Meeting
Summary
Rte. 79/I-195 Interchange Improvements Study
Task Force meeting, January 26, 2011, 8:00 a.m. Marine Museum
Attendees: See attached.
Introductions and Updates
Anne McKinnon, Jacobs Engineering, led introductions. She gave an update since the Sept. 30 Task Force
meeting at which the Task Force voiced strong support for at-grade alternatives that would remove the viaduct. MassDOT Highway Division and MassDOT District 5 reviewed the four alternatives and both recommended Alternative 3, at-grade Rte. 79 with Milliken Connector. Work on the Environmental Notification
Form (ENF) is underway. The goal originally was to file the ENF in December, but since the larger goal is
to prepare a comprehensive ENF that addresses all issues and impacts, it will be filed later. In general, the
goal has been to “design out” impacts to wetlands, historic resources, parkland, etc. to minimize negative
impacts in the environmental documents. She reported that a key meeting between MassDOT and FHWA
was held Jan. 20, bringing together the FHWA acting administrator, traffic, bridge, and environmental staff.
Updates
Dan Crovo, MassDOT District 5 bridge engineer, gave an update on the emergency repair contract. As part
of the work being done, Ramp G (I-195 WB to Rte. 79NB) was found to have deteriorated so much that it
has been closed. The contractor is shoring up the structure and addressing the safety issues. The majority of
the major repairs will be completed this year. The contractor will be available to address any new issues that
may arise until the final construction contract begins in 2013.
Michael O’Dowd, MassDOT project manager, used the 60-scale model to describe some of the preliminary
design work the team has been working on. He asked the group for feedback on the model itself, noting that
MassDOT doesn’t often commission study models like this. A number of Task Force members said the
model has been very helpful in explaining the alternative concepts for the highway and the future of the area.
Skip McCourt, MassDOT District 5, said the model was used at last week’s meeting with FHWA and several
participants said the model helped them fully understand the concepts.
O’Dowd reported on the day-long FHWA workshop on Jan. 20. Many key FHWA staff were present, including national technical experts via conference call. The focus of the meeting was on MassDOT’s recommended alternative, the “hybrid” at-grade alternative that combines features of the two at-grade alternatives
reviewed in September. He reviewed some specific issues discussed at the meeting:
Construction start date and cost (2013 start, 4-year construction, $170 million). MassDOT had an
independent review of cost and construction duration estimates and have confirmed Jacobs’ work.
Construction-period impacts on local street circulation are being looked at now.
SRPEDD’s Long-Range Transportation Plan needs to be amended to reflect the new project (the rehabilitation project is currently included in the Plan). The air quality analysis including the proposed
project needs to be evaluated.
FHWA suggested preparing a single, combined federal EA and state ENF, and that is the approach
MassDOT will take. This combined environmental document will be prepared throughout the spring
and filed before summer. [Note: Although less than 5% of FHWA projects involve EISs, the primary purpose of an EA is to help FHWA decide whether an EIS is needed. Consequently, the state1
ment at the Task Force meeting that FHWA has already determined the level of environmental
documentation needed was premature.]
FHWA did not reject the proposal to remove the viaduct. FHWA said it has some suggested potential improvements to the at-grade alternative and committed to meeting every two weeks to resolve
issues. It also committed to facilitating the environmental and design processes in terms of reviews.
Alan Macomber expressed concern that the FHWA meeting seems to have been held late in the study process
and that FHWA is moving slower than MassDOT needs for an Accelerated Bridge Program (ABP) project.
He asked if ABP funds are in jeopardy due to delays in the study. O’Dowd said the timing of the meeting
with FHWA was good; MassDOT had been getting feedback and input on a variety of things and has incorporated many. The meeting was a chance to systematically review everything. O’Dowd said he is confident
the project is on track, and that a few procedural steps—including the new at-grade plan in the Transportation Plan and updating the Finance Plan –are being handled now to prevent delays.
