I-70 Corridor Enhancement Plan

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1 i - Table of Contents Table of Contents Chapter I Overview Chapter II Bridge and Roadway Improvements Chapter III Landscape Enhancements Chapter IV Riparian Corridors Chapter V Showcase Missouri Plan Chapter VI Community Partnership Opportunities Chapter VII Review and Implementation Process i

2 Overview The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) are proposing to construct improvements to Interstate 70 between the metropolitan areas of Kansas City and St. Louis to meet the current and future transportation needs of this corridor. In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, a First Tier Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was prepared to aid in determining the most appropriate type of improvement concept for I-70. The I-70 Study Corridor was approximately ten (10) miles (16.1 km) wide, five (5) miles (8.0 km) either side of existing I-70, and is 199 miles (320.3 km) in length. The First Tier EIS evaluated an initial seven strategies and this lead to the development of three reasonable strategies carried forward in the study. These were: widen and reconstruct the existing I-70; build a new parallel four-lane freeway; and, build a new four-lane parallel toll road. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approved the selection of the Widen the Existing I-70 Strategy for the I-70 Corridor. (i.e., Preferred Strategy). In the Columbia area and the area of Warrenton, Wright City, and Wentzville, bypass options are a part of the selected strategy. MoDOT is carrying forward a series of second tier studies that were identified as part of the First Tier EIS evaluation process. These second tier studies are necessary to further study and define the improvements to I-70 such that more detailed analysis of the environmental impacts can be performed to more precisely evaluate the impacts of the project. The 199 mile long corridor has been divided into seven sections of independent utility (SIUs) with environmental documentation for each section. The environmental documents include: two environmental impact statements; four environmental assessments, and one categorical exclusion. The seven sections and the type of document being prepared are shown on Figure I-1. What is the Study Management Group and Corridor Enhancement Subcommittee Plan? The First Tier EIS provided guidance on the nature of the improvements and the potential significance of environmental resources and social impact issues potentially impacted by the Preferred Strategy. This guidance provided support for the determination of the appropriate type of second tier study for each SIU. The First Tier EIS further documented the commitments of MoDOT and the FHWA to provide corridor-wide impact coordination, impact mitigation and considerations of corridor enhancements. The document provided agencies and communities assurances, through the development of an enhancement master plan, that corridor-based considerations will be fulfilled and appropriate special considerations will be provided for each of the second tier studies. It is important to understand that "mitigation" is part of the NEPA process and should be thought of as an essential component of the alternatives and impact analysis. Mitigation is required because of a project s impacts. Mitigation consists of avoidance, minimization, and then compensation, once avoidance and minimization have been exhausted. "Enhancement" measures go beyond what is customarily provided as environmental mitigation. Often, enhancement measures include what could be considered to be non-traditional transportation related compensation. This I- 70 Corridor offers an opportunity for joint development and a range of enhancement measures. A Study Management Group, assembled for the First Tier EIS study, met nine times during that nearly two year time period. The team was comprised of the project team and representatives of federal, state, and local resource agencies. Through this team effort, it was recognized that rebuilding the existing I-70 Corridor infrastructure provided an opportunity to incorporate an overall corridor enhancement plan to increase the benefits of the transportation investments to the natural environment and the I-70 travelers. The joint development of the corridor through a collaboration and partnership of a number of federal, state, and local agencies would further enhance the investments of the parties through an aggregation of the investments' individual benefits. Combined and joint development of the corridor could promote the corridor as more than just a transportation link, but a vital part of the state s tourism and recreation resources. The Study Management Group (SMG) has continued for the second tier studies and is again comprised of the project team and local, state, and federal agency management staff. Its role is one of policy-level coordination of the overall corridor improvement program. The Corridor Enhancement Subcommittee, one of Figure I-1 - SIU Diagram 1

