CONCORD, Mass. – The Vermont Agency of Transportation is seeking a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District to conduct work in waters of the U.S. to reconstruct 1.36 miles of U.S. Route 7 in Pittsford, Vermont. This work is proposed in two unnamed tributaries and adjacent wetlands along U.S. Route 7 in Pittsford.
The proposed work involves the placement of fill material within 1.17 acres of two unnamed tributaries and adjacent wetlands in conjunction with the reconstruction of 1.36 miles of U.S. Route 7 from mile marker 1.35 to mile marker 2.755 in Pittsford. The purpose of the project is to bring this section of roadway up to National Highway Standards. Improvements will include roadway widening and realignment to include two, 12-foot- wide travel lanes and two, 8-foot-wide shoulders, and replacement of three stream crossing structures.
The project will permanently impact approximately 3,085 square feet (0.07 acre) of two unnamed tributaries and 16,086 square feet (0.37 acre) of adjacent wetlands. The work will temporarily impact approximately 1,085 square feet (0.02 acre) of two unnamed tributaries and 30,774 square feet (0.71 acre) of adjacent wetlands. The project includes the replacement of Bridge No. 106, Bridge No. 107, and Bridge No. 107A along the two unnamed tributaries with improved stream crossing structures that meet hydraulic and aquatic organism passage standards.
Temporary roadway relocation is planned to bypass traffic during construction and accounts for the majority of temporary wetland impacts associated with the project. The wetlands to be impacted are emergent and scrubshrub wetlands immediately adjacent to a heavily travelled highway and function primarily to maintain water quality.
The application for the federal permit was filed with the Corps in compliance with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, which regulates the discharge or fill of material in U.S. waters, including wetlands. The public notice, with more specifics on the proposed work by the Vermont Agency of Transportation, can be viewed on the Corps website at https://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/PublicNotices/.
Public comments on this work proposed by the Vermont Agency of Transportation (file # NAE-2019-01002) should be forwarded no later than July 11, 2019 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Vermont Project Office (ATTN: Angela Repella), 11 Lincoln Street, Room 210, Essex Junction, Vermont. Additional information is available from Permit Project Manager Angela Repella at 802-872-2893 or by email to: angela.c.repella@usace.army.mil.