NY Gateway December 18, 2013 Public Hearing Technical Presentation - PDF document

NY Gateway – December 18, 2013 Public Hearing – Technical Presentation 1 - Welcome Welcome to the public hearing for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, or DEIS, for New York Gateway Connections Improvement Project to the US Peace Bridge Plaza. 2 - Agenda This presentation will give you some of the basic information on the DEIS for the project, including: • What are the purpose, need, and objectives of this project? • What improvements are included with the project? • The NEPA process along with public and agency feedback and outcomes • What are the anticipated benefits from these improvements? • The results of the completed environmental studies • And a discussion of right-of-way acquisition After this presentation, you will have an opportunity to present your comments orally. We also have displays in the meeting room and staff on hand to answer questions you may have about the project. 3 - Purpose and Need The primary need of the project is to address the limited direct access between the US Peace Bridge Plaza and Interstate 190. Existing direct access to the interstate is limited and requires regional and international traffic to use the local street system. This limited access adds additional commercial traffic to the local streets, which were originally designed to only meet the needs of local traffic. The purpose of this project is to reduce the use of the local streets by interstate traffic and provide access to the existing Plaza at its current location. 4 - Objectives Therefore the objectives of the project are: To address the need for direct access from the Plaza to the northbound lanes of the Interstate, To redirect through traffic from Front Park, and to remove Baird Drive, An additional objective for the project emerged during the scoping phase of the project. The Porter Avenue Bridge over I-190 is rated structurally deficient and has a NYSDOT condition rating of 3.849. The bridge was on the New York Thruway’s program for replacement, and its replacement has been added as an objective of this project. 5 - Major Improvements 1

The improvements planned for this project include construction of new ramps to and from the existing US Peace Bridge Plaza. The new ramp from the Plaza is called Ramp D and will take you directly off the Plaza and onto the northbound Thruway. The new ramp to the Plaza is called Ramp PN and will take you from Porter Avenue to the Plaza. The combination of these two new ramps will allow us to remove Baird Drive from Front Park. In conjunction with the new ramps, there will be improvements to the Shoreline Trail, also known as the Riverwalk. As mentioned earlier, the project also will include the replacement of the existing deteriorated Porter Avenue Bridge over the Thruway. With the removal of Baird Drive, and the replacement of the Porter Avenue Bridge, improvements will be made to the existing pedestrian and bicycle facilities within Front Park and along Porter Avenue. 6 - NEPA Process The project complies with the environmental review process established through the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA. This process includes scoping, which provided the opportunity for the public and agencies to identify issues for consideration in the DEIS. Development of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement The DEIS includes: • Evaluation of reasonable alternatives • Assessment of the environmental, social, and economic effects of the action • A description of the preferred alternative. This public hearing on the DEIS is required to inform the public of the project and its effects on the environment and provides the public and agencies the opportunity to comment on the project • It is where we currently are now in the NEPA process. The public hearing is followed by the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision • This final phase includes consideration of all comments received on DEIS • And it describes any mitigation measures that may be necessary • It also provides the basis for the decision on what will be the final outcome of the project 7 – NEPA Process (continued) As a result of the public and agency input received to date, numerous revisions and improvements have been suggested and incorporated into the project. Relocation of Shoreline Trail, also known as the Riverwalk, was added to the project. The relocation would allow expanded views of the Niagara River and Lake Erie The project also now includes the replacement of the Porter Avenue Bridge over I-190. The replacement of this deteriorated bridge will lessen the overall construction impacts on the public. 2

Improved security around the US Peace Bridge Plaza was requested to be included as part of the project’s outreach to agencies. To meet this request, the project will include the construction of a perimeter wall. In response to the agencies’ sug gestion to provide improved traffic incident notification on I-190, new variable message signs will be included on northbound I-190. 8 – NEPA Process (continued) As a result of public comments during the scoping phase requesting improved access along Porter Avenue to LaSalle Park and its amenities, a shared-use path has been added along the south side of Porter Avenue. The suggestion for improved driver directions for travelers exiting the Plaza has brought about the inclusion of new signage directing drivers off the Plaza onto the roadways. And suggestions made during scoping to improve vehicle and pedestrian access within Front Park have resulted in the addition of the relocated driveway access and reconnected paths in Front Park. 9 – NEPA Process (continued) The DEIS is being made available to the public for review at several locations, or project repositories, including the: Niagara Branch and Downtown libraries At the DOT’s office on Seneca Street On the project website and at today’s public hearing 10 – NEPA Process (continued) Comments on the DEIS are being accepted today both verbally and in writing. Written comments will be accepted through January 13, 2014, either by email or via the US mail. All comments received will be considered and addressed in the Final EIS. 11 - Benefits of Removing Baird Drive The next few slides highlight the benefits that would be realized under this project. The benefits of removing Baird Drive from Front Park include: • The removal of all vehicles crossing Front Park to get to the Plaza, which currently peak at 440 per hour • The removal of all vehicles coming from the Plaza area through Front Park to Porter Avenue, which currently peak at 300 per hour • Increased safety for children and others who play, walk, or bike within Front Park. 12 - Benefits of Removing Baird Drive (Continued) In addition, the combination of the removal of Baird Drive and the reconnection of existing isolated portions of Front Park expands the contiguous green space in the park by 4.5 acres. 3

Moreover, the elimination of the traffic signal at the north end of Baird Drive at its intersection with Ramp A into the Plaza allows unimpeded flow onto the Peace Bridge. And the reconnection of the pathways within Front Park, without any crossing of busy roads, reduces the possibility of pedestrian and vehicle conflicts. 13 - Benefits of Building Ramp D Besides the removal of Baird Drive, the benefits of building Ramp D also include: • The reduction in crisscrossing traffic within the Plaza. • All traffic from Canada will exit the Plaza at one location, • Which results in much less confusion for travelers leaving the Plaza • There will also be better security at the Plaza with only one point of ingress and egress • And it will provide for a safer work environment for plaza operators. 14 - Benefits of Improved Pedestrian/Bicycle Facilities Along with construction of the new ramps, improvements will be made to the existing pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Removal of Baird Drive will result in a safer use of pathways within Front Park and restoration of the Historic Hippodrome. Also, all pedestrians would travel on a new, shared-use pathway along the south sidewalk of Porter Avenue and away from the ramps along the north side of Porter. This would also provide for a safer pathway to LaSalle Park and to the Centennial Pool and splash pad. 15 - Benefits of Replacing Porter Avenue Bridge As noted before, the project will include the replacement of the Porter Avenue Bridge over the Thruway, which allows us to propose a shared-use pathway across the south side of the bridge to LaSalle Park. It allows for a narrower roadway (2 or 3 lanes wide) over the bridge. The bridge is deteriorated and was programmed by the Thruway Authority for replacement. By including that work under this project we are saving money by working on the bridge just once, reducing traffic impact, and improving public safety by the construction of two projects combined into one, and improving the lane configuration which improves safety. It also allows for the widening of the ramps and shoulders on the Thruway under the bridge bringing the thruway exit up to interstate standards. 16 - Benefits of Relocation of the Shoreline Trail (Riverwalk) As a result of the construction of Ramp D to the northbound Thruway, we also have an opportunity to improve the Shoreline Trail, or Riverwalk. The current Shoreline Trail travels along and passes under the Thruway. 4