This Public Hearing is being conducted to give interested persons an opportunity to review the preferred bridge alternative under consideration and to express their views concerning the location, conceptual design, and social, economic, and ...

 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District One, announces a hearing to which all persons are invited.

DATE AND TIME: Thursday, May 18, 2017, 5:00 p.m., open house; 6:00 p.m., formal presentation

PLACE: Fort Meade Mobile Home Park Activity Center, 1046 S.E. 2nd Street, Fort Meade, FL 33841

GENERAL SUBJECT MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED: This Public Hearing is being conducted to give interested persons an opportunity to review the preferred bridge alternative under consideration and to express their views concerning the location, conceptual design, and social, economic, and environmental effects of the proposed improvements to the US 98/John Singletary Bridge (Bridge No. 160064) in Polk County, Florida. Financial Project ID No. 434886-1-22-01. This bridge was constructed in 1931 and has two 10-foot wide travel lanes and a 5.4-foot wide sidewalk on the north side. These dimensions are functionally obsolete. The need for the project is to provide a bridge built to current standards. The purpose of this project is to study ways to correct these identified deficiencies and maintain the connection between Downtown Fort Meade to the west and the City of Frostproof to the east, as US 98 serves as the main access road between the two cities. This project is also intended to enhance safety conditions as well as movement/access across the Peace River for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists, while minimizing potential impacts to the natural and human environments. The existing bridge (Bridge No. 160064) has been determined to be a significant historic bridge according to the Section 106 process of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 (36 CFR Part 800); however, based on an evaluation of all PD&E Study alternatives, it is not feasible to keep the historic bridge in place. Several mitigation options are being evaluated. The proposed improvements require the replacement of the National Register of Historic Places eligible US 98/John Singletary Bridge. As part of the project development process and in accordance with Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966 and Section 106 of the NHPA, FDOT is seeking comments and input from the public, interested parties, and governmental agencies concerning the effects of the project on the activities, features, and attributes of this resource and the mitigation options under consideration for the proposed impacts. FDOT intends to make a programmatic Section 4(f) impact determination on this resource. At the conclusion of the presentation, attendees who complete a speaker’s card will be given the opportunity to make an oral statement that will become part of the public hearing record. Persons wishing to submit written statements or other exhibits, in place of or in addition to oral statements, may do so at the hearing or by sending them to Bill Hartmann, P.E., FDOT District One, P.O. Box 1249, Bartow, FL 33831. All exhibits or statements postmarked on or before May 29, 2017 will become part of the public hearing record. The draft environmental and engineering reports developed by the Department will be available for public review starting on April 27, 2017 through May 29, 2017 at the Fort Meade Public Library, located at 75 East Broadway Street in Fort Meade, FL 33841 and FDOT, District One, located at 801 N. Broadway Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830.

A copy of the agenda may be obtained by contacting: Project Manager Bill Hartmann, P.E., FDOT District One, P.O. Box 1249, Bartow, FL 33831, [phone], [e-mail]. The hearing is developed in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes. Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability or family status. The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried out by FDOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated December 14, 2016 and executed by the Federal Highway Administration and FDOT.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this workshop/meeting is asked to advise the agency at least 7 days before the workshop/meeting by contacting: Jamie Schley, District One Title VI Coordinator, [phone], [e-mail]. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800)955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800)955-8770 (Voice).

For more information, you may contact: Bill Hartmann, P.E., Project Manager, [phone], [e-mail]. You may also visit our project website at www.swflroads.com/us98/johnsingletarybridge.