Rte. 79 Interchange Hybrid At-grade Alternative: Key Features
Rod Emery, Jacobs Engineering, reviewed the outcomes from the Sept. 30 Task Force meeting. The Task
Force voiced support for the two at-grade alternatives. The two at-grade alternatives eliminated the Rte. 79
viaduct, connected Water Street with at-grade Rte. 79 via a new connector near the Gates of the City, and include three signals on Rte. 79 at Central Street, Anawan Street, and proposed Water Street Connector. Major
differences included the proposed Milliken Connector that would increase connectivity between Rte. 79 and
Milliken Blvd. and the removal of Ramp L (Central Street to I-195 WB).
Hybrid at-grade alternative: This alternative, which MassDOT prefers, combines elements of the two
at-grade alternatives studied. After Sept. 30, the team combined the best features of the at-grade alternatives,
addressed issues raised by the Traffic Section at MassDOT Highway Division, and eliminated the signal for
vehicles from I-195 EB, allowing traffic off the Interstate to continue without a signal, a concern of FHWA.
Features:
Safety is improved–weave sections with safety issues removed, local intersections improved
Traffic operates at LOS D (acceptable) or better for all study intersections
No negative impact to regional network (Rte. 24 and I-195, freeway, weave, and ramp junctions)
Bicycle and pedestrian connections improved at local intersections
Improved access to waterfront and downtown
Highway geometry will be maintained or improved per AASHTO guidelines
No major environmental issues
Visual impact in historic district eliminated
Reduces bridge structure by about 50%
Provides 75-year life span
Better ramp connections to local roads without impacts to regional connections
Supported by Task Force
Emery said one of the big refinements, the “half signal,” will prevent vehicles from backing up onto I-195.
This change, however, will make I-195 EB access to the downtown longer than today due to the elimination
of the direct connection to Milliken Blvd. Water Street Connector will be two-way and the shared-use path
will run from Milliken to Water Street. Emery said that since the intersection of Harbor Terrace at Central
Street is so close to the Central Street/Rte. 79 intersection, he recommends closing Harbor Terrace here to
motor vehicles. Pedestrians and cyclists would continue to have access. Steve Camara, Lower Highlands
N.A., asked if a pedestrian bridge would be considered anywhere in the project area. Emery said this is not a
good location for a pedestrian bridge—few would use it and the ramps needed to meet ADA requirements
would impact Heritage State Park.
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Environmental Issues
Diane Madden, MassDOT Highway Division—Environmental, gave an update on state and federal environmental reviews. MassDOT is coordinating with FHWA to produce a combined Environmental Assessment/ENF. Some key issues include Section 4(f) parkland resources—no permanent impacts are anticipated.
The Gates of the City near the Water Street Connector is not considered a park. Temporary slope easements
at the Heritage State Park are likely. Impacts to historic resources include the Central Street Bridge over
Quequechan River, which is National-Register eligible. The expansion of Central Street/Rte. 79 intersection
will impact parapet walls. The driveway at the mill complex at Davol and Pocasset streets is very close to
the intersection of proposed Rte. 79/Pocasset Street. Several alternatives will be developed and evaluated to
address this issue. Minor impacts to the Borden and Remington Company site at Anawan Street (c. 1890)
and could result from the Water Street Connector. The team is trying to redesign here to avoid impacts.
Questions/comments from Task Force members included: Alan Amaral of the Prince Henry Society of Fall
River that managed construction of the Gates said it is a monument of historical and cultural significance to
Portuguese residents and is not parkland. Brad King, Battleship Cove, asked about So. Coast Rail plans to
use the Gates as a driveway to the proposed station. Conboy said this project would not preclude a platform.
Proposed Design and Construction Schedule
Conboy reviewed the work plan for 2011:
Update MPO long-range plan to include new Rte. 79 project description
Resolve historic impact issues by spring 2011
Public meeting in April to kick off Federal NEPA process
Finalize Interchange Modification Report by May
File State ENF and Federal EA as combined environmental document in June
Hold public consultation session on EA/ENF in July
Continue with preliminary design throughout 2011
O’Dowd reviewed the sequence for design and construction. The project will use the Design/Build
method—similar to that done for the Exit 8 ½ interchange project on Rte. 24. David Reilly, Battleship Cove,
asked how constraints on contractor access, etc. would be dealt with in a Design/Build contract. O’Dowd
said conditions will be included in the 25% design plans Jacobs prepares. The Task Force will help identify
issues to communicate to the contractor.
