Public Hearing
for
Chapter 91 Waterways License Application
For
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
August 14, 2012
4 p.m.
Heritage State Park, Fall River, MA
SPEAKERS
Andrea Langhauser, Regional Planner in the MassDEP Waterways Regulation Program.
Amy Getchell, Accelerated Bridge Program, MassDOT Highway Division
Mary Hynes, Environmental Section, MassDOT Highway Division
AGENDA
1. Read public notice – Andrea Langhauser, DEP
2. Project presentation – Amy Getchell and Mary Hynes, MassDOT
3. Public testimony
4. Closing statement – MassDOT
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
C91 Waterways License
August 14, 2012 Public Hearing
Project Handout
Introduction
In 1866, the Massachusetts Legislature enacted the Public Waterfront Act (M.G.L. Chapter 91) to
regulate activities in marine and freshwater resources of the Commonwealth. Prior to 1866, tidelands
were filled or ponds and rivers dammed in support of commercial interests such as shipping,
transportation and providing mills with water power. The Act permits such uses, but requires that the
public’s rights to fish, fowl, and navigate below the current or historic high water line are protected.
The most commonly considered public interest is public access.
A portion of the project is located on filled former tidelands and therefore requires review by the
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) pursuant to Chapter 91.
Summary of Proposed Project
MassDOT proposes to reconstruct the Route 79/I-195 Interchange in Fall River. Route 79 is currently
carried on a two-level viaduct under I-195 and Route 138/Davol Street is located under the Route 79
viaduct. Ramps connect I-195 with Route 79 and ramps also connect Route 79 with the local roadway
system.
The proposed project will:
remove the Route 79 viaduct and combine Route 79 with Davol Street/Route 138 within the
project limits;
remove all the existing bridges within the interchange to be replaced with either new bridges or
at-grade roadways;
replace the Anawan Street Bridge over the railroad with a new bridge.
Key features:
three new signalized intersections will be constructed along the new 4-lane Route 79/Davol
Street/Route 138 roadway;
traffic signals for Route 79 at its intersections with the new Water Street Connector, Anawan
Street/Pocasset Street, and Central Street are proposed;
all traffic signals will have pedestrian crosswalks and pedestrian signal indications;
the interchange between I-195 and Route 79 will continue to be a grade-separated interchange.
Water Street Connector:
a new roadway, the proposed Water Street Connector, will connect Water Street with the
proposed Route 79/Davol Street, and will improve waterfront vehicular connectivity with I195 and Route 79;
along the new Water Street Connector there will be a sidewalk on the south side, with 5 foot
bike lanes on both sides.
Milliken Connector:
existing Ramp Y, which currently connects I-195 eastbound to Milliken Boulevard, will be
reconstructed as the “Milliken Connector” eastbound and westbound;
the Milliken Connector westbound will provide direct access from Milliken Boulevard to I195 eastbound and westbound;
the Milliken Connector eastbound will provide direct access from Route 79 to Milliken
Boulevard and will include a new shared use path (bicycle and pedestrian) between Milliken
Boulevard and Route 79.
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Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
C91 Waterways License
August 14, 2012 Public Hearing
Project Handout
Changes to local streets:
four local streets will be modified to work with the new Route 79 configuration. Canal Street
will no longer intersect with Broadway Extension but will be continued onto Spring Street;
Harbor Terrace will be made one-way northbound from Central Street.
Anawan Street will become one-way eastbound;
existing Connector Street, between Pocasset Street and Milliken Boulevard, will be realigned
to allow two-way traffic flow, involving a slight realignment of the intersection openings;
Connector Street will provide access to Milliken Boulevard from I-195 EB via Pocasset Street.
C91 Regulatory Standards
The proposed project has been determined by DEP to be nonwater-dependent infrastructure facility,
subject to the regulatory requirements at 310 CMR 9.55.
310 CMR 9.55 Performance Standards
As a nonwater-dependent infrastructure project on filled tidelands, the project is required to include
mitigation and/or compensation measures to avoid or minimize detriments to the water-related interests
of the public. These interests include:
the protection of maritime commerce, industry, recreation and associated public access;
the protection, restoration, and enhancement of living marine resources;
the attainment of water quality goals;
the reduction of flood and erosion-related hazards on lands subject to the 100-year storm event
or to sea level rise, especially those in damage-prone or natural buffer areas;
the protection and enhancement of public views and visual quality in the natural and built
environment of the shoreline;
the preservation of historic sites and districts, archaeological sites, and other significant cultural
resources near waterways.
Additionally, the project is required to provide open space benefits for active or passive recreation
within the project area.
Compliance with the regulatory standards will be discussed in detail in today’s PowerPoint
presentation. The C91 Public Hearing PowerPoint presentation will be posted to the MassDOT project
website: www.mass.gov/massdot/route79project.
Send Comments by Aug. 27, 2012
By Mail to:
Andrea Langhauser
Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection
Waterways Regulation Program
One Winter Street, 5th fl.
Boston, MA 02108
Via e-mail:
andrea.langhauser@state.ma.us
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