Q & A
Any agency that proposes a project involving federal funds must comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Under the NEPA, an agency must study the adverse and beneficial environmental impacts of all alternatives that meet a project’s purpose and need. This process involves engineering studies, environmental analyses, and public involvement. On a project like the Greenville Southwest Bypass, this process takes time. NCDOT strives to maintain a reasonable schedule for all its projects while ensuring full compliance with regulatory requirements. Since highways are linear and cross a large area of land, they have the potential to impact a lot of resources. Public funds from the US Department of Transportation and the North Carolina Department of Transportation will be used for this project.
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The project is needed to ease the existing and anticipated traffic congestion on Memorial Drive (NC 11) and Stantonsburg Road (US 264 Business). Traffic studies have shown that existing peak period congestion on these facility will continue to escalate as Greenville and the surrounding area continues to expand and grow.
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A corridor is an area of land identified as a potential location for a road. Corridor areas vary based on the length of the roadway and the width of the area that needs to be studied. The corridor length is usually established by identifying where and how the roadway will connect with other existing roads. The corridor width is established by reviewing the type of road to be built.
For example, two types of corridors are being used for this project. One for the upgrade existing alternate and one for the Greenville Southwest Bypass.
For the upgrade existing alternative the corridor width was established at 400 feet centered along the existing roadways. This width will allow for extra widening and improvements to either side of the existing roadway.
The corridors for the Greenville Southwest Bypass extend from NC 11 north of NC 102 to the existing US 264 Interchange with Stantonsburg Road. The corridor width was established at 1000 feet because the proposed roadway is a freeway section with a minimum right of way of 250 feet. A 1000-foot corridor will allow space to adjust the final location of the roadway to avoid and minimize as many impacts as possible.
The corridor width can be substantially larger than the right of way needed for the road. NCDOT will only need to purchase the land needed for the roadway right of way. The remainder of the corridor area will remain with the property owner.
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The corridor study is an evaluation process of all freeway corridors previously identified for this facility, as well as other corridors identified through the public and agency involvement program. The purpose of the study is to produce a conceptual roadway design and determine a location for the freeway that would, to the greatest extent possible, avoid impacting areas that are socially, culturally, or environmentally sensitive. Evaluation factors will include engineering, environmental, social, and economic aspects of the proposed action.
The engineering portion of the study will focus on developing and evaluating a safe and efficient roadway corridor based on past, current, and future travel demands. Other alternatives to be evaluated are the "No Build" Alternative, the Improve Existing Facilities Alternative, the Mass Transit Alternative, and the Transportation Systems Management Alternative.
The major environmental factors to be evaluated in this study include Air Quality, Floodplains, Noise, Protected Plant and Animal Species, Water Resources, and Wetlands. The environmental study will be documented in technical reports as well as draft and final documents. Detailed environmental evaluations of the corridors will be presented in these reports.
The social issues that will be analyzed include potential impacts to existing neighborhoods, community facilities, and recreational areas. The study will identify and assess the impact on architecturally and archaeologically important cultural and historic resources. The effects of the project on the elderly, the handicapped, the transit-dependant, and on minorities also will be addressed.
The economic impacts on the local or regional economy will be analyzed. The effect of the project on factors such as growth, development, and employment opportunities will be examined. Also, impacts are considered on business districts and businesses dependent upon highways.
The engineering, environmental, social, and economic issues will be taken into consideration by a NEPA/404 Merger Process "project team." This team of experts considers the issues involved with the project and seek concurrence on acceptable actions to address adverse impacts of the proposed action.
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A corridor study is prepared for highway projects to determine the best location for a new roadway or specific roadway improvements along existing routes.
The tasks to prepare a Corridor Study include:
- Identifying a large study area for potential corridor locations,
- Collecting preliminary environmental data within the study area,
- Identifying preliminary corridor locations,
- Comparing the potential impacts of each preliminary corridor,
- Selecting the Alternatives (Corridors) that will be studied in detail,
- Preparing the environmental studies (for example, wetland delineations and noise studies)
- Refining the Alternative locations to minimize impacts,
- Comparing the impacts of each, and
- Selecting the Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative (LEDPA).
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The Greenville Southwest Bypass (Improvements to NC 11 and US 264 Business) is currently studying the alternatives selected for detailed environmental studies. Following these studies, a Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative will be selected, before the corridor study will be completed.
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The location of the road is determined when the selection of the Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative is selected. See Step 3 of the study process.
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Right of way purchasing is programmed and funded for Fiscal Year 2009. Construction of the project is included in the Draft 2007-2013 Transportation Improvement Program, but is currently not funded. See Schedule.
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Announcements of workshops or hearings will be included in newsletters and publicized through the local print, news, and radio media. They will also be posted on this website, and announcements will be mailed to all on the project mailing list. To be added to our mailling list, click here.
Link to Public Involvement.
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The date, time, and place of the corridor public hearing will be publicized through the local print, news, and radio media; will be noted in the newsletter for the project that will be mailed to all on the project mailing list; and will be posted on this web site.
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Final designs will not be completed until a Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative is selected and the project is scheduled for construction. The current Draft 2007-2013 State Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
has the construction phase scheduled for after 2013.
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It is not known at this stage of the project which properties, or how much of each affected property, will be needed for the proposed Greenville Southwest Bypass (Improvements to NC 11 and US 264 Business). Properties that are within the road’s right of way and properties needed for temporary construction easements are determined during the final design phase, after a Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative is selected.
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If your property must be acquired because of the project, NCDOT has very specific guidelines for compensating and/or relocating property owners who are impacted by NCDOT improvements. NCDOT pays fair market value for the right-of-way it purchases. NCDOT also provides compensation for any loss of value of the remaining property when part of a property is taken and purchases any uneconomic remnants.
Link to NCDOT Right of Way Branch.
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The upgrade existing alternative a multi-lane arterial roadway with a possible a possible median is proposed. For the bypass alternatives a four-lane divided highway with controlled access is proposed. Access will be limited to interchange locations at major cross roads.
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The "project team" will select the Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative . The Secretary of Transportation will give the final approval.
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There are many ways to to have your opinion heard throughout the study process. (Contact Page)
IN WRITING
Write to the NCDOT with any concerns, comments, or questions you may have about the project at:
Greenville Southwest Bypass Corridor Study
(Improvements to NC 11 and US 264 Business)
P.O. Box 30923
Raleigh, NC 27622
BY PHONE
A toll free project hotline (1-800-554-7849) is available for public comments, suggestions, or inquiries concerning the corridor study. The hotline service is available Monday through Friday during regular business hours. If it is inconvenient to call during office hours, a message will be recorded and delivered to the appropriate study team member, who will respond to the inquiry as quickly as possible.
IN PERSON
Throughout the project, small group meetings will be held with interested citizen’s organizations, neighborhood associations, business groups, and civic groups. These meetings for informal presentations and question and answer sessions can be arranged by contacting NCDOT.
Attend the Pre-Hearing Workshop. This will be held prior to the Corridor Public hearing and will be an opportunity to view the draft environmental document, discuss the project one-on-one with NCDOT, and review the preliminary designs.
Attend the Corridor Public Hearing. This will be the final time to provide input on the Greenville Southwest Bypass prior to selection of the Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative. The date for the hearing will be announced in the Greenville Southwest Bypass Newsletter and through the local news media.
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Click here for a pdf version
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NC DOT
NC DOH
NC GOV