3 three subcommittees, is a consortium of the project team and local, state, and federal agency technical staff. This committee s role is to develop appropriate mitigation and an enhancement plan for the overall I-70 Corridor. The SMG and the three subcommittees for the second tier studies are shown on Figure I-2. The enhancement plan will be provided to and will be a reference document to be used by the second tier studies being developed for the seven SIUs. Appropriate enhancement opportunities will be taken from the overall corridor enhancement plan and incorporated into the environmental decision documents for the SIUs. Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan During the I-70 First Tier Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), pedestrian and bicycle concerns were considered as part of the documentation process. The desire for connectivity to the Figure I-2 - Study Management Group Diagram KATY Trail at the Overton Bottoms area via a new Missouri River Bridge was discussed in the DEIS. The DEIS also contains narratives relating to recreational trail improvements or linear parks as joint development opportunities. Chapter III of the DEIS further explores parkland adjacent to the study corridor, while Chapter IV reiterates the need for a Missouri River crossing for the KATY Trail and this time also discusses connectivity issues between trails and visitor/tourist areas. With respect to the Columbia area, the DEIS calls for connectivity with the City's "Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan," enacted in The First Tier Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) furthered the pedestrian and bicycle discussion by noting once again the Overton Bottoms/KATY Trail connectivity issue as well as recognizing that I-70 sometimes presents barriers to pedestrian and bicycle access. As a direct result of agency comments, specifically the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the FEIS further directed the Second Tier efforts to address the cross-corridor needs of pedestrians and bicyclists. During the initial stages of the I-70 Second Tier Studies, stakeholders have continued to include non-motorized needs in the project discussions. The Study Management Group and the Corridor Enhancement and Mineola Hill Subcommittees have included such needs in their discussions of the project. A desire has been expressed by some to have a corridor-wide recreational pathway. A good portion of this system currently exists in the form of the KATY Trail. Other issues include the connectivity to the local bicycle/greenway networks in the urban areas and the extension of existing trails to the Kansas City and St. Louis urban cores. A suggestion which was presented during a Mineola Hill Subcommittee meeting was to provide bicycle access via Route 19, which could provide a connection between the KATY Trail and Hermann, which is a Missouri tourist destination, and the Graham Cave State Park. The recommendation of this plan is not to create a new 200-mile trail that runs within in the I-70 Corridor. The focus, instead, will be on providing connectivity to the KATY Trail and other local facilities where possible. There is also a desire to provide for a friendly localized environment for pedestrians and bicyclists by addressing issues related to I-70 as a physical barrier to northsouth movements. Currently the Katy Trail crosses I-70 under the Missouri River bridge near Rocheport and over the interstate near Boonville. This issue of north-south movements may also be addressed at some of the interchanges where new bridges would be built. There are also other areas where connectivity may be appropriate such as trail crossings, local parks, and special areas such as tourist spots and rest areas. Once those issues have been addressed it may be easier to fill the gaps which would provide added connectivity across the corridor. This does not mean providing a new bike lane within the I- 70 right of way. But, it could mean that opportunities are exam- 2

4 ined for shared-use facilities on outer roads or other non-limited access facilities (See Figure I-3). Coordination with other efforts going on around the state will also be important and will continue. The extension of the KATY Trail to Kansas City and St. Louis is an important objective in the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' 1998 KATY Trail State Park Conceptual Development Plan. The Mid-America Regional Council has also investigated the connection of the trail to Kansas City, as well as numerous other non-motorized transportation needs, in the January 2002 MetroGreen initiative and the Transportation Outlook 2030 plan, TrailNet, and its sister group Confluence Greenway, are heavily involved with nonmotorized transportation concerns in the eastern portion of the state. The East-West Gateway Coordinating Council identified a number of non-motorized transportation improvements in a 1994 Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan. Rest Areas An I-70 Rest Area Study was prepared as part of the Second Tier studies, and provides details of the components and general design of proposed rest areas along Interstate 70. The visual appearance of these rest areas should reflect the same character of the corridor enhancement theme and design elements to ensure the architecture, shelters and overall design approach will complement the other I-70 corridor enhancements. What are the goals of the I-70 Corridor Enhancement Plan? The goals of the Enhancement Subcommittee Corridor Enhancement Plan are to create an enhancement concept for the corridor that: - Complements the existing natural environment. - Maintains a sensitivity to the existing context of the corridor. - Provides a sense of consistency along the entire corridor. - Showcases Missouri through enhancements which highlight Missouri history, cultural resources and economy. - Establishes baseline enhancements for the entire corridor and identifies opportunities for additional enhancements by local communities and other partnering agencies. Corridor-Wide Theme Corridor enhancements are based on establishing a common thread throughout the New I-70 Corridor, creating a visual theme and sense of consistency that is rooted in the context of today's 199-mile I-70. Aesthetic consistency is important to strengthen the corridor s sense of place and identity, while also promoting a high-quality image and impression of Missouri to visitors and residents using the corridor. Each overpass and interchange along the corridor will receive integrated enhancements that will visually connect them to each other while supporting the goals identified above. Figure I-3 - Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Exhibit The design efforts associated with creating a corridor-wide theme should include a significant public involvement component to ensure local community issues and opportunities are identified, incorporated, and addressed. 3

