NOTICES
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Finding
[35 Pa.B. 610]
Lebanon County Under section 2002(b) of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. § 512(b)), the Deputy Secretary for Highway Administration makes the following written finding:
The Department of Transportation (Department) plans to construct SR 0000, Section BR, the City of Lebanon Bridge Over Norfolk Southern Project (Project), two bridges, one on 9th Street and one on 10th Street, which would carry the PA 72 traffic over the Norfolk Southern rail lines in downtown Lebanon.
The purpose of this project is to improve emergency access, traffic flow and safety in the City of Lebanon by providing an improved crossing of the Norfolk Southern Railroad Line.
The selected alternative for the Project is Option B--Dual 9th and 10th Street Shifted Alternative (Option B). Option B will consist of two, two-lane bridges extending over the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks. Shoulders and sidewalks will be constructed on one side of each of the bridges. The bridge on 9th Street will be shifted slightly west in relation to the existing roadway and will extend from a point near Church Street to the bridge over the Quittapahilla Creek. The bridge on 10th Street will be shifted slightly east in relation to the existing roadway and will extend from a point between Church and Lehman Streets to the bridge over the Quittapahilla Creek. Minor deck reconstruction work will be required on both Quittapahilla bridges. Route 72 would be signed as is, with 9th Street carrying two lanes northbound and 10th Street carrying two lanes southbound.
Option B will also include improvements to Scull Street, which extends parallel to and north of the Norfolk Southern lines. To provide access for remaining properties on 9th and 10th Street, Scull Street will cross under the proposed 10th Street Bridge, then extend parallel to the rail lines to an intersection with 12th Street. Scull Street will feature two-way traffic between 10th and 12th Streets. No additional property displacements other than minor right-of-way acquisitions would result from the Scull Street extension.
In addition, Option B will include a minor widening of Gannon Street north of the intersection with C and L Streets. This widening is necessary to facilitate access to J. J. Brandt Moving & Storage. Minor property acquisitions, but no additional displacements, would be required.
Option B will also include the construction of a roadway just south of the parking lot for Covenant United Methodist Church to provide access for the residential properties remaining on 9th Street. This one-way roadway will extend between 9th Street and Gannon Street and will accommodate on-street parking.
The at-grade railroad crossings will be removed from 9th Street, Partridge Street and 10th Street.
Alternatives were evaluated through an Environmental Impact Statement as required by the National Environmental Policy Act and Section 2002 of Act 120. Both options studied in the Environmental Impact Statement satisfied the needs of the project; however, Option B results in the least impact to the social, cultural and natural environment in the project area. Option B results in the fewest residential displacements and the fewest number of contributing elements acquired from the North Lebanon Historic District.
Option B will impact 51 contributing elements to the North Lebanon Historic District, a Section 2002 resource eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, it has been determined that the construction of Option B will have an adverse effect on this Section 2002 resource. The effects will be mitigated through commitments detailed in an executed Programmatic Agreement between the Federal Highway Administration and the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Officer and concurred with by the Department and the City of Lebanon.
The Deputy Secretary for Highway Administration has considered the environmental, economic, social and other effects of the proposed project as enumerated in section 2002 of The Administrative Code of 1929 and has concluded that there is no feasible and prudent alternative to the project as designed and all reasonable steps have been taken to minimize effects.
GARY L. HOFFMAN, P. E.,
Deputy Secretary for Highway Administration
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 05-171. Filed for public inspection January 21, 2005, 9:00 a.m.]
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