Other Agencies and Organizations, Inwood Consulting Engineers, Inc.

 

OTHER AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS

Inwood Consulting Engineers, Inc.

Notice of Opportunity for a Public Hearing

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) announces an opportunity for a public hearing.

PURPOSE: Notice is hereby given that interested persons may request a location and design concept public hearing for:

Project Name: State Road (SR) 710

Project Limits: SR 710 from SR 70 to CR 714 and extension of SR 710 from US 441 to SR 70.

Counties: Okeechobee and Martin

Financial Project ID Number: 419334-2-22-01

Federal Project ID Number: N/A

Project Description: The project study area includes the widening and extension of SR 710 from United States Highway (US) 441 in Okeechobee County to County Road (CR) 714 (SW Martin Highway) in Martin County, a distance of approximately 14 miles. The study evaluated the proposed widening of SR 710 between SR 70 and CR 714 from two to four lanes and a new four lane extension of SR 710 from US 441 to SR 70.

FDOT is finalizing the SR 710 Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study. A public hearing was held on Wednesday, January 30, 2013 in the Okeechobee KOA Convention Center located at 4276 US 441 South, Okeechobee, Florida. The public hearing presentation, full transcript, displays and draft documents are available for review on the project Web site at www.sr710-okeechobee.com.

A newspaper advertisement that was intended to announce the public hearing did not run as planned in the Okeechobee News on January 9, 2013 and January 23, 2013. The purpose of this advertisement is to announce the opportunity for people who were not aware of the hearing to provide input and/or to request a location and design concept public hearing.

The proposed improvements to SR 710 require a narrow strip of land from property owned by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) adjacent to the L-63N Canal and the National Register of Historic Places eligible Seaboard Air Line Railroad linear historic district owned by CSX. As part of the project development process and in accordance with Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966, FDOT is seeking comments from the public concerning the effects of the project on the activities, features and attributes of these resources. The Federal Highway Administration intends to make a de minimis impact determination on both of these resources.

Right-of-way acquisition is proposed for the build alternatives. Potential encroachments on wetlands and floodplains have been identified as a result of the study and may be given special consideration under Executive Orders 11990 and 11988, Protection of Wetlands and Floodplain Management, respectively.

Persons interested in this project may review the draft project reports and conceptual plans from July 18, 2013 through August 8, 2013 at two locations. One is the Okeechobee County Public Library, 206 SW 16th Street, Okeechobee. The second is the FDOT, District One Headquarters, 801 North Broadway Avenue, Bartow.

Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability or family status. People who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or people who require translation services (free of charge) should contact Mr. Jeffrey James. He may be reached at [phone] or by email at [e-mail].

Persons interested in requesting a location and design concept public hearing should submit a request in writing to: Florida Department of Transportation, Mr. Jeffrey James, FDOT Project Manager, P.O. Box 1249, Bartow, FL 33831, [phone], [e-mail]. The request should be postmarked by August 8, 2013.