Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
10.
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
PERMITS AND OTHER COORDINATION DOCUMENTS
10.1 CZM Federal Consistency Certification
(without attachments)
This section contains the CZM Federal Consistency Review, dated April 11, 2012.
_________________________________________________________________10-1
Permits and Other Documents
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
_________________________________________________________________
Permits and Other Documents
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
10.2 Section 106 Documents
This section contains the documents for the Section 106 consultation process under the
National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
The following documents are included:
1. No Adverse Effect letter from MassDOT to FHWA, dated August 23, 2011,
without attachments
2. Concurrence from Massachusetts Historical Commission, dated October 24, 2011
3. Email from Massachusetts Board of Underwater Archaeological Resources, dated
October 18, 2011
4. Notice of Project Change (NPC) letter from MassDOT to FHWA regarding work
on the Central Street Bridges dated March 20, 2012, without attachments
5. Concurrence on the Notice of Project Change from Massachusetts Historical
Commission, dated April 5, 2012.
_________________________________________________________________10-2
Permits and Other Documents
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
_________________________________________________________________
Permits and Other Documents
August 23, 2011
RE:
Fall River, Route 79/I-195 Interchange Improvements (605223)
Section 106 Review – Major Project – No Adverse Effect
Ms. Pamela Stephenson, Division Administrator
Federal Highway Administration
55 Broadway – 10th Floor
Cambridge, MA 02142
ATTN: Damaris Santiago
Dear Ms. Stephenson:
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) proposes to expend funds under
the Federal Aid Highway Program to construct the above-noted project as part of MassDOT’s
Accelerated Bridge Program. Since the project requires the preparation of an Environmental
Notification Form/Environmental Assessment (ENF/EA), MassDOT is hereby forwarding a
Section 106 “No Adverse Effect” finding for this project to the Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA) for review and transmittal to the Massachusetts State Historic Preservation Officer
(SHPO) following procedures outlined in 36 CFR Part 800.
The proposed project will remove the deteriorating double-decked Route 79 Viaduct that carries
traffic northbound and southbound through Fall River at the I-195 interchange just east of the
Braga Bridge. The viaduct will be replaced with a new at-grade, four-lane, median-divided
highway constructed along a similar alignment on a new filled embankment. The new at-grade
highway will include shoulders, sidewalks, signalized intersections, and a new single-level
viaduct over the Mass Coastal Railroad right of way. The project also will combine Davol Street
with the new at-grade Route 79 highway and will eliminate the Davol Street Viaduct, which is
situated directly below the lower deck of the Route 79 Viaduct south of I-195.
The project will maintain all existing connections between Route 79, I-195, and local streets at
this heavily traveled interchange. Most highway ramps that connect Route 79 to I-195 and to
local roads will be reconstructed along their existing or similar alignments within the highway
layout, but the two ramps at the southerly end of the Route 79 Viaduct that connect to Broadway
Extension will be removed entirely.
MassDOT’s CRU staff has reviewed this project for historic and archaeological impacts under
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, and has determined
that the project will have No Adverse Effect on properties that are listed or eligible for listing in
the National Register of Historic Places (NR).
Leading the Nation in Transportation Excellence
Ten Park Plaza, Suite 4160, Boston, MA 02116
Tel: 617-973-7000, TDD: 617-973-7306
www.mass.gov/massdot
The project area is located partially within the National Register-listed American Printing
Company–Metacomet Mill Historic District and is adjacent to two single-span stone arch bridges
on Central Street that are eligible for individual listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
The project area also is adjacent to two uninventoried late 19th century/early 20th century industrial
complexes on Anawan Street—the Borden & Remington Co. and the Fall River Gas Works—each
of which holds some apparent historic interest. Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC)
inventory forms for both properties are enclosed with this submittal. The project area is in view of
the three decommissioned National Historic Landmark (NHL) U. S. Navy vessels that are docked
in Battleship Cove at the Fall River Heritage Park on the Taunton River.
Proposed work that will affect these National Register-listed or -eligible properties and other
properties of historic interest includes the following:
The double-decked Route 79 Viaduct and the single-level Davol Street Viaduct directly
below the Route 79 Viaduct will be removed from within the NR-listed American
Printing Company–Metacomet Mill Historic District and a new single-level, four-lane
viaduct will be constructed along a similar alignment to carry the new combined Route
79/Davol Street roadway.
A ramped driveway and the remnant of a rubble stone building foundation that supports
the northerly side of the ramped driveway will be removed from a parking lot adjacent to
the Metacomet Mill #6 Building within the NR-listed historic district and a new ramped
driveway supported by concrete retaining walls will be constructed in a similar location.
The damaged stone arch of the Central Street Bridge over the Quequechan River will be
repaired and the easterly ends of the bridge's parapets, one of which has been
substantially altered, will be truncated to accommodate the reconfiguration of Central
Street at its intersection with the new at-grade combined Route 79/Davol Street roadway.
The damaged stone parapet of the Central Street Bridge over the railroad right of way
will be repaired. A new elevated highway ramp will be constructed in a new location
over the bridge to replace a ramp that already exists.
Anawan Street will be reconstructed in front of the Borden and Remington Co. Building,
which may be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
A new roadway will be constructed to connect Route 79/Davol Street to Water Street,
requiring the demolition an early 20th century concrete structure associated with the Fall
River Gas Works. It is the opinion of MassDOT’s Cultural Resources Unit (CRU) staff
that the Fall River Gas Works is substantially altered and is not eligible for listing in the
National Register.
There will be no physical impacts to the NHL U. S. Navy vessels at Battleship Cove but
the removal of deteriorating and unsightly Route 79 Viaduct will substantially improve
the view of the city from this important tourist destination.
The above work will be described in greater detail in the body of this letter.
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Consultation
MassDOT has consulted closely with the City of Fall River regarding this important project and
met monthly during the project’s alternatives analysis phase with a Task Force comprised of
local and regional officials, business owners, and other stakeholders. City officials who were
either Task Force members or who attended meetings included Mayor William Flanagan, City
Council members, City Corporation Counsel, the Planning Director, the City Engineer, the
Offices of Economic Development and Community Development and others. The Task Force
expressed substantial support for the preferred alternative that will remove the deteriorating and
unsightly double-decked Route 79 Viaduct and will construct a new at-grade roadway and a new
single-level viaduct through the National Register-listed historic district and along the Taunton
River waterfront. A January 17, 2011, article in the Fall River Herald News quotes one Task
Force member as stating that the project is consistent the City’s goals of downtown revitalization
and is “a very important and significant step in opening access to the waterfront and dedicating it
to public use.”
