Welcome!

1. Welcome! to theLake Champlain Bridge ProjectPublic Advisory Committee (PAC)First Organizational Meeting10:00 AM to 1:00 PMJUNE 28, 2007Chimney Point Vermont State Historic Site

2. MEETING AGENDA • Introductions • Project Overview • Role of the PAC • Next Steps • Roundtable Discussion

3. MEETING AGENDA • Introductions

8. Design Consultant

10. SAFETEA-LU Agency Working Group

12. Design Consultant SAFETEA-LU Agency Working Group

13. MEETING AGENDA • Introductions • Project Overview

14. PROJECTLOCATION Lake Champlain YOU ARE HERE Chimney Point, VT Crown Point, NY

15. BRIDGE STATISTICS • BRIDGE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: 5521180 • AGE: Built in 1929 • LENGTH: 14 spans, • 2,184 feet • ROADWAY WIDTH: 26.1 feet • STRUCTURE TYPE: Combination of thru truss, deck • truss, and deck plate girders • BIKE / PED ACCOMMODATIONS: None • VERTICAL CLEARANCE ON BRIDGE: 14 feet • MAX VERTICAL CLEARANCE OVER WATER: 95 feet • AVERAGE ANNUAL • DAILY TAFFIC (2005): 3,400 vehicles per day • WEIGHT CAPACITY: Restricted since 1994 to less than 102,000 pounds • LAST MAJOR WORK: 1991

16. View looking south from Crown Point, NY showing main thru truss span at the mid point of the bridge

17. View looking east toward Chimney Point, VT from above the thru truss

18. View looking east from New York side

19. View looking west from Vermont side

20. Plaque at mid point of bridge marking the state line between New York (left) and Vermont (right)

21. View from Crown Point, NY historic site. Note deck plate girders comprising the first three spans

22. View from Chimney Point, VT historic site from below deck plate girder spans near first deck truss

23. INITIAL PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION • Bridge Condition Rating • Score 3.764 out of a possible 7 points • Scores between 3 and 4 indicate ”serious deterioration or not functioning as originally designed” • Problems are with main carrying members, bearings, joints, and wearing surface • Federal Sufficiency Rating • Score 29.2 out of a possible 100 points • Scores less than 65 qualify for Federal funding • Load Restricted • R-Posted. Also, vehicles operating pursuant to Permit Types that normally allow weights greater than 102,000 pounds are prohibited from crossing. • Limited roadway vertical clearance of 14’-0” • Trucks in excess of 14’ have struck the bridge on several occasions, requiring the bridge to be closed for repair

24. View of the top of pier at one end of the thru truss

25. Close-up view of steel deterioration

26. Signs noting vertical clearance and weight limitations

27. PRELIMINARY ALTERNATIVESPERCEIVED AS REASONABLE(as discussed at August 29, 2006Public Information Meeting) • Rehabilitation • Replacement on Existing Alignment • Replacement on Slightly Modified Alignment • Replacement on New Alignment (New Location)

28. DISCUSSION POINTS(as presented at August 29, 2006Public Information Meeting) • Age of Bridge • Historical Nature of Bridge • Historical Nature of Area • Pedestrian & Bicyclists Accommodation (Roadway & Bridge Width) • Permits • Seismic Retrofits • Navigation Clearance (Horizontal) • Vertical Clearance on Bridge • Vertical Clearance Under the Bridge • Non-redundancy of Structure • Load Posting • Overall Bridge Length & Number of Spans • Grades on Bridge • Sight Distance on bridge • Initial Project Cost • Life Cycle Costs • Maintenance of Traffic During Construction

29. MEETING AGENDA • Introductions • Project Overview • Role of the PAC • In Public Involvement • In the Design and Environmental Processing of the Project • In the Project Decision Making Process

30. ROLE OF THE PACINPUBLIC INVOLVEMENT Public Meetings will Continue to be an important part of Public Involvement

31. PACROLE ACCORDING TO THE NYSDOTPUBLIC INVOLVEMENT MANUAL: Note: “Citizen’s” is synonymous with “Public”

32. ROLE OF THE PACIN THE DESIGNAND ENVRONMENTAL PROCESSINGOF THIS PROJECT • Overview of NYSDOT’s design process • Overview of Federal NEPA process • Overview of New York’s SEQR process • Overview of Federal SAFETEA-LU process for coordination of environmental reviews • Overview of Vermont’s Land Use and Development Law, Act 250

33. ROLE OF THE PACIN THE DESIGNAND ENVRONMENTAL PROCESSINGOF THIS PROJECT • Overview of NYSDOT’s design process

34. NYSDOT DESIGN PROCESSFOLLOWS TRADITIONALPROBLEM SOLVING STEPS 1 THRU 5 Prepare Scope Approval Document 2008 - 2009 Prepare Design Approval Document 2009 – 2010 Gather Information 2007-2008 Prepare Contract Drawings 2011 - 2012 Select Design Consultant, 2008 Build Project, 2012 - 2015 YOU ARE HERE

