Notice Affording Opportunity for Public Hearing - US 59

Purpose:	TxDOT, in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the City of El Campo, is offering the opportunity to request a public hearing covering the social, economic and environmental effects of the proposed US 59 project. The proposed project would provide frontage roads and convert the existing roadway to a controlled access facility that meets interstate standards from SH 71 to Business 59 north of El Campo. Any interested citizen may request a public hearing covering the social, economic and environmental effects of the proposed project. If such a request is received, a public hearing will be scheduled. Adequate notice will be published to announce the date and location of the hearing. The Environmental Assessment, project location map, drawings and other information about the proposed project are available for inspection at the following locations: TxDOT Yoakum District Office 403 Huck St. Yoakum, TX 77995 City of El Campo Civic Center 2350 N. Mechanic St. El Campo, TX 77437 City of El Campo 315 E. Jackson St. El Campo, TX 77437 TxDOT Wharton Area Office 1512 FM 102 Wharton, TX 77488 Wharton County Library, El Campo Branch 200 W. Church St. El Campo, TX 77437

Description:	The proposed project would include the addition of frontage roads to provide access control along the existing US 59 facility. The mainlane typical section would remain the same and include: Two 12-foot lanes in each direction 10-foot outside shoulders 6-foot inside shoulders 42-foot-wide center median Approximately 30-180 feet of grassy median between the mainlanes and frontage roads The frontage roads would include: Two 12-foot lanes 10-foot outside shoulders 4-foot inside shoulders A maximum of a 50-foot-wide grassy ditch on each outside edge The right of way (ROW) would be a maximum of 1,450 feet and would be minimized in locations to avoid potential impacts and displacements. A 5-foot sidewalk would be provided on both sides of the facility between the frontage road and the ROW. Bicycle use would be permitted on the 10-foot outside shoulder of the frontage roads. No construction would occur on the existing mainlanes of US 59, but lighting would be installed where the nighttime sight distance doesn’t currently meet a 70 mph design speed. With the addition of this lighting, all design elements would meet or exceed the requirements for a 70 mph design speed. The preliminary construction cost estimate for the proposed project is $19,915,195. A total of 63.4 acres of land would be converted to transportation land use with the proposed project. In addition, 134.6 acres of existing ROW would be utilized. The overall impacts would not be in conflict with land use/cover/zoning. Although additional ROW is required, no houses or businesses would be displaced. Information concerning services and benefits available to affected property owners and information about the tentative schedule for ROW acquisition and construction may be obtained from the TxDOT Yoakum District Office. The proposed project would cross two 100-year floodplain boundaries for a total of approximately 72 acres of the project area. A total of 10 waterbodies were identified within the proposed project area including six ditches/canals, two perennial streams and two wetlands. Eight of those waterbodies exhibited a surface connection or a significant nexus to waters of the U.S. and would be subject to USACE jurisdiction under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA). The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried out by TxDOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated Dec. 16, 2014, and executed by FHWA and TxDOT.

Downloads:	Notice
Deadline:	Written requests must be submitted on or before Nov. 9, 2015.

Contact:	Citizens may request a public hearing by submitting a written request to: Texas Department of Transportation Director of Transportation Planning and Development 403 Huck St. Yoakum, TX 77995 (361) 293-4347 Email