On behalf of MassDOT, the project's design consultant, Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., solicited
comments regarding this project from the Fall River Historical Commission, the Wampanoag Tribe
of Gay Head (Aquinnah), and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe in letters dated February 11, 2011.
None of those entities has responded to date to MassDOT's request for comments.
Route 79 Viaduct [Photos 2-10]
The Route 79 Viaduct (F-02-059), constructed in 1965, is a multi-level complex of eleven
separate bridge and ramp structures that connects Route 79 and I-195 to one another and to local
streets at Interchange #5 at the easterly end of the Braga Bridge. The mainline Route 79 Viaduct
is approximately 2,400 feet long, extending north-south from its concrete abutments north of I195 to ramps connecting the viaduct to the at-grade Broadway Extension south of I-195. The
massive double-decked mainline Route 79 Viaduct is comprised primarily of steel stringer spans
framed into steel bent piers, but also includes a two-level, two-span riveted steel Warren truss
superstructure that carries Route 79 over the Quequechan River and the Mass Coastal Railroad
right of way just south of I-195. The entire viaduct structure has been reviewed previously for
National Register eligibility by MassDOT’s historic bridge specialist, Stephen J. Roper, under
FHWA’s Amended Section 106 Programmatic Agreement, and the viaduct was determined to be
not eligible on February 14, 2006. Copies of the 2006 Historic Bridge Inventory and National
Register eligibility forms are attached for FHWA’s and the SHPO’s review and concurrence.
Davol Street and Davol Street Viaduct [Photos 2-5, 9-10]
Davol Street is a local north-south surface road that extends along an alignment similar to that of
Route 79. North of I-195, the elevated Route 79 Viaduct separates Davol Street into two parallel
at-grade roadways, with northbound Davol Street on the easterly side of Route 79 and
southbound Davol Street on the westerly side. In this divided configuration, Davol Street
accommodates on- and off-ramp traffic for Route 79, carries local traffic from intersecting streets
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and, from the southbound roadway, provides access to the Fall River Heritage Park on the
Taunton River waterfront.
The separate northbound and southbound Davol Street roadways converge under the Route 79
Viaduct at Central Street. South of the Central Street intersection Davol Street becomes a single
two-way roadway and is carried on the Davol Street Viaduct (F-02-014) directly under the Route
79 Viaduct and over the Mass Coastal Railroad ROW. The Davol Street Viaduct extends
between the Central Street intersection on the north and the Anawan Street/Pocasset Street
intersection on the south.
The existing Davol Street Viaduct was constructed in 1985 to replace an earlier viaduct that had
been constructed at this crossing in 1905. No roadway or bridge existed on this alignment prior
to 1905. The viaduct constructed in 1905 was a 17-span steel plate girder bridge carried on stone
abutments and steel H-beam column piers that connected Davol Street on the north to Canal
Street on the south. At a later date, Broadway was extended north to connect to the southerly
end of the Davol Street Viaduct. The double-decked Route 79 Viaduct was constructed in 1965
on a similar alignment directly above the Davol Street Viaduct. The Massachusetts State
Historic Preservation Officer, in a letter dated August 30, 1984, concurred with the finding of the
Massachusetts Department of Public Works (now MassDOT) that the 1905 Davol Street Viaduct
was an undistinguished example of a common structural type and was not eligible for individual
listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
The existing Davol Street Viaduct is comprised of a twelve-span steel stringer superstructure
carried on the cut granite abutments and three steel H-beam column piers from the earlier
viaduct, supplemented by eight reinforced concrete piers constructed in 1985. MassDOT’s
historic bridge specialist, Kurt Jergensen, has recommended that the 1985 viaduct be found not
eligible for individual listing in the National Register based on its recent date of construction and
common structural type. Completed MassDOT Historic Bridge Inventory and National Register
Eligibility Recommendation forms are attached.
American Printing Company–Metacomet Mill Historic District [Photos 3, 30-40)
A portion of the project area is located within the National Register-listed American Printing
Company–Metacomet Mill Historic District, which is comprised of several large mid- to late 19th
century and early 20th century industrial buildings along the northerly sides of Anawan and
Pocasset Streets. The double-decked Route 79 Viaduct, and the single deck of the Davol Street
Viaduct below, pass between two contributing buildings within the National Register-listed
historic district: the Metacomet Mill #6 Building east of the viaducts and the Packing and
Storage Building of the American Printing Company (APC) west of the viaducts. The granite
Metacomet Mill #6 Building, constructed in 1847, is the oldest textile mill building in Fall River.
The APC Packing and Storage Building is a larger but more utilitarian brick building constructed
c. 1895.
The removal of the double-decked Route 79 Viaduct will enhance the NR-listed historic district
by eliminating a massive modern intrusion that overshadows the adjacent mill buildings. The
4
existing viaduct completely obscures the front (west) elevation of the stone Metacomet Mill #6
Building and extends to within a few feet of the northeasterly corner of the rear wall of the APC
Packing and Storage Building. The removal of the two elevated decks of the Route 79 Viaduct
thus will reopen the adjacent historic buildings to fuller views that have not been visible since the
Route 79 Viaduct was constructed in 1965.
The project also will remove the existing 1985 Davol Street Viaduct and replace it on the same
site and at the same elevation with a new single-level, four-lane viaduct to carry the combined
Route 79/Davol Street roadway over the Mass Coastal Railroad right of way. The new viaduct,
like the existing viaduct, will extend from the Anawan Street/Pocasset Street intersection on the
south, which is adjacent to the NR-listed historic district, to the Central Street intersection on the
north, which is outside of the historic district.
