The PennDOT District 6-0 Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) involves a collection of projects that are designed to achieve a significant reduction in fatalities and serious injuries on public roads. HSIP projects can include intersection geometry improvements and realignments, intersection traffic control and signal modernization, roundabout modifications, roadway widening and lane additions and signage, shoulder widening, pavement surface improvements, pedestrian signals, and crosswalk installations.
NTM staff (formerly Lotus Environmental Consulting) completed various environmental tasks for six HSIP Work Orders in five counties. The projects consisted of the construction of six modern roundabouts and a corridor safety improvement project at various locations throughout PennDOT District 6-0. We performed wetlands and waters delineations, threatened and endangered species habitat surveys and coordination, cultural resource investigations, Section 4(f) evaluations for recreational and historic resources, and farmland investigations with permanent and temporary farmland impacts. We also completed the scoping documents and the Level 1B Categorical Exclusions, and participated in public meetings, public officials meetings, and plans displays.
With these HSIP projects, we took the prudent approach of evaluating the presence of environmental resources and project impacts early in the design process. We established a Project Study Area that was large enough to encompass potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts. We worked closely with the PennDOT District Environmental Unit and Cultural Resource Professionals to help determine the minimum level of NEPA, Section 106 and Section 4(f) clearances required for a project. For example, we worked with the District CRPs and project designers to develop projects in such a way that, in many cases a No Adverse Effect or No Effect finding was obtained. Further, we coordinated very early on with PennDOT Central Office and PADCNR to verify the use of state or federal recreational grants for the purchase or improvement to parks and recreational facilities in project areas. Impacts to properties with these funding sources can result in time consuming agency approval processes, therefore we worked with designers so that impacts to those properties were avoided or minimized, and accounted for in the project design schedule.