Coast Guard Seeks Public Comment For Proposed Bridge on Whidbey Island, WA.

SEATTLE — The Coast Guard is seeking public comment on a requested proposal  for the construction of a bridge in Island County, on Whidbey Island.

The comment period ends Sept. 24, 2015.

 

The complete public notice from the United States Coast Guard, including a brief summary of project impacts, a map of the location, and plans for the proposed bridge modification can be viewed  by clicking the link below: We’ve included parts of the public notice below.

PUBLIC NOTICE (05-15) September 3rd, 2015

All interested parties are notified that the Commander, Thirteenth Coast Guard District has received notification from Lagoon Point Community Association (LPCA), in Island County, Whidbey Island, Washington, proposing the construction of a single lane replacement community owned concrete bridge over a navigable waterway of the United States.

This public notice is being circulated primarily to solicit comment from waterway users, and citizens within the community that may be impacted as a result of the proposed bridge, and to determine any foreseeable needs to the future navigation.

The public is highly encouraged to review this notice with attached plans carefully and provide comment on the proposed project.

WATERWAY AND LOCATION: Lagoon Point is located along the west bank of Whidbey Island, approximate: Latitude: 48° 04′ 44.9″ N, Longitude: 122° 36′ 32.3″ W. Lagoon Point (and community waterway) is a navigable waterway of the United States as defined in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

CHARACTER OF WORK: Lagoon Point Community Association proposes to remove the existing 50-foot timber three span Channel Road bridge over the community waterway, and replace it with a new 50-foot concrete bridge that free-spans the waterway.

 

The project would also include removal of fill and riprap under the existing bridge and widening the horizontal opening.

The existing Lagoon Point Bridge is closed and blocked off to local traffic. Local traffic is being detoured on the northern and western side of the existing bridge via Shell Street and East Seashore Avenue.

 

 

PROPOSED COAST GUARD ACTION: The Coast Guard is considering issuing an Advance Approval for the Lagoon Point Bridge project. An Advance Approval is granted for waterways which are navigable in law, but not actually navigated other than by rowboats, canoes, and small motorboats. If an Advance Approval is granted for this project then the navigational clearances which provide for high water stages will be considered adequate to meet the reasonable needs of navigation. The issuance of an advance approval does not relieve the community of the responsibility to ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, or local laws and regulations for the proposed project. Identification of a waterway as an Advance Approval Waterway is not a major federal action for purposes of the National Environmental Policy Act; and therefore, it is considered a categorical exclusion.

ENVIRONMENT: The Coast Guard considers “Advanced Approval” actions to generally qualify for Categorical Exclusion for the purposes of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

SOLICITATION OF COMMENTS: Mariners are requested to comment on the proposed vertical and horizontal navigational clearances, navigational safety issues, including the need for clearance gauges and extent of nighttime navigation through the bridge; and the need for a bridge protective fendering system.

Mariners also are requested to comment on anticipated future waterway navigational requirements. Interested parties are requested to express their views, in writing, on the proposed bridge project including its possible impact on minority and/or low income population, if any, giving sufficient detail to establish a clear understanding of their reasons for support of, or opposition to, the proposed work.

 

View the original press memo by clicking here: 

Please submit comments to:

Commander (dpw), Thirteenth Coast Guard District
Bridge Administrator, Rm 3510,
915 Second Avenue, Seattle, WA 98174-1067
D13-PF-D13BRIDGES@uscg.mil.

 

This was republished from it’s original source here.