Public Hearing |
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Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration US 219 Improvements Project (Meyersdale to Somerset)State Route 6219, Section 020 Somerset County, PA Date: Monday, November 15, 2004 Time: 7:00 p.m. until end of testimony Place: Berlin-Brothersvalley School Auditorium. Main St., Berlin, PA
The purpose of the public hearing is to receive formal testimony on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for this project.
A plans display will be available for review in the school cafeteria beginning at 5:00 p.m.
The public hearing and plans display are accessible to people with disabilities. Persons who need special accommodations or would like additional information should contact Mr. David Sherman, P.E., Project Manager, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, 1620 North Juniata Street, Hollidaysburg, PA (814) 696-7170. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement is available for public review at:
Comments on this Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Section 4(f) Evaluation will be accepted until November 30, 2004 and should be directed to: Thomas Prestash, P.E., Acting District Executive, Engineering District 9-0, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, 1620 North Juniata St., Hollidaysburg, PA 16648, Attn: David Sherman |
Designing Roadway AlignmentsContinued from page 1
Productive Farmlands As everyone in southern Somerset County realizes, the study area has many productive farm fields that are a vital part of the local economy. Minimizing impacts to productive farmlands was at the very top of our designer’s list, and several design shifts were made in order to minimize impacts to this important resource.
Residential and Commercial Displacements One of the main objectives from the beginning of this project was to avoid, if possible, any residential or business displacements. Therefore, a major emphasis was placed on designing the alignments around existing buildings within the study area.
Threatened & Endangered Species The project area is within the range of several state and/or federal
listed, threatened and endangered species and contains the habitat
that could support some of these species. These species include the
Indiana Bat, the Longnose Sucker, the Appalachian Blue Violet, the
Timber Rattlesnake, the Fraser Sedge, |
the Upland Sandpiper, the Allegheny Woodrat, and the Eastern Small-footed Myotis. While all of the proposed alignments have impacts to the various habitats of these plants and animals, efforts were made to avoid areas or minimize impacts to areas where these species were actually observed.
Historic Resources Several known historic resources are located within the study area, including the Flora Black House, St. Paul’s Ridge United Church of Christ and Cemetery, the Burkholder Covered Bridge, the W. Bollman & Company Bridge, the Western Maryland Railroad and Viaduct, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and the Valley Grange. None of these resources were impacted by any of the alignments. As part of the environmental process of this project, the Swamp Creek Valley Historic District (SCVHD), located in the southeast portion of the study area, was identified as a National Register Eligible Resource. The size and location of this resource are such that none of the alignments could avoid impacting it. However, efforts were made during the design process to minimize impacts to several of the contributing farmsteads that makeup the SCVHD.
The issues mentioned above are only a few of the constraints that the Project Team had to consider while designing the alignments. In addition to overcoming engineering constraints and minimizing environmental impacts, the alignments had to meet current design standards while satisfying the needs of the project. Alignment C-1 not only accomplishes this, but will also have the least impact to the environment. It is important to note that this alignment was developed with the combined efforts of experienced engineers, environmental scientists, resource agency representatives, and you, the citizens of the southern Somerset County region.
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