Texas Department of Transportation Corpus Christi District

1. Texas Department of TransportationCorpus Christi District U.S. 181 (Harbor Bridge) Environmental Documentation and Schematic Development Citizens’ Advisory Committee September 27- 28, 2005

2. Welcome

3. Tonight’s Agenda • Introductions • Mission of Citizens’ Advisory Committee • Review of Harbor Bridge Feasibility Study • Project Status and Schedule • Environmental Documentation Process • Alternative Alignments • Planning for Next Meeting

4. Mission of the CAC • To offer community the opportunity for timely information exchange with TxDOT on Harbor Bridge project • To present project information as it becomes available • To consider your comments • To assist TxDOT in conveying information to the community

5. CAC Logistics • Open membership • Meetings held at frequency desired by membership • Now meeting in Portland and Corpus Christi

6. Summary of Harbor Bridge Feasibility Study • Completed in 2003 • Established purpose and need for bridge replacement • Considered public input • Identified/evaluated four possible corridors for replacement bridge • Recommended a preferred corridor

7. Study Area for Harbor Bridge Replacement

8. Need for Harbor Bridge Improvement • Safety • Steep vertical grades • Lack of shoulders • Sharp horizontal curves • Maintenance • High costs • Corrosive environment • Economics • Restrictive vertical clearance

9. Public Input Considered • Considered input from the public and other stakeholders • Three citizens’ advisory committee meetings • Two newsletters • Two public meetings

10. Your Ideas for Harbor Bridge Replacement • Safety • Provide adequate width for current and future traffic • Provide shoulders and remove sharp approach curves • Make more user friendly with bike lanes and pedestrian walkway • Social/Community • Support livable, united neighborhoods • Revitalize community

11. Your Ideas for Harbor Bridge Replacement (cont.) • Maintenance • Use durable materials/ long lasting structure • Aesthetics • Maintain distinctive, signature structure • Result in skyline worthy structure • Economics • Provide adequate navigational clearances

12. Harbor Bridge Corridor Alternatives

13. Corridor Evaluation Process • Evaluation criteria developed for four possible corridors • Criteria fall into three categories: • Environmental/Public Involvement Issues • Traffic/Planning • Engineering • Each alternative corridor evaluated and ranked

14. Ranking of Corridors forHarbor Bridge Replacement # 1: Red Corridor Why? • Lower environmental impact • Achieves desirable design criteria • Highly compatible with future development plans for local community • Resolves offset alignment between Crosstown Expressway and U.S. 181

15. Ranking of Corridor forHarbor Bridge Replacement # 2: Orange Corridor Why? • Similar environmental impact to #1 • Meets design criteria • Moderately compatible with future development plans

16. Ranking of Corridor forHarbor Bridge Replacement # 3: Blue Corridor Why? • Higher impact on coastal/aquatic life • Higher visual impact • Worsens access to central business district • Creates barrier between central business district and beachfront area

17. Ranking of Corridors forHarbor Bridge Replacement # 4: Green Corridor Why? • More relocations required than for red and orange • High adverse effect on local business/ economic interests • Low compatibility with future development plans for community • Worsens access to central business district • Does not address offset alignment between Crosstown Expressway and U.S. 181

18. Project Phases • Feasibility Study – Completed in 2003 • Environmental Documentation and Schematic Development – Now underway • Right-of-Way Mapping/Acquisition • Preparation of Detailed Construction Plan • Construction – funding and phasing

19. Tolling Considered for Harbor Bridge Replacement • TxDOT charged by Texas Transportation Commission to consider tolling of new facilities • Tolling study will include investigation of tolling strategies and their application to this project • Estimate amount of toll • Estimate possible revenues to be generated from tolling • Evaluate number of lanes to be tolled • Use of tolling will affect construction schedule

20. Projected Harbor Bridge Replacement Timeline • Complete feasibility study – Summer 2003 • Prepare Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) followed by Record of Decision (ROD) • Prepare document – 2004 to 2008 • Public involvement – Throughout project • Environmental Clearance – 2008

21. Harbor Bridge Replacement Timeline (cont.) • Prepare ROW Map and Acquire ROW –2008 to 2010 • Develop construction plans –2008 to 2010 • Start phase construction –2010-2015 (with tolling); 2025- 2030 (without tolling)

22. Approach to Environmental Documentation/ Schematic Development Phase • Red Corridor recommended for further evaluation in Feasibility Study • In 2005, TxDOT and FHWA determined that Green and Blue Corridors need not be evaluated in detail during the EIS process • However, all corridors, including the No-Build, to be considered during the EIS process

23. Potential Environmental Constraints

24. Status of Environmental Documentation Process NEXT . . . • Assess impacts from proposed alternatives on Social, Natural and Physical Environment • Coordinate with local, state and Federal agencies that oversee resources that may be impacted • Develop mitigation strategies for those impacts that cannot be avoided

25. Alternative Alignments for Further Study

26. Meeting with Corpus Christi AIA • Meet on Sept. 29 to review Harbor Bridge replacement project with local architects • Explain current alignments being evaluated • Provide local architects an opportunity to provide input on type of structure and lighting options for a new bridge

27. Planning for Next Meeting • Next CAC meeting: date/topics • Upcoming public meeting: 1/06