Complete preliminary design March 2012
Issue RFP for contractor June 2012
Begin construction January 2013
Complete construction October 2016
Discussion and Next Steps
The Task Force will be kept abreast of the progress of the environmental documents, the progress of the design of the improvements, and public outreach activities including a public meeting in April and the Environmental Assessment/ENF in June/July. O’Dowd thanked everyone for working hard on this and sticking
with us. The meeting adjourned at 9:50 a.m. Attendees were invited to stay to review the 60-scale model.
Exhibits used at the meeting: Agenda, PowerPoint presentation, 60-scale model, refined hybrid at-grade alternative handout.
If your understanding of the meeting is different, please contact Stephanie.Boundy@state.ma.us.
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Rte. 79/I-195 Interchange Study
January 26, 2011, Task Force meeting, 8:00 a.m. Marine Museum
Attendees
Rep. Kevin
Alan
Pedro
Bob
Dan
Stephanie
Ethan
Steven
Darren
Lynn
Daniel
George
Arthur
Rod
Mayor Will
Amy
Robert
Holly
Greg
Pam
Jim
Byron
Michael
Robert
Mary
Lanny
David
Julianne
Brad
Chris
Marc
Don
Lisa
Michael
Alan
Diane
Frank
Peter
Skip
Anne
Robert
Paul
Aguiar
Amaral
Amaral
Bogan
Bogan
Boundy
Britland
Camara
Conboy
Creamer
Crovo
Delany
Eddy
Emery
Flanagan
Getchell
Gregory
Grosvenor
Guimond
Hazner
Hartnett
Holmes
Holtzman
Horton
Hynes
Johnson
Johnston
Kelly
King
Laudon
Landry
Leighton
Lowney
Lund
Macomber
Madden
Mahady
Mair
McCourt
McKinnon
Medeiros
Mission
State Representative
Fall River OED Board
State Senator Michael Rodrigues aide
Borden & Remington
Borden & Remington
MassDOT Highway Division/ABP
MassDOT Planning
Lower Highlands N’hood Assn.
Jacobs Engineering
Fall River OED
MassDOT Hwy. Division Dist. 5
Fall River Mill Owners Assn.
Gates, Leighton Landscape Architects
Jacobs Engineering Group
Fall River Mayor
MassDOT Hwy. Division/ABP
MassDOT Hwy. Division Dist. 5
Newport Collaborative Architects/FREE
SRPEDD
MassDOT Hwy. Division Dist. 5
Fall River Planning Director
Fall River City Engineer
Herald News
Fall River Heritage State Park
MassDOT Hwy. Division, Environmental
Fall River OED
Mass. DEP Southeast Region
Mass. in Motion Fall River
Battleship Cove Executive Director
Fall River Mill Owners Assn.
Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
Gates, Leighton Landscape Architects
US Congressman Barney Frank aide
Fall River City Council
Fall River business owner
MassDOT Hwy. Division, Environmental
FXM Associates (Jacobs Team)
Public Archaeology Lab (Jacobs Team)
MassDOT Hwy. Division Dist. 5
Jacobs Engineering Group
Starck Architects
SRPEDD
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Ray
Patrick
Michael
Mark
Michele
Garth
Brian
Daniel
Dan
David
Rep. Michael
Thomas
Seth
Carl F.
Greg
Paul
Rep. David
Patricia
Steven
David
Karim
Mitchell
Norton
O’Dowd
O’Hara
Paul
Patterson
Pearson
Rapoza
Rego
Reilly
Rodrigues
St. Sauveur
Shapiro
Sawejko
Shaw
Simister
Sullivan
Tod
Torres
Weed
Zaklama
Fall River City Council
US Congressman Jim McGovern aide
MassDOT Highway Division/ABP
Mass. Coastal Railroad
Fall River OED
US Congressman Barney Frank aide
Fall River Community Development
State Representative Kevin Aguiar aide
Carpenters Union
Battleship Cove Board of Directors
State House of Representatives
MassDOT owner’s representative
Property management
Battleship Cove Board of Directors
Artisan Design/Build (Jacobs team)
Marine Museum
State Representative
Fall River mill owner
Fall River Corporation Counsel
Healthy City Fall River
MassDOT
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