benning road & bridges transportation improvements

318 Pages·2016·16.15 MB·English

by  Cogburn, Megan

BENNING ROAD & BRIDGES

D J 2015
RAFT UNE
TRANSPORTATION
IMPROVEMENTS
E A
NVIRONMENTAL SSESSMENT
DRAFT MAY 2016
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ES-1
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The District Department of Transportation (DDOT), in conjunction with the Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA), is proposing transportation improvements (the proposed action) along
the Benning Road corridor in Washington, DC. The proposed action would improve
transportation infrastructure conditions, enhance safety and operations along the corridor and at
key intersections, enhance pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and extend streetcar transit service.
FHWA is the lead federal agency for the Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements
Environmental Assessment (EA), with DDOT (the Applicant) as joint lead. The Federal Transit
Administration (FTA), National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), and National Park Service
(NPS) are cooperating agencies.
The proposed improvements are anticipated to be predominantly within DDOT right-of-way
(ROW). The proposed action would also include FHWA approval to allow DDOT to use Federal
Aid Route ROW on Benning Road for streetcar operations. FHWA concurred with the use of this
ROW for mass transit use in a letter to DDOT dated April 18, 2013. The project is included in the
adopted National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board Transportation Improvement
Program (TIP) and the Financially Constrained Long Range Plan (CLRP). Where noted, the
“Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements EA Project Team” as listed includes the
technical team members also listed in Chapter 6, List of Preparers.
This EA has been prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA), Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508), FHWA’s
Environmental Impact and Related Procedures (23 CFR 771 and 774), FHWA’s Technical Advisory
Guidance for Preparing and Processing Environmental and Section 4(f) Documents (T6640.8A), and
DDOT’s Environmental Process Manual. The project also includes the evaluation of potential effects
to cultural resources in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (54
U.S.C. 300101 et seq.).
The EA for the Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements project (“the project”)
includes the Purpose and Need, Alternatives, Affected Environment, Environmental
Consequences and Public and Agency Coordination, as outlined below.
ES-1 PURPOSE AND NEED
The purpose of the Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements project is to address
deficiencies in transportation infrastructure conditions, improve safety conditions and operations
for both motorized and non-motorized access, and to provide for increased mobility and
accessibility by improving transit operations and options between the intersection of Benning
Road, and Oklahoma Avenue and the Benning Road Metrorail Station.
The Benning Road corridor is located within the Northeast section of Washington, DC. This area
has been part of several studies and plans in the past including the DC Transit Future System Plan,
the Benning Road Streetcar Extension Feasibility Study and the Benning Road Corridor Redevelopment
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ES-1
DRAFT Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements Environmental Assessment
Framework Plan. The need to improve the Benning Road corridor to safely and efficiently
accommodate all modes of transportation is a recurring theme in previous planning studies. The
specific needs for this project are the following:
• Improve transportation infrastructure conditions;
• Enhance safety and operations along the corridor and at key intersections;
• Enhance and install pedestrian and bicycle facilities; and
• Extend streetcar transit service.
The Purpose and Need was vetted through public and agency coordination (refer to Chapter 5,
Public and Agency Coordination) and was used to develop and screen alternatives (refer to
Chapter 2, Alternatives).
ES-2 PROJECT BACKGROUND
The Benning Road corridor is approximately two miles long. The study area (the “project study
area”) is shown in Figure ES-1. The western terminus for the project is the intersection of Benning
Road and Oklahoma Avenue and the eastern terminus is the Benning Road Metrorail Station.
This area has been part of several studies and plans in the past including the DC Transit Future
System Plan, DDOT Benning Road Streetcar Extension Study and Benning Road Corridor Redevelopment
Framework Plan, all of which highlight the need to improve the Benning Road corridor to safely and
efficiently accommodate all modes of transportation.
As described in Chapter 1, Purpose and Need, the existing bridges over DC-295 (Kenilworth
Avenue) and the CSX Railroad are in need of repair or rehabilitation. The existing bridges also lack
adequate sidewalks. The current intersection of Benning Road and Minnesota Avenue provides
several safety and operational challenges. Pedestrian and vehicular accidents as well as delays at
this intersection are commonly observed. The existing corridor shows heavy transit activity and
would benefit from additional transit options such as the extension of the existing H/Benning
Streetcar Line that currently terminates at the Oklahoma Avenue and Benning Road intersection.
ES-2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
DRAFT Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements Environmental Assessment

Figure ES-1: Study Area
Source: DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO); Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements EA Project Team, February 2014
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ES-3
DRAFT Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements Environmental Assessment
ES-3 ALTERNATIVES
Several alternatives for the Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements project were
developed in accordance with the project objectives established to meet the project Purpose and
Need. The details are provided in Chapter 2, Alternatives. Three alternatives, including the No
Build Alternative and two Build Alternatives, are analyzed in detail in this EA.
No Build Alternative:
The No Build Alternative includes the existing roadway, bridges, median, sidewalks, and transit
services as shown in Figure ES-2. It assumes that the currently programmed, committed, and/or
funded transportation projects in the project study area would be completed.
While the No Build Alternative does not completely meet the Purpose and Need of the proposed
action, it provides a baseline for comparing the environmental consequences of the Build
Alternatives.
Build Alternative 1:
Build Alternative 1 would reconstruct portions of the roadway and some structures along Benning
Road to enhance safety and operations, enhance and install pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and
extend streetcar service along the study corridor. It includes the following infrastructure changes
to meet the project Purpose and Need:
Improve transportation infrastructure conditions
• Replacement of the Benning Road Bridges over DC-295 and CSX tracks with one new
bridge;
Enhance safety and operations along the corridor and at key intersections
• Reconstruction of the intersection of Benning Road and Minnesota Avenue to provide
pedestrian safety improvements;
• Providing a longer turn lane on eastbound Benning Road towards northbound Minnesota
Avenue;
• Providing a second left-hand turn lane from northbound Minnesota Avenue to westbound
Benning Road, and extending the right-turn pocket lane from southbound Minnesota
Avenue to eastbound Benning Road;
• Providing ADA compliant sidewalks on both sides of the bridge;
• Construction of pedestrian safety improvements at Benning Road and 36th Street;
Enhance and install pedestrian and bicycle facilities
• Reconstruction of sidewalks and construction of shared-use paths along the corridor; and
Extend streetcar service
• Construction of shared streetcar lanes and ancillary facilities including platforms and
propulsion systems.
ES-4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
DRAFT Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements Environmental Assessment
Build Alternative 1 would provide a 12-foot, curb-running streetcar shared lane for the length of
the Benning Road corridor as shown in Figure ES-3. The shared streetcar lane would be
constructed in the outside lane adjacent to the curb and pedestrian facilities. It would include all
facilities and structures needed for the streetcar operations including traction power substations
(TPSS), catenary poles, and streetcar stops. Build Alternative 1 would place passenger loading
platforms at locations about a quarter-mile apart and constructed along the eastbound and
westbound directions of Benning Road at six locations as shown in Figure ES-4:
• Oklahoma Avenue (western terminus);
• Kingman Island;
• 34th Street;
• 39th Street;
• 42nd Street; and
• Benning Road Metrorail Station (eastern terminus).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ES-5
DRAFT Benning Road and Bridges Transportation Improvements Environmental Assessment
Figure ES-2: Existing/No Build Alternative Roadway Typical Sections

A

*Grassy buffer area varies and is not shown in sections A and B above
ES-6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY