NOTICES
Finding
Philadelphia County
[41 Pa.B. 5043]
[Saturday, September 17, 2011]Under section 2002(b) of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. § 512(b)), the Director of the Bureau of Project Delivery as delegated by the Secretary of Transportation makes the following written finding:
The Department of Transportation (Department) is planning a project to reconstruct portions of SR 0095, Sections BRI and BSR in the City of Philadelphia in Philadelphia County. The project area includes the Betsy Ross Interchange and Interstate 95 from Wheatsheaf Lane to Bridge Street in the City of Philadelphia.
Section BRI extends from the northern limit of the structure over Wheatsheaf Lane to the southern limit of the structure over Bridge Street. The approximate mainline construction length is 6,995 feet. The mainline will be widened to carry four lanes in each direction and eliminate the Collector/Distributor roadway on each side of the mainline. Included within the project area is the reconstruction/rehabilitation of the interchange with the Betsy Ross Bridge, including two new ramps from Aramingo Avenue to the Betsy Ross Bridge. Section BRI consists of 19 bridge structures as either new, replacement or rehabilitation; 5 bridge structures for removal; 1 combination sewer relocation for the Philadelphia Water Department; 4 retaining walls for removal and replacement; 1 retaining wall for removal; and sound walls along the eastern side of I-95 for removal and replacement.
Section BSR is to eliminate the southbound lane drop at the James Street Ramp, eliminate the northbound add lane at Bridge Street and widen I-95 to four lanes in each direction from Orthodox Street to Levick Street. Exclusive acceleration/deceleration lanes will be added at the interchanges. Six dual, mainline bridges and one-ramp bridge will be replaced and one mainline structure will be widened. Long retaining walls will line I-95 through much of this section and two sound barriers will be constructed.
The proposed project will impact the National Register-listed Henry Longfellow School and the 1967-1968 steel through-girder bridge carrying the Pennsylvania Railroad-Philadelphia to Southern New Jersey over SR 0095 (a noncontributing element to the Pennsylvania Railroad-Philadelphia to New Jersey Line). Other resources in the project area include the National Register listed Frankford Arsenal and the East Coast Greenway. No Use of the Frankford Arsenal or the East Coast Greenway are anticipated to occur as part of the project. The project impacts resulted in an Adverse Effect determination.
In accordance with section 2002 of The Administrative Code of 1929 establishing the Department, a Level 2 Categorical Exclusion Evaluation (CEE) has been developed for the subject project along with an Individual Section 4(f) Evaluation document to evaluate the potential environmental impacts caused by the subject project. The document also serves as the Section 2002 Evaluation.
Based upon studies, there is no feasible and prudent alternative to the proposed action. Mitigation measures will be taken to minimize harm as stipulated in the Level 2 CEE Reevaluation and Individual Section 4(f) Evaluation.
The environmental, economic, social and other effects of the proposed project as enumerated in section 2002 of The Administrative Code of 1929, have been considered. It has been concluded that there is no feasible and prudent alternative to the project as designed, and all reasonable steps have been taken to minimize the effects.
BRIAN G. THOMPSON, P.E.,
Director
Bureau of Project Delivery
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 11-1615. Filed for public inspection September 16, 2011, 9:00 a.m.]
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