The cross section of the proposed new Route 79/Davol Street viaduct will be substantially wider
than that of the existing Davol Street Viaduct, but will be approximately the same width as the
existing elevated Route 79 Viaduct as it currently passes through the NR-listed historic district
[see attached section drawings]. The cross section of the new viaduct has been carefully
designed to fit precisely within the existing right of way between the two buildings in the historic
district and will include four travel lanes, two shoulders, two sidewalks, and crash-tested steel
picketed S3-TL4 railings. The cut granite abutments of the existing Davol Street Viaduct will be
removed and new longer reinforced concrete abutments will be constructed to accommodate the
wider new viaduct.
Left turns will be prohibited from southbound Route 79/Davol Street onto eastbound Pocasset
Street in order to avoid adding the extra width of a fifth lane at the southerly end of the new
viaduct that would be necessary to accommodate a dedicated left turn lane within the historic
district. A fifth lane will be constructed at the northerly end of the new viaduct, however, to
provide a dedicated left turn lane from northbound Route 79/Davol Street onto westbound
Central Street outside the bounds of the historic district.
Other Work within the NR-listed Historic District [Photos 34, 37-39, 41-50]
The widened cross section of the new single-level Route 79/Davol Street viaduct will require the
removal and relocation of a ramped driveway that provides vehicular access from the southerly
end of the existing viaduct down to the at-grade parking lot adjacent to the Metacomet Mill #6
Building. The work also will require the removal of the remnants of a rubble stone building
foundation wall that supports the ramp. The proposed work will not affect the Metacomet Mill
#6 Building.
The existing ramp into the parking lot is approximately 120' long and is constructed on fill
supported between two stone walls: a cut granite roadway retaining wall along Pocasset Street
on the southerly side of the ramp and the remnant of the rubble stone building foundation wall on
the northerly side of the ramp. The project proposes to remove the existing ramp into the
parking lot and to construct a new ramp of a similar length and width in roughly the same
location parallel to Pocasset Street. A new driveway opening will be created on Pocasset Street,
5
however, rather than on Davol Street, and the top of the new ramp will curve into that new
driveway opening on Pocasset Street. A 50' section of the cut granite roadway retaining wall
will be removed to accommodate the new driveway opening onto Pocasset Street and to allow
for the construction of a new wider corner radius at the intersection of Pocasset Street and the
new Route 79/Davol Street roadway.
The ramped driveway provides the only means of access for trucks into this section of the
Metacomet Mill complex. Although a service drive is located along the Pocasset Street retaining
wall in front of the APC Mill #7 Building, immediately to the east of the Metacomet Mill #6
Building, that service drive is traversed by several overhead pedestrian bridges between Pocasset
Street and the APC Mill #7 Building [see photo #47]. Those pedestrian bridges do not provide
adequate vertical clearance for tall panel trucks to pass.
The new driveway ramp will be constructed on fill supported by new concrete retaining walls on
both sides. The new concrete retaining wall on the southerly side of the ramp will directly abut
the stone retaining wall along Pocasset Street, but will taper as the ramp descends into the
parking lot to allow as much of the existing stone retaining wall as feasible to remain exposed
above the new concrete wall. Most of the existing rubble stone foundation wall on the northerly
side of the existing ramp will be removed to allow for construction of the new concrete retaining
wall for the new ramp.
The cut granite retaining wall along the northerly side of Pocasset Street appears to have been
constructed in 1905 to support the elevated grade of Pocasset Street (then the easterly extension
of Anawan Street) at the approaches to the Davol Street Viaduct and the Anawan Street Bridge.
Both the Davol Street Viaduct and the Anawan Street Bridge were originally constructed over
the Old Colony Railroad right of way in 1905 as part of an effort to eliminate at-grade railroad
crossings in Fall River. The granite retaining wall extends for 500' along Pocasset Street east of
Davol Street along the entire southeasterly boundary of the NR-listed historic district. The wall
is topped by a coping course of large, rock-faced granite blocks with drafted margins. A tall
picketed iron fence is mounted on the coping at the back of the sidewalk along Pocasset Street.
The retaining wall is located within the street layout and is not a contributing element in the
historic district.
The granite retaining wall appears to have been previously altered at this location by the
construction of the concrete pier that supports the existing Route 79 Viaduct above Davol Street.
The 1933 Sanborn Fire Insurance Co. map of Fall River indicates that the retaining wall
originally extended to Davol Street, but the wall clearly has been truncated to a point
approximately 20' east of that pier. The original rock-faced granite coping stones have been
removed from this section of the wall and replaced with rubble stone infill at the truncated end of
the wall. A vertical granite end post has been relocated to that location to support one end of the
picketed iron fence on top of the wall. A second granite end post has been set somewhat
randomly into the curb at the top of the existing ramp adjacent to the Route 79 Viaduct pier [see
photo #44].
Any granite blocks, coping stones, or end posts removed from the retaining wall will be reused
on site as part of the construction of the new ramped driveway.
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The rubble stone building foundation wall that presently supports the northerly side of the
driveway ramp appears to have been part of a two-story annex that was added onto the southerly
side of the Metacomet Mill #6 Building at some time after 1905. The building footprint of that
annex is not shown on the 1905 Sanborn Fire Insurance Co. map of the property, but it does
appear on the 1933 Sanborn map (both enclosed). Neither the annex nor the remnants of its
foundation are mentioned in the National Register nomination for the historic district.
The portions of the post-1905 annex's foundation that remain include the southerly wall that
supports the ramp, the westerly wall that runs parallel to the existing Davol Street Viaduct, and a
short segment of the northerly wall at the northwesterly corner of the foundation. Most of the
northerly wall of the foundation and the entire easterly wall have been removed. The whole
interior of the former foundation's footprint has been graded and paved for parking. The
southerly foundation wall that is proposed for demolition has been substantially altered by the
construction of the existing ramp: the top of the wall has been cut off at an angle to match the
slope of the ramp, it has been capped with poured concrete, and the window openings in the wall
have been filled with additional rubble stone.
The westerly wall of the rubble stone foundation, which is located within the existing railroad
right of way, is tied into the cut granite abutment that supports the existing Davol Street Viaduct.
The westerly wall of the foundation also must be demolished to accommodate construction of the
new reinforced concrete abutment for the proposed new viaduct at that location.
