast Guard clearance requirements 2 6

Public Information Meeting #1

Public Information Meeting #1 – 8/24/2017 • 35 stakeholders in attendance • 19 elected officials also in attendance • Very supportive of the project • General comments: • The bridges are too narrow • Road closures due to flooding are a major concern • The Mississippi River Bridge is in poor condition

Engineering Update Based on the project’s Purpose and Need, logical termini, and study area, a series of Conceptual Alternatives are being developed. The Conceptual Alternatives represent the wide range of initial alternatives that could potentially address the transportation needs established by the study.

Traffic Analysis • Traffic Volumes • Estimates of average daily traffic in vehicles per day (vpd) • Current year (2017) – 6,700 vpd • Design year (2042) – 7,700 vpd • Trucks approximately 20‐22% of total traffic • Traffic Analysis • Roadway segments and intersections based on Level of Service (LOS) • All Segments and Intersections LOS C or better • Two‐Lane roadway/bridge meets and exceeds MoDOT and IDOT design criteria beyond design year 2042

Safety Analysis Crash data provided by MoDOT and IDOT for the five‐year period of 2011‐2015 • Between Route 51/PCR 238 intersection (MO) and Route 150/Taylor Street intersection (IL) • 46 Total Crashes Reported : • (1) Fatal, (1) Disabling Injury, (10) Minor Injury, (34) Property Damage Only Noteworthy Findings • Between Perry County Roads 238/946 in MO & the IL end of the Chester Bridge • Over 50% of crashes (13/25) are head‐on or opposite direction sideswipe • Potentially attributable, in part, to narrow travel lanes • At and near the entrance to the gas stations south of PCR 239 • 10 crashes, representing 31% of the MO crashes and 21% of the overall crashes • Potential safety issues due to lack of shoulders • Disabled vehicles, emergencies, roadway and bridge maintenance, bicycle and pedestrian users

Typical Section • Bridge Section is assumed to be 40 to 44 feet wide: • Two 12‐foot Travel Lanes • 8‐10‐foot Shoulders • Shoulders would allow bicyclists and pedestrians to cross the bridge without using the vehicular travel lanes. • Roadway Section is assumed to be Two‐Way Rural Minor Arterial Roadway: • Design Speed of 45 mph to be maintained • Existing intersections and direct access to the roadways for individual driveways will be maintained, to the extent practicable

Typical Section

Further Design, Analysis, and Screening • Roadway alignments and compatibility with potential bridge types • Coast Guard and FAA Requirements • Navigation channel clearances (width, height) • Restrictions on pier locations • Compatibility of existing bridge with potential reuse • Height restrictions • Screening of Conceptual Alternatives • Alternatives determined to satisfy the study’s Purpose and Need will be advanced for further consideration • Other key environmental impacts may also be considered in screening

Environmental Update Based on Agency Coordination and Field Reviews, the Following Important Resources May Impact the Development and Evaluation of Alternatives