Project BackgroundProject Locationj

• Portageville Bridge is located on Norfolk Southern Railroad’s Southern Tier rail freight route connecting Buffalo and Binghamtonrail freight route connecting Buffalo and Binghamton

• The Southern Tier route is private property owned by Norfolk Southern • Passes through Letchworth State Park, where it crosses the Genesee River

Project BackgroundProject Locationj

• The Southern Tier route is used by Norfolk Southern, Canadian Pacific, and short line railroads to move freight between Buffalo and Binghamtonshort line railroads to move freight between Buffalo and Binghamton

• It is part of Norfolk Southern’s long‐distance route between Chicago and the East Coast

Project BackgroundPurpose and Needp

• In 2009, 51,982 merchandise carloads crossed the Portageville Bridge, , g g• But speed and weight restrictions create a bottleneck in this important 

east‐west corridor

Project BackgroundPurpose and Needp

• The bridge requires continuous inspection, ongoing monitoring, and frequent repairI 2009 l k d b k• In 2009, structural cracks and broken rivets required the bridge to be closed for emergency repairs

Project BackgroundPurpose and Needp

Needs• Critical component of Norfolk Southern’s Southern Tier routeCritical component of Norfolk Southern s Southern Tier route• At the end of its useful life as a rail freight structure; requires 

continuous inspection and frequent repair• Imposes speed and weight restrictions on the entire Southern 

Tier route• Safety concerns for park users who trespass on the bridge• Safety concerns for park users who trespass on the bridge

PurposeProvide a modern rail crossing of the Genesee River for NorfolkProvide a modern rail crossing of the Genesee River for Norfolk Southern on the Southern Tier route between Buffalo and Binghamton, capable of carrying current industry standard freight rail loads, to the greatest degree possible meeting FRA Class 4 speeds, while reducing ongoing maintenance efforts and costs. 

Project BackgroundPrevious Planning Activitiesg

• SEQRA Milestones– Positive Declaration of Intent to Prepare SEQRA EIS SeptemberPositive Declaration of Intent to Prepare SEQRA EIS, September 17, 2008

– SEQRA Scoping Meeting, October 1, 2008– Publish SEQRA Draft EIS, November 26, 2012– SEQRA Public Hearing, January 10, 2013– SEQRA Public Comment Period, to February 1, 2013 

• NEPA Milestonesd ifi i f d l– Identification of CMAQ Funds, July 2013

– Notice of Intent to prepare a NEPA EIS for FHWA, October 31, 2013October 31, 2013

– Scoping Meeting, November 19, 2013 and Comment Period to December 19, 2013

Project AlternativesAlternatives Considered

No. Name

1 No Action / Maintenance Alternative

/2 Repair / Retrofit Existing Bridge

3 New Bridge on Same Alignment

4 New Bridge on Parallel Alignment / dRemove Existing Bridge

5 New Bridge on Parallel Alignment / Convey Existing Bridge

6 New Southern Alignment / Remove Existing Bridge

7 New Southern Alignment / Convey Existing BridgeExisting Bridge

8 Reroute Rail Traffic / Remove Existing Bridge

9 R t R il T ffi / C E i ti

Alternative being carried forward in NEPA EIS

9 Reroute Rail Traffic / Convey Existing Bridge Alternative not being

carried forward

Project AlternativesAlternatives  1, 2, and 3

• Alternative 1: Maintain Existing BridgeMinimal capital investment to continue operation of the bridge to the extent p p gfeasible; would not meet purpose of Project and unlikely to keep bridge operational indefinitely. Required to be evaluated in the NEPA review as the “No Action” alternative.q

• Alternative 2: Repair and Retrofit Existing BridgeRepair to meet current standards involves rebuilding and strengthening bridge structure but still would not greatly improve rail operations; requires closurestructure but still would not greatly improve rail operations; requires closure of bridge for 18 months at an operational cost of $22M. Does not meet Project purpose and need.

Alt ti 3 N B id S Ali t / R E i ti• Alternative 3: New Bridge on Same Alignment / Remove ExistingRemove old bridge and build new in its place; requires closure of crossing for 18 to 31 months with related cost and impact to Norfolk Southern operations; d j d ddoes not meet Project purpose and need.

Project AlternativesAlternatives 6 and 7: New Southern Alignmentg

New Southern Alignment d R (Al i 6)and Remove (Alternative 6) 

or Convey (Alternative 7) Existing Bridge• New 4.5‐mile long rail route 

outside the park, with far greater cost and impact than other alternatives

• Requires acquisition of 54 acres of private land; new 1‐mile‐long bridge and 5 other bridges;  3 at‐grade crossings

• Found to be impractical and ineffective at meeting Project purpose and need

Project AlternativesAlternatives 8 and 9: Reroute Rail Traffic

Reroute Rail Traffic and Remove (Alternative 8) or Convey (Alternative 9) Existing BridgeShifts rail freight traffic off most of Southern Tier route to avoid need forShifts rail freight traffic off most of Southern Tier route to avoid need for Genesee River crossing; inconsistent with Norfolk Southern business plans and would not meet Project purpose and need.

Project AlternativesAlternative 5: New Bridge on Parallel Alignmentg g

New Bridge on Parallel Alignment / Convey BridgeNew bridge approximately 75 feet south of existing bridge; old bridge to be conveyed to new owner for continued maintenance.OPRHP has indicated it cannot take responsibility for the existing bridge andOPRHP has indicated it cannot take responsibility for the existing bridge and no suitable owner has been identified for the existing bridge; therefore this alternative is not feasible.