MassDOT’s Cultural Resources Unit (CRU) staff has visited the project site on several occasions
and has assessed the historic integrity of the rubble stone foundation wall. It is the opinion of the
CRU staff that the foundation walls have been substantially altered and should not be considered
as a contributing property in the NR-listed historic district. MassDOT’s Archaeological
Resources Supervisor also has determined that the foundation has little archaeological potential,
primarily because of the loss of a substantial amount of the structure’s original fabric but also
because of the grading and paving of the interior footprint of the foundation to create a parking
area. That interior footprint also has been disturbed by excavation for an underground fuel
storage tank, indicated by a manhole cover marked “oil.”
Anawan Street Bridge (F-02-013) over the Mass Coastal Railroad ROW [Photos 51-55]
Bridge F-02-013, which carries Anawan Street over the Mass Coastal Railroad right of way, was
constructed in 1977. The bridge is comprised of a single-span, voided concrete deck beam
superstructure carried on earlier stone abutments with concrete bridge seats. The stone
abutments are part of the massive cut granite retaining walls along the railroad right of way. The
present bridge replaced a 1904 single-span metal pony truss, which is shown at this crossing on
the 1905 Sanborn Fire Insurance Company map. MassDOT’s historic bridge specialist, Stephen
J. Roper, has recommended that Bridge F-02-013 be found not eligible for listing in the National
Register because it is less than fifty years old and is an undistinguished example of this common
structural type. Completed HBI and NR Eligibility Recommendation forms are attached.
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The project proposes to replace the existing bridge with a new single-span bridge on the same
alignment. The new superstructure will have the same width as the existing, but will be elevated
approximately 3' to provide additional clearance over the future South Coast rail lines. Anawan
Street and the existing sidewalks on both sides of the street will be reconstructed for 100' west of
the crossing to accommodate the raised elevation of the new superstructure. The layout of
Anawan Street will not be widened and the cut granite retaining wall along its northerly side will
not be affected.
The uninventoried c. 1893 Borden and Remington Company Building and its associated outbuilding are situated on the southerly side of Anawan Street west of Bridge F-02-013 and
directly across the street from the long southerly elevation of the APC Packing and Storage
Building. MassDOT has prepared an MHC Inventory Form B for the Borden and Remington
Company Building and has enclosed that form with this submittal. The building appears to be a
good, intact local example of a late-19th century industrial building that is associated with an
important local chemical firm that is still in business at another location in Fall River. The
building may be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, but further
research would be necessary to make a definitive determination.
The replacement of Bridge F-02-013 and the reconstruction of Anawan Street within its current
layout will have no effect on either the APC Packing and Storage Building in the NR-listed
historic district or the potentially NR-eligible Borden and Remington Company Building.
Central Street [Photos 12, 13, 15]
Central Street is a one-way (westbound) surface road that carries local traffic westbound from
downtown Fall River to the Fall River Heritage Park and other points on the riverfront. Central
Street intersects with Davol Street just north of the Davol Street Viaduct, below the elevated
I-195 expressway. The intersection is not signalized. Two single-span stone arch bridges that
carry Central Street are located in the project area, one on either side of the Davol Street
intersection: Bridge F-02-016 carries Central Street over the Mass Coastal Railroad right of way
just east of the intersection and Bridge F-02-093 carries Central Street over the Quequechan
River just west of the intersection. Bridge F-02-093 has been determined eligible already for
individual listing in the National Register of Historic Places, and Bridge F-02-016 has been
recommended for individual listing.
Central Street will remain a one-way westbound roadway. The project proposes to resurface
Central Street from Milliken Boulevard on the east to Water Street. The roadway cross section
will not be widened. The existing sidewalk along the northerly side of Central Street east of
Davol Street will be reconstructed. The existing sidewalk along the southerly side of Central
Street will be removed to allow for the installation of a guardrail at that location.
The project also proposes to reconstruct the Central Street/Davol Street intersection to
accommodate the wider cross section of the new at-grade combined Route 79/Davol Street
roadway. That wider new cross section will include four through lanes and a fifth dedicated turn
lane on either side of the Central Street intersection. The dedicated turn lanes will include a right
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turn lane on the northerly side of the intersection and a left turn lane on the southerly side of the
intersection. The project also proposes to signalize this intersection. The proposed work along
Central Street that will affect the two NR-eligible stone arch bridges is described below in
greater detail.
Central Street Bridge (F-02-093) over the Quequechan River [Photos 19-29]
The Central Street Bridge (F-02-093) over the Quequechan River, constructed in 1903, is
comprised of a single-span, stone arch with large-block, cut granite voussoirs – the face-ring
voussoirs have rock faced ends. The arch barrel is composed of coursed ashlar sheeting stones.
The arch profile appears to be segmental but is very close to half-round. The Quequechan River
flows through a stone-lined channel at the crossing, which is located under a welter of elevated
modern highways and ramps at the junction of I-195 and Route 79. The bridge is part of an
approximately 300'-long stone-faced causeway that carries Central Street from Davol Street on
the east to Battleship Cove on the west along the Taunton River. The spandrel walls on the
bridge and causeway are constructed of random large-block granite rubble. These walls rise
above the roadway to form parapets capped by a single course of rock-faced granite coping
stones with drafted margins. The SHPO, in a letter dated August 28, 2003, concurred with a
determination by MassHighway (now MassDOT) that the Central Street Bridge over the
Quequechan River is eligible for individual listing in the National Register.
The Central Street Bridge was damaged in January 2000 when a gas line buried within the fill of
the causeway exploded and burned, causing a crack in the arch ring and damage to the spandrel
wall on the northerly side of the bridge. The spandrel wall was subsequently repaired using
mortar with a high cement content; the repaired areas are marked by heavily tooled joints. The
crack in the arch ring was not immediately repaired, but will be addressed as part of the current
project, as will be described below.
A separate major alteration to the bridge, unrelated to the gas line explosion repairs, involves the
inappropriate reconstruction of a 40' segment of the parapet and spandrel wall at the easterly end of
the north elevation of the causeway, including the removal of the original parapet coping stones
and the reconstruction of a corner return at the parapet’s end. This reconstruction was undertaken
at an unknown date using a variety of granite paving stones, cobblestones, curb stones, and small
rubble stones with an apparent disregard for the design of the original structure.