35. ROLE OF THE PACIN THE DESIGNAND ENVRONMENTAL PROCESSINGOF THIS PROJECT • Overview of NYSDOT’s design process • Overview of Federal NEPA process

36. OVERVIEW OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT of 1969a.k.a. NEPA • The underlying intent of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is to require federal agencies to incorporate environmental considerations into project development and decision-making processes. • NEPA requires federal agencies to put this decision- making process into writing and makes it open to public and judicial review at several levels. • The Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that NEPA is a strictly procedural statute, meaning that although it forces agencies to formally consider the environmental impacts of their actions, it does not in any way dictate the final decision on the action.

37. DESIGN PROCESS RELATIONSHIP TO NEPA YOU ARE HERE

38. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENTDURING THE NEPA PROCESS YOU ARE HERE (1),(2) (1) • This flowchart shows 3 separate environmental processes. Only 1 process is followed for any given project. Each process has a different approval document and a different expected duration. • This process is used only for the most simple projects, such as maintenance type actions. (1)

39. ROLE OF THE PACIN THE DESIGNAND ENVRONMENTAL PROCESSINGOF THIS PROJECT • Overview of NYSDOT’s design process • Overview of Federal NEPA process • Overview of New York’s SEQR process

40. OVERVIEW OF THE NEW YORK STATE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY REVIEW ACTof 1978, a.k.a. SEQR • SEQR requires the sponsoring or approving governmental body to identify and mitigate the significant environmental impacts of the activity it is proposing or permitting • The SEQR lead agency determines the significance of an action's environmental impacts. The agency then decides whether to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and whether to hold a public hearing on the proposed action. • In general, federal-aid projects progressed under NEPA guidelines satisfy all SEQR requirements.

41. SEQR PROCEDURAL STEPS YOU ARE HERE

42. ROLE OF THE PACIN THE DESIGNAND ENVRONMENTAL PROCESSINGOF THIS PROJECT • Overview of NYSDOT’s design process • Overview of Federal NEPA process • Overview of New York’s SEQR process • Overview of Federal SAFETEA-LU process for coordination of environmental reviews

43. OVERVIEW OF THE SAFE, ACCOUNTABLE, FLEXIBLE, EFFICIENT TRANSPORTATION EQUITY ACT: A LEGACY FOR USERS of 2005a.k.a. SAFETEA-LU • Part 6002improves theefficiency of environmental reviews • Applicable to new projects advanced with environmental impact statements (EIS process) • After providing opportunities for public and interagency involvement, DOT defines the project's purpose and need and establishes a plan for coordinating public and agency participation • As early as practicable in the process, DOT provides an opportunity for a range of alternatives to be considered

44. SAFETEA-LU OVERVIEW CONTINUED • Opportunities for input are publicized (such as thru press releases and direct mailings announcing public informational meetings and via the project website) • After consideration of the public’s and participating agency’s input, the Lead Agencies (in this case NYSDOT, VAOT, and FHWA) are the decision makers. • Lead Agency decisions and rationale are documented and disclosed to the participating agencies and the public

45. SAFETEA-LU Agency Working Group The Agency Working Group is one tool for obtaining participating agency input. This group is comprised of representatives of: • Federal Highway Administration • Army Corps of Engineers • Environmental Protection Agency • US Fish and Wildlife Agency • National Park Service • US Coast Guard • NYS Department of Transportation • VT Agency of Transportation • NYS Historic Preservation Office • VT Division for Historic Preservation • NYS Dept of Environmental Conservation • VT Agency of Natural Resources • Adirondack Park Agency • Addison County Reg Planning Commission • Act 250 Commission The Public Advisory Committee is one tool for obtaining public input. The PAC is comprised of representatives of: • Elected Officials • Historic Interests • Residential Interests • Business Interests • Recreational Interests • Agricultural Interests • Environmental Interests

46. ROLE OF THE PACIN THE DESIGNAND ENVRONMENTAL PROCESSINGOF THIS PROJECT • Overview of NYSDOT’s design process • Overview of Federal NEPA process • Overview of New York’s SEQR process • Overview of Federal SAFETEA-LU process for coordination of environmental reviews • Overview of Vermont’s Land Use and Development Law, Act 250

47. OVERVIEW OF VERMONTS LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT ACT of 1970a.k.a. ACT 250 • The Vermont legislature formally stated in 1969, Act 250 was necessary to “. . . Regulate and control the utilization and usages of lands and the environment to insure that, hereafter, the only usages which will be permitted are not unduly detrimental to the environment...."' • One regional planning commission recently explained the purpose this way: "The goals of Act 250 are to protect the environment. . . and to provide a forum for neighbors, municipalities and other interest groups to voice their concerns."