Project AlternativesAlternative 5: New Bridge on Parallel Alignmentg g

Most effects of Alternative 5 are the same as those of the Preferred Alternative, but:• Alternative 5 would retain mostAlternative 5 would retain most 

(not all) of existing bridge• Alternative 5 would have notable 

adverse visual impacts from theadverse visual impacts from the presence of two parallel bridges

Project AlternativesPreferred Alternative (Alternative 4)( )

New Bridge on Parallel Alignment / Remove Existing Bridge• New bridge approximately 75 feet south of existing bridge; old bridge to 

be removed after new bridge complete.• Arch structure with no footings in the water.Arch structure with no footings in the water.• Arch foundations require relocation of Park Road, Highbridge Parking 

Lot, and two trailheads in bridge vicinity.

Project AlternativesPreferred Alternative (Alternative 4)( )

Portageville Bridge Project

Effects on Historic Properties

Preferred Alternative

New Bridge on Parallel Alignment / Remove Existing BridgeNew bridge approximately 75 feet south of existing bridge; the Portage High Bridge to be removed after new bridge complete.Requires relocation of Park Road, Highbridge Parking Lot & Historic Marker, two trailheads in bridge vicinity and removal of fieldstone wallstrailheads in bridge vicinity, and removal of fieldstone walls.Approximately 9.3 acres within the larger approximately 14,345‐acre Park affected.

Area of Potential Effect (APE)

Archaeological Resources

No adverse effects on archaeological resourcesg• Discrete and isolated precontact artifacts 

with a limited horizontal and vertical distribution found in disturbed contexts. Determined not National Register eligible in consultation with SHPO.

• 19th and 20th century artifacts primarily y p yassociated with the Cascade House Historic Site including ceramics, glass, nails, roofing materials, and also railroad hardware Cascade House foundations arehardware. Cascade House foundations are outside the proposed disturbance area.

• SHPO concurred that research potential of the Cascade House in the APE has been Cascade House c. 1870sthe Cascade House in the APE has been exhausted and deposits are not National Register eligible.

Letchworth State Park‐ National Register of Historic Places Contributing Resources

Assessment of Effects 

Removal of the Portage High Bridge 

The Preferred Alternative would result in a westward shift of

Assessment of Effects

approximately 700 linear feet of Park Road at the Portage High Bridge

Existing Plan Preferred Alternative

Adverse Effect on Letchworth State ParkThe Highbridge Parking Area is located within the new rail right‐of‐way of the Assessment of Effects 

Preferred Alternative and would be removed and relocated to parkland north of the railroad right‐of‐way

Existing Plan Preferred Alternative

A historic markerA historic marker at the parking lot would also be relocated.

Adverse Effect on Letchworth State ParkThe Preferred Alternative would require the removal and relocation of

Assessment of EffectsThe Preferred Alternative would require the removal and relocation of the southern trailheads of the Gorge and Mary Jemison Trails

Existing Plan Preferred Alternative

Adverse Effect on Letchworth State ParkAssessment of Effects 

Fieldstone walls would be removed as part of the shifting of the Park Road at the Portage High Bridge and the removal

d l ti f th t ilh d f th G T iland relocation of the trailhead of the Gorge Trail.

Assessment of Effects 

No Changes• Glen Iris Inn and• Glen Iris Inn and 

Associated Resources• Genesee Valley 

Greenway/Finger LakesGreenway/Finger Lakes Trail & Genesee Canal Fragments

• Upper/Middle Falls Picnic• Upper/Middle Falls Picnic Area

There is limited visibilityThere is limited visibility from these resources to the Proposed Project

Effect Finding

FHWA, in coordination with NYSDOT and in,consultation with the SHPO, has applied the Criteriaof Adverse Effect (36 CFR 800.5(a)(1)) to identifiedhistoric properties within the APE and finds thehistoric properties within the APE, and finds theProject will have an Adverse Effect under thePreferred Alternative, due to the proposed removaland demolition of the existing Portageville Bridgeand removal and alterations of other contributingresources within Letchworth State Park.

Proposed Measures to Avoid or Minimize EffectsEffects

• Avoidance Plan for the Cascade House to ensure• Avoidance Plan for the Cascade House – to ensure that construction disturbance does not inadvertently occur south of the Area of Potential Effect in the Cascade House Historic Site. 

• Construction Protection Plan – to protect historic k f t t id th A f P t ti l Eff tpark features  outside the Area of Potential Effect 

but in close proximity to possible Project construction, including portions of the Gorge, Mary Jemison, and Genesee Valley Greenway/Finger Lakes Trails and fieldstone walls.

Proposed Measures to Mitigate Adverse EffectsEffects

Ed ti l d I t ti M t i l t• Educational and Interpretive Materials at Letchworth State Park including interpretive kiosks and an exhibitkiosks and an exhibit.

• Supplemental Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) RecordationRecord (HAER) Recordation.

• Rebuilding and Restoration of portions of the Gorge Trail including using stonethe Gorge Trail including using stone salvaged from removal of the trailhead. 

Measures to avoid minimize and mitigateMeasures to avoid, minimize and mitigate Adverse Effects set forth in draft MOA