The proposed reconstruction of the Central Street/Davol Street intersection will widen the cross
section of the new at-grade Route 79/Davol Street roadway along the westerly side of the existing
intersection. This work will require the removal of a portion of the stone parapets along either side
of the causeway at the easterly end of the approach to Bridge F-02-093 over the Quequechan
River. The parapets will be removed for a distance of approximately 60' on the substantially
altered northerly side of the roadway and 50' on the southerly side. The parapet along the
southerly side of the roadway appears to be intact and includes original coping stones, large-block
rubble stones in the spandrel walls, and a curved return at the easterly end of the parapet.
9
The proposed intersection and roadway widening will include construction of new retaining
walls to support the widened roadway embankment fill. The new retaining walls will be
constructed of either stone masonry or of stone-faced reinforced concrete using stones removed
from the parapet wall sections. Regardless of the structural type, the new retaining walls will
reuse stones removed from the existing parapets. Any original granite coping stones removed
from the parapets will be reused as coping stones on the new retaining wall and new coping
stones to match the originals will be fabricated to complete the new walls. The curved return on
the southerly side of the wall also will be replicated on both sides of the intersection where the
existing parapet walls will tie into the new retaining walls.
The project will repair the cracked barrel of the stone arch over the river using the ARCHTEC™
system, which is a proprietary method developed to strengthen stone arches in place with little
visible evidence of the repair. Using the ARCHTEC system, shafts are first drilled through the
granite blocks of the arch both longitudinally and laterally, a steel anchor rod in a mesh sock is
inserted into each shaft, and then the steel anchors are grouted in place. The longitudinal anchors
will be inserted into drilled shafts that will not be visible beneath the new bridge deck nor will
they extend through the intrados. The transverse anchors will be inserted into drilled shafts that
will pierce the voussoirs at the barrel ends. These transverse shafts, however, will be plugged at
the ends with granite from the drilled cores and will be virtually invisible to view.
The ARCHTEC repair method was proposed for this bridge in May 2003, but that project was
not undertaken. The SHPO, however, concurred with the opinion of FHWA and MassHighway
(now MassDOT) at that time that the proposed ARCHTEC repairs would have No Adverse
Effect under Section 106 on the NR-eligible Central Street Bridge. The SHPO also concurred
with FHWA and MassHighway that the ARCHTEC system would have No Adverse Effect when
proposed for use on the NR-eligible Flint’s Bridge (C-19-013) in Concord in July 2006. Flint’s
Bridge is a four-span stone arch bridge that carries Monument Street over the Concord River
adjacent to the North Bridge Unit of the Minute Man National Historic Park.
Central Street Bridge (F-02-016) over the Mass Coastal Railroad ROW [Photos 11-18]
The Central Street Bridge (F-02-016) over the Mass Coastal Railroad right of way is comprised
of a single-span mortared stone arch with cut granite voussoirs, spandrels, and parapets. The
bridge was constructed in 1904 to carry Central Street over the expanded right of way of the
former Old Colony Railroad (now the Mass Coastal Railroad). Date stones are included in the
spandrel walls. Prior to construction of the existing bridge, the railroad passed through a singletrack tunnel that had been cut through ledge at this location. That tunnel was removed in 1904
and the railroad right of way was widened to accommodate three tracks. The existing bridge
then was constructed to carry Central Street over the right of way. MassDOT's historic bridge
specialist, Kurt Jergensen, has recommended that Bridge F-02-016 be found eligible for
individual listing in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion C as a good local
example of the stone arch structural type. A MassDOT Historic Bridge Inventory form and a
MassDOT National Register Eligibility Recommendation are enclosed with this submittal.
10
The stone arch structure of the NR-eligible Central Street Bridge over the railroad will remain
entirely intact as part of the proposed project, except for minor repairs to damaged areas of the
bridge’s north parapet wall and of the adjacent granite block retaining wall along Davol Street above
the railroad cut. Vehicular collision damage has misaligned several stone blocks in these walls,
primarily along Davol Street but also on the north parapet of the bridge. Although the structural
stability of the arch has not been compromised, the damage is unsightly and could pose a public
safety hazard to the railroad right of way below. The project proposes to reset all misaligned granite
blocks of the north parapet and the Davol Street retaining wall into their original positions.
Other work on Bridge F-02-016 will be contained within the area covered by the paved roadway
and sidewalks above the fill over the arch between the existing parapets. The existing roadway
surface and cement concrete sidewalks on the bridge will be removed. New concrete moment
slabs will be constructed along either side of the bridge deck to accommodate crash-tested atcurb BR2 railings to protect the stone parapets from vehicular collisions [see attached plan and
section)]. The existing sidewalk along the southerly side of the bridge deck will be eliminated
and a new wider sidewalk with a minimum width of 6' will be constructed along the northerly
side of the bridge deck. The bridge roadway deck then will be resurfaced and will be striped for
three lanes: a dedicated right turn lane, a dedicated center through lane, and a dedicated left turn
lane.
An existing elevated highway ramp—Ramp G—is located high above the southwesterly corner of
Bridge F-02-016. This ramp carries traffic from westbound I-195 onto the northbound Route 79
Viaduct. The existing ramp will be removed and a new ramp will be constructed to connect I-195
to the new, at-grade roadway for the combined Route 79/Davol Street. The new at-grade roadway
is considerably lower than the northbound deck of the existing viaduct, so the reconstructed Ramp
G must be much longer than the existing ramp and will require a reconfigured curve to provide a
safe transition from I-195 to the new at-grade roadway. The new ramp will “fly over” a greater
area of Bridge F-02-016 than the existing ramp, but it will have no physical impact on the bridge.
It is the opinion of MassDOT’s CRU staff that the new ramp will have No Adverse Effect on those
character-defining features of Bridge F-02-016 that make it eligible for listing in the National
Register.
Water Street Connector [Photos 56-58]
The project proposes to construct a new roadway at the southerly end of the project area that will
connect the combined new at-grade Route 79/Davol Street roadway with Water Street. The new
Water Street Connector will intersect with the westerly side of Route 79/Davol Street approximately
350' south of Anawan Street, across from the new Milliken Boulevard Connector on the easterly side
of that intersection. (The new Milliken Boulevard Connector—Ramp C will be constructed on land
that has previously been disturbed by the construction of several elevated highway ramps.) A new
bridge will carry the Water Street Connector over the railroad right of way. The new roadway will
proceed southwesterly for approximately 700' toward Water Street on a new elevated roadway that
will transition into a surface roadway as it approaches the intersection of Water Street. The new
roadway will be constructed on municipal property that is located at the rear (east) of the Gates of
the City Monument, which was constructed in 2006.