5 Shaping the Vision for the New I-70 Through review, observation, and analysis of the existing corridor conditions, several existing features were identified as foundation elements on which to build a program for aesthetic enhancements (See Figures I-4 to I-10). Several photos are included in this report for visual reference. These features include: - Recurring natural rock outcrops. Pastoral landscapes and native vegetation. Views to extensive farm lands adjacent to the corridor. Naturalistic river and water crossings. Corridor aesthetic treatments and integrated enhancements should compliment the visual importance of these identified features. The program for enhancements should create a unique and recognizable visual theme that incorporates references to these and other key features found along the existing corridor. Figure I-4 - View of Existing Median Native Plantings Figure I-5 - View of Missouri River Bridge from Bluffs Figure I-6 - View of Typical River Crossing and Rock Outcrops Figure I-7 - View of Existing Rock Outcrops Figure I-8 - View of Existing Bluffs and I-70 Figure I-9 - View of Existing Billboards Program for Aesthetic Enhancements The wider cross-section of the New I-70 Corridor will provide a more open feeling, creating a rural visual character due to the large median and sense of separation between the eastbound and westbound lanes. The enhancements seek to visually blend the I-70 improvements into the existing landscape while introducing design treatments to built elements that reduce their sense of scale. The aesthetic program for the corridor will include integrated treatments as baseline enhancements to the following roadway features: - Bridge abutments and piers. Roadway and bridge barriers. Retaining walls. Railings and fencing. Pedestrian walkways and trail connections. Highway signage and lighting. Landscape plantings. The program also anticipates local community interest in pursuing opportunities for additional corridor enhancements beyond those included in the baseline. These are provided and discussed in the Community Partnership Opportunities section of this report. 4

6 Figure I-10 - Existing Aesthetic Conditions 5

7 Enhancement Design Process The corridor enhancements identified provide initial indications of the types of enhancements that are being considered for use throughout the corridor. These enhancement ideas are preliminary in nature, and are intended to identify a general design direction as well as to establish a set of aesthetic goals for improving the New I-70 Corridor. A comprehensive set of corridor enhancement design guidelines will be necessary to further explore and refine the ideas and design concepts identified in this study. These future guidelines will explore in more detail the issues and opportunities throughout the corridor. Specific and unique conditions for areas along the corridor will be identified and addressed in these guidelines. The design efforts associated with creating these guidelines should include a significant public involvement component to ensure issues and opportunities are identified, incorporated, and addressed. These design guidelines should be prepared in conjunction with and incorporated into the design development for the roadway and bridge improvements. Contextual Design Influences The I-70 Corridor provides views to many aspects of Missouri s history as well as it s future - from pristine natural settings and rolling rural farmlands to vibrant urban settings. In reviewing existing aesthetic conditions along the corridor, the aesthetic design team took note of significant features and re-occurring images along the corridor that could influence the aesthetic enhancement design. Several images representing the visual characteristics of the corridor are provided below. Agricultural elements such as fields of corn and other crops, grain silos, farming equipment, and hay bales are prevalent. Geological elements such as rock outcroppings and stratifications, as well as topographical elements such as rolling hills, are also evident within the corridor. The proposed overall design theme for enhancements should compliment the visual context of the corridor. Subtle visual references to this imagery should guide the design of the overall enhancement theme. Specific design guidelines will further refine this theme and the application of these initial concepts to compliment each area throughout the I-70 corridor. Preliminary Aesthetic Enhancement Concept Enhancements are proposed to be systematically applied throughout the entire corridor to create a strong sense of identity and visual consistency. Consistent application of the proposed enhancement elements provides aesthetic benefits to the travelling public through creation of an attractive and recognizable image for the New I-70 Corridor. This approach will also provide economic benefits through consistent treatments and features that can be replicated cost-effectively throughout the corridor. I-70 is to be widened using two different design cross-sections - a wider rural section and a narrower urban section. The differences between these design sections are based on existing conditions in urban areas that create practical difficulties in applying the wider section consistently throughout the corridor. Highway bypass relocation alternatives are still being considered for use in some urban areas. In these instances, the existing I-70 corridor will be enhanced utilizing the urban design elements while the bypass relocation highway improvements will be enhanced utilizing rural design elements as outlined in this plan. Existing conditions in most of these urban areas typically include additional bridge features and roadway elements that address public safety needs such as street lighting, pedestrian sidewalks or trails, and protective pedestrian/bicycle railings. Due to the width of the corridor in urban areas, retaining walls are also anticipated. Due to these conditions, the sense of scale and appearance of these areas will be slightly different (refer to Figure I-11). 6

8 Figure I-11 - Corridor Aesthetic Enhancement Diagram 7