Resource Team/TEER Meeting

1
Resource Team/TEER Meeting
October 19, 2006
2
Agenda

• Introductions and Housekeeping
• Follow-up Issues
• Phase I Updates
• Review
• TEER Document Update
• Open Discussion
• Adjourn

1000 AM 1005 AM 1030 AM 1130 AM Noon
3
Opening Comments

• Introductions
• Housekeeping
• Other

4
Follow-up

• Phase I Updates
• Items Completed
• Wall Painting
• Median Construction
• Paving and pavement markings
• Signage added for wildlife crossings
• Project Closeout
• Contractor complete

5
Follow-up

• Phase I Updates
• Landscaping
• Design work complete
• City of Gatlinburg to open bids mid November
• City of Gatlinburg landscape contractor to reach
  substantial completion by end May 2007

6
Review

• US 321, SR 73 Improvements (Phase II)
• Concept I
• Extension of Phase I improvements
• 4 Lane with raised landscaped median
• Constant roadway width
• Concept II
• Bifurcated/variable width median alignment
• Existing lanes to become eastbound US-321
• New alignment to be built for westbound US-321

7
TEER Document

• Draft Tennessee Environmental Evaluation Report
  (TEER) Document complete
• Sent to agencies for concurrence as part of the
  Tennessee Interagency Agreement (TIA)
• Mailed on August 10, 2006
• Concurrence due back September 25, 2006 (45 days)
• Sent to CBRT for review and comment

8
TEER Document

• TEER Document Table of Contents
• Summary
• Purpose and Need
• Alternatives
• Concept I
• Concept II
• Concept IIa
• No-Build Alternative
• Impacts
• Public Involvement

9
TEER Document

• Why was Concept IIa created?
• Concept IIa was created to avoid relocating
  Greenbriar Cove Road on GSMNP land
• Concept II was slightly revised to create Concept
  IIa
• In the original designs of Concepts I and II, the
  current and proposed locations of Greenbriar Cove
  Road were on an archaeological site potentially
  eligible for the National Register of Historic
  Places

10
TEER Document

• Subsequent Concept IIa findings
• Since Concept IIa was created, TDOTs Design
  Office acknowledged that a design exception would
  be possible to allow the Greenbriar Cove Road to
  remain in place on GSMNP property
• Since there is no construction proposed on
  Federal land (GSMNP) the NEPA process is not
  triggered
• The NPS requested that Concept IIa remain as a
  build alternative

11
TEER Document
12
TEER Document
13
TEER Document

• TEER Next Steps
• Consolidate comments on Draft TEER from Resource
  Agencies and incorporate into document
• Obtain TDOT approval for Draft TEER
• Make approved Draft TEER document available for
  public review (30 days minimum)
• Area libraries
• City Hall
• TDOT website
• Conduct Public Hearing (date TBD)
• Accept Public Hearing comments for 21 days after
  the Public Hearing

14
TEER Document

• TEER Next Steps (continued)
• Summarize Public Hearing comments
• Resource Team makes FINAL RECOMMENDATION
• TDOT selects preferred alternative
• Prepare Final TEER
• Begin preliminary engineering

15
TEER Document

• Questions or comments on the Draft TEER?

16
TEER Document/Process

• Estimated Schedule

end Nov 2006 Jan 2007 mid Feb 2007 TBD 2007 TBD
2007 TBD 2007 TBD 2007
Public Hearing Summarize Public Hearing
Comments Finalize CBRT recommendation to
TDOT TDOT selection of the Preferred
Alternative Preparation of the Final TEER Address
fourth concurrence point with agencies TDOT
approval and distribution of Final TEER
17
Open Discussion

• All Attendees

18
Adjourn