11
The alignment of the proposed new Water Street Connector is located primarily on made land
created by the filling of Crab Pond but also crosses land that has been previously disturbed by
industrial development and railroad construction. The former location of Crab Pond is shown on
the attached 1933 Sanborn Fire Insurance Co. map. MassDOT’s Archaeological Resources
Supervisor has assessed this portion of the project area and has determined that little or no
archaeological potential can be ascribed to the project area because of the above-noted level of
disturbance.
The construction of the new Water Street Connector will require the taking and demolition of a
round, reinforced concrete structure that was used by the former Fall River Gas Works to store
fuel oil. The structure is located on the westerly side of the railroad right of way. MassDOT’s
CRU staff has prepared an MHC Form A for the Fall River Gas Works, which is enclosed with
this submittal. It is CRU staff’s opinion that the Fall River Gas Works is not eligible for listing
in the National Register of Historic Places, nor is the fuel storage tank eligible for individual
listing in the National Register, as is discussed below.
The Fuel Oil Storage Tank is a round, reinforced concrete structure located at the southwesterly
corner of the Fall River Gas Company complex on the easterly side of Pond Street adjacent to the
railroad right of way. The building has a conical roof covered with corrugated metal. A garage door
opening with a steel lintel has been punched into the ground floor of the building facing west.
Numerous window openings with concrete sills and lintels appear in the upper level of the structure.
It is not clear whether these opening were original, or are later alterations. All window openings are
currently filled with concrete blocks. The building appears to be vacant at present.
This round structure is first shown on the 1933 Sanborn map and is labeled as an empty oil tank.
A second, slightly larger round structure, also marked as an empty oil tank, is shown adjacent to
the existing structure on the 1933 map. That larger oil tank, which is no longer extant, is first
shown on the 1905 Sanborn map. The existing fuel oil tank probably was constructed no later
than the 1910s, when the Fall River Gas Works was still actively producing coal gas. The fuel
oil stored in these tanks may have been used to fire the generators that heated the coal in the
gasification process. The location of the tanks along the railroad tracks may have provided
convenient off-loading of the fuel oil from railroad tankers.
It is unlikely that the existing Fuel Oil Storage Tank is a gasometer (or gasholder house), as local
speculation has suggested. A gasometer typically was a much larger cylindrical iron structure
(with or without an essentially ornamental exterior brick shell), which would have been used to
hold the manufactured coal gas under pressure prior to distribution of the gas through
underground pipes. The 1905 Sanborn map clearly indicates the presence of three large iron
gasometers in the main yard of the complex, none of which is extant. The largest of those three
gasometers was 120' in diameter, according to the 1905 Sanborn map, much larger than the
existing Fuel Oil Storage Tank.
The 1905 Sanborn map indicates that the Fall River Gas Works was a complete industrial
complex at the beginning of the 20th century, and included all of the structures necessary to
produce coal gas on site. The historic integrity of the Fall River Gas Works has been
12
substantially diminished by the demolition of key buildings and structures used in the coal
gasification process, including three large iron gasometers, a stone generator building with iron
ends that was located along the southerly property line adjacent to Crab Pond, and a 60' tall
smokestack. The few buildings that remain from the late 19th century and early 20th century are
generally storage, office, or utility buildings that were ancillary to the gasification process.
It is the opinion of MassDOT’s CRU staff that the Fall River Gas Works complex has lost
historic integrity through demolition, alteration, and infill construction and that the remaining
remnants are not eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places as a district. The
Fuel Oil Storage Tank itself also has lost integrity through substantial alterations and, more
importantly, appears to have had little direct relationship to the coal gasification process. The
Fuel Oil Storage Tank, therefore, does not appear to be eligible for individual listing in the
National Register.
Archaeological Assessment
A review of the MHC archaeological base maps disclosed no recorded pre-contact or historic
archaeological sites in the vicinity of the project area. CRU staff, based on a review of project
plans and historic maps supplemented by a February 11, 2011 site visit, has assessed the entire
project area as having little or no archaeological sensitivity. The areas to be impacted by the new
roadway and ramp construction variously include existing paved roadway, ramp and parking lot
surfaces; an abandoned multi-track railroad bed, made land associated with the filling of Crab
Pond and steep highway embankments. Many of these areas have been further disturbed by the
installation of underground gas, electrical, water and sewer utilities and drainage structures. The
likelihood that archaeological resources have survived, intact, in the project area, having escaped
the destructive effects of historic and modern development, is extremely low.
Summary of Section 106 Effect Finding
It is MassDOT's opinion that the Route 79/I-195 Interchange Improvement Project will have No
Adverse Effect on any National Register-listed or -eligible properties that are within, adjacent to, or in
view of the project area. The removal of the double-decked Route 79 Viaduct will enhance the NRlisted American Printing Company–Metacomet Mill Historic District by eliminating a massive
modern intrusion that overshadows the adjacent mill buildings. The removal of the two elevated
decks of the Route 79 Viaduct will reopen the adjacent historic mill buildings to fuller views that have
not been visible since the Route 79 Viaduct was constructed in 1965. Furthermore, the Davol Street
Viaduct will be removed from immediately below the lower deck of the Route 79 Viaduct and a new
single-level viaduct will be constructed to carry both Route 79 and Davol Street through the NR-listed
historic district. That new viaduct will be constructed at the same level as the existing Davol Street
Viaduct and its cross section has been carefully designed to have No Adverse Effect on the NR-listed
historic district.
Proposed work at the northeasterly corner of the intersection of Davol Street and Pocasset Street
adjacent to the Metacomet Mill #6 Building will have No Adverse Effect either on that building
13
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
10.3 Wetlands Protection Act Documents
This section contains documents pertaining to the Wetlands Protection Act.
The following documents are included:
1.
2.
Order of Resource Area Delineation issued by the Fall River Conservation
Commission on April 12, 2011
Order of Conditions issued by the Fall River Conservation Commission on
May 15, 2012.
_________________________________________________________________10-3
Permits and Other Documents
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
_________________________________________________________________
Permits and Other Documents
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
10.4 Correspondence with the City of Fall River Regarding
Gates of the City Monument
This section contains coordination letters between the City of Fall River and MassDOT
relative to impacts on the Gates of the City Monument.
The following letters are included:
1. Letter dated March 28, 2011 from the City of Fall River
2. Letter dated April 6, 2012 to the City of Fall River
_________________________________________________________________10-4
Permits and Other Documents
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
_________________________________________________________________
Permits and Other Documents
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
10.5 NEPA Class of Action Letter from MassDOT to FHWA
(without attachments)
This section contains the NEPA Class of Action Request letter from MassDOT to
FHWA, dated June 7, 2011.
_________________________________________________________________10-5
Permits and Other Documents
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
_________________________________________________________________
Permits and Other Documents
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
10.6 Correspondence with the Department of Conservation and
Recreation
This section contains coordination letters between the Department of Conservation and
Recreation (DCR) and MassDOT relative to impacts on the Fall River Heritage State
Park.
The following letters are included:
1. Letter dated January 30, 2012 to DCR
2. Letter dated March 20, 2012 from DCR
_________________________________________________________________10-6
Permits and Other Documents
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
_________________________________________________________________
Permits and Other Documents
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
10.7 Early Coordination Letters
The following letters (included without attachments) were sent as part of the early
environmental coordination:
1. March 28, 2011 Letter to Fall River Historical Commission (copy to SHPO)
2. March 28, 2011 Letter to THPO Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah)
3. March 28, 2011 Letter to THPO Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
4. March 28, 2011 Letter to Wild & Scenic Rivers Program, National Park Service
_________________________________________________________________10-7
Permits and Other Documents
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
_________________________________________________________________
Permits and Other Documents
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
10.8 Letter from Natural Heritage & Endangered Species
Program
Note to Readers: The list is in alphabetical order by city and/or town. The Route 79/I-195
Interchange Project is Fall River Project Number 605223.
According to the latest NHESP GIS layers, the project area is not within mapped Priority
or Estimated Habitat, therefore no further consultation with NHESP is necessary. See
Section 10.10 for coordination with the National Marine Fisheries Service.
_________________________________________________________________10-8
Permits and Other Documents
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
_________________________________________________________________
Permits and Other Documents
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Wayne F. MacCallum, Director
April 6, 2010
Timothy Dexter
Environmental Services
Highway Division
Massachusetts Department of Transportation
10 Park Plaza
Boston, MA 02116
RE: General review of MassDOT programs for MESA compliance, 2010
Dear Mr. Dexter,
Thank you for submitting a shapefile (.shp) of infrastructure projects associated with the active construction
programs of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). The shapefile indicates the project
location and includes a brief project description. The Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) of
the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) has reviewed this information for compliance pursuant to the MA
Endangered Species Act Regulations (321 CMR 10.18). As part of this review, the NHESP has determined that 185
projects (variously ranging from resurfacing projects to bridge replacements) as currently proposed, do not occur
within Priority of Estimated Habitat as indicated in the Massachusetts Natural Heritage Atlas (13th Edition; 2008).
Therefore, these projects are not required to be reviewed in compliance with the MA Endangered Species Act
Regulations (321 CMR 10.18) at this time.
However, the NHESP notes that two of these projects (604212-Ware, and 605722-Fitchburg) are likely to be within
Priority Habitat upon publication of the next Natural Heritage Atlas. Of these projects, 604212-Ware is likely to require
some level of protections for freshwater mussels depending on the extent and nature of impacts to wetland resource
areas.
The remaining projects (totaling 183) not currently within Priority Habitat are listed in an attachment to this letter.
However, because of the imprecision of this process, the NHESP notes that MassDOT project managers are
ultimately responsible for confirming that their projects are not within jurisdictional habitat for rare species well
ahead of construction to assure compliance with the MESA regulations.
Please do not hesitate to contact Michael T. Jones, Ph.D., Endangered Species Review Biologist, at (508) 389-6386
(michael.t.jones@state.ma.us), with any questions or comments you may have.
Sincerely,
Thomas W. French, Ph.D.
Assistant Director
Attached: List of 183 projects, submitted to the NHESP for review in 2010, not currently in Priority Habitat
www.masswildlife.org
Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
Field Headquarters, North Drive, Westborough, MA 01581 (508) 389-6300 Fax (508) 389-7891
An Agency of the Department of Fish and Game
MassDOT General Project Review, April 2010, Page 2 of 3
Attachment. List of 183 projects, submitted to the NHESP for review in 2010, not currently in Priority Habitat
Project Number
Town
Project Number
Town
605041
Adams
601350
603491
Adams
604048
Easthampton
601986
Andover
604441
Easthampton - Southampton
604687
Arlington
604658
Easton
603602
Ashland
602382
Everett - Boston
604912
Athol
605366
Fairhaven
54400
Attleboro
605371
Fairhaven
603983
Attleboro
605223
Fall River
605141
Attleboro
605698
Fall River
605580
Auburn
604634
Fitchburg
604234
Auburn
604046
Fitchburg
605561
Auburn
605088
Fitchburg
605272
Barnstable
605596
Foxborough - Sharon
601102
Barnstable
602464
Framingham
604862
Bellingham
603694
Framingham
604642
Berkley
603710
Framingham
602849
Blackstone
602839
Framingham
603654
Boston
604988
Franklin
603443
Boston
605731
Freetown
604761
Boston
603747
Gardner
604871
Boston
604336
Gardner
55750
Boston
603513
Gardner
600867
Boston
605393
Harvard - Lancaster
604388
Boston - Winthrop
602892
Haverhill
603660
Bridgewater
604086
Hingham
604415
Bridgewater - Middleborough
605594
Holyoke - West Springfield
603705
Brimfield - Palmer
603793
Hopkinton - Southborough
604419
Brockton
604006
Hudson
604741
Brockton
604732
Hudson
602606
Brockton
605460
Hungtington
603486
Brookfield
604945
Ipswich
604268
Buckland
601356
Ipswich
603280
Buckland
602377
Kingston
605589
Burlington
605216
Lancaster
605807
603849
Lanesborough
605590
Canton
Canton - Norwood - Sharon Walpole
604282
Lanesborough
603704
Charlemont
602299
Lawrence
604476
Chelmsford
604428
Chelsea
605459
Chester - Hinsdale
603180
Chicopee
602912
Chicopee
605260
Chicopee - South Hadley
604051
Colrain
602984
Concord - Lincoln
49710
Deerfield
603892
Dennis
605375
Dennis
605291
Dennis
604032
Dudley
East Longmeadow
604839
Lawrence
605042
Lenox
605391
Leominster
605104
Leominster
603514
Leominster
602133
Lexington
603722
Lexington
604841
Littleton
603725
Lowell
601625
Lowell
605173
Malden
603658
Maynard
605180
Methuen
MassDOT General Project Review, April 2010, Page 3 of 3
Project Number
Town
Project Number
Town
602603
Middleborough
604449
Springfield
601667
Millis
604252
Sutton
602178
Monson
605343
Swansea
126201
Natick
603576
Taunton
603711
Needham - Wellesley
603252
Taunton
602857
New Bedford
605344
Taunton
605365
New Bedford
604366
Templeton
605368
North Attleborough
604068
Tewksbury
603473
North Reading - Reading
604788
Uxbridge
604242
Northampton
605187
Walpole
604115
Northbridge
601902
Waltham
604116
Northbridge
601701
Ware
604161
Northbridge
600776
Wellesley
604813
Oak Bluffs
603457
West Bridgewater
603371
Orange
601796
West Brookfield
602213
Orleans
604210
West Springfield
603356
Oxford
604737
West Springfield
603531
Peabody
605587
West Springfield
601154
Pelham
160045
Westfield
605212
Pittsfield
603783
Westfield
605326
Pittsfield
604809
Westford
605570
Pittsfield
604339
Westhampton
603468
Plymouth
602587
Westminster
604382
Quincy - Weymouth
114906
Weymouth
605327
Raynam
601630
Weymouth - Abington
604050
Sandisfield
603020
Williamstown
604744
Sandiwch
42603
604390
Seekonk
102710
Winchendon
604729
Shrewsbury - Worcester
603008
Woburn
605219
Somerville
604996
Woburn
604331
Somerville
601920
Worcester
605335
Somerville
604690
Worcester
602219
Somerville
605588
Worcester
137350
Somerville
604955
Worcester
601820
Somerville
604409
Worcester
605338
Southbridge
604893
Worcester
601322
Southwick
602037
Worcester
604154
Southwick
604065
Worcester
604153
Southwick
603516
Worcester
604603
Springfield
454778
Worcester
602600
Springfield
605243
Yarmouth
Wilmington
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
10.9 Army Corps Preliminary Jurisdictional Determination Form
This section contains the Preliminary Jurisdictional Determination issued by the Army
Corps of Engineers, dated November 23, 2011.
_________________________________________________________________10-9
Permits and Other Documents
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
_________________________________________________________________
Permits and Other Documents
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
10.10
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation
The following letters are included:
1. Letter dated April 4, 2012 from FHWA to the National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS)
2. Letter dated April 5, 2012 from MassDOT to the NMFS
3. Letter dated April 12, 2012 from NMFS
_________________________________________________________________10-10
Permits and Other Documents
Route 79/I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
PART 1
NEPA
Environmental Assessment
_________________________________________________________________
Permits and Other Documents
Source Data:
138
Data compiled from the following source:
MassGIS, Commonwealth of Massachusetts EOEA
6
FEMA Q3 Flood: July 1997
Legend:
Quequechan River
79
In culvert
Non-jurisdictional bypass
DAV OL
S
ON S
T RE E
T
ROBE
S
T. NB
Battleship
Cove
DURFEE STRE
ET
195
NORT H MAIN ST
RE ET
Tau
n to
nR
ive
r
In culvert and bypass channel
Central St. Bridge
Control Structure
(Mill Complex)
Firestone
Pond
BE DF
O
M
AI
N
PL E A
S
TH
IA S T R
EET
SO
U
COLU M
B
MI
LL
IK E
ST
RE
E
T
NB
LV
D.
Crab
Pond
RO
DM
AN
S
138
TR
EE
RD S T
RE E T
AN T S
TR EE
T
T
T
OU
H
UE
Approx. Scale: 1 " = 1,000 '
ch
r
Wetland Resources
eq
ue
ve
Ri
YM
PL
EN
AV
195
an
SECOND STREET
Qu
Route 79 / I-195
Interchange Reconstruction Project
Fall River, MA
Figure 3
Fall River – Quequechan River Photos
Photo 1 The Quequechan River culvert ends past the railroad track.
Note that the culvert has collapsed. Looking southeast upstream. Concrete pier on left is for the Davol Street Bridge.
Photo 2 Quequechan River beneath Route 79 Viaduct & I-195 Braga Bridge.
Looking West Downstream.
Photo 3 Quequechan River upstream of Battleship Cove and the Taunton River.
Central Street Bridge is in background.
Photo 4 View of Battleship Cove from Central Street Bridge.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE
NORTHEAST REGION
55 Great Republ¡c Dr¡ve
Gloucester, MA 01930-2276
APR 1
2
2012
Susan McArthur
MassDOT
Highway Division
Ten Park Plaza
Suite 4160
Boston, MA 02116
Re :
Fall River-Rou t
7
9 ll- |
9
5 Interchange Improvements
Dear Ms. McArthur,
This is in response to your letter dated April 5, 2012 requesting information on the presence of
species listed by NOAVs National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in the vicinity of the
proposed Route 79ll-I95Interchange Improvement Project located in Fall River, Massachusetts.
No federally listed or proposed threatened or endangered species and/or designated critical
habitat for listed species under the jurisdiction of NMFS are known to exist in the vicinity of
your proposed project. As such, NMFS Protected Resources Division does not intend to offer
additional comments on this proposal. Should project plans change or new information become
available that changes the basis for this determination, further coordination should be pursued. If
you have any questions regarding these comments, please contact Danielle Palmer at (978) 2828468.
Acting Assistant Regional Administrator
for Protected Resources
EC: Palmer, NMFS/NER
Santiago, MassDOT
Bumham, MassDOT
File Code: Sec 7 No Species Present 2012