The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is soliciting public input on the relocation of U.S. 52 through Rowan County — one more step in the process that should lead to a new highway by the end of this decade.
The N.C. Department of Transportation seeks the Army permit. The Corps of Engineers will use public comments as part of determining the highway’s impact on water quality, endangered species, historic properties, the general environment and “other public interest factors,” an Army press release said.
Written comments related to the U.S. 52 plans may be sent to the Department of the Army, Raleigh Regulatory Field Office, 6508 Falls of Neuse Road, Suite 120, Raleigh, N.C., 27615-6814.
Comments should be put to the attention of Jean Manuele. Deadline for receiving comments is Jan. 21, 2002. People wishing to speak to Manuele may call 919-876-8441, extension 24.
An Army permit is required under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The Corps of Engineers will base much of its decision on a July 20 environmental assessment done by the N.C. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration.
The district engineer of the Corps of Engineers eventually selects the “least environmentally damaging, practicable alternative” for the road.
The new four-lane, median-divided highway will be up to 20.6 miles in length between I-85 in East Spencer and the existing five-lane U.S. 52 in Richfield.
The DOT’s environmental assessment looked at 12 possible routes for the new highway, which will provide a bypass of Salisbury, Granite Quarry, Rockwell, Misenheimer and, possibly, parts of Richfield. The proposed routes generally follow two paths, with slight variations.
Property owners following the project closely often refer to those paths as the eastern and western routes.
The eastern route is farthest from existing U.S. 52; the western route, closer to the existing U.S. 52.
Both routes have their supporters. Depending on what alternative is finally chosen, up to 45 Rowan County families could be forced to relocate.
Hundreds of people attended a Nov. 29 public hearing at East Rowan High School on the road project, where Dr. Stephen Furr contended that the eastern route was better from an environmental standpoint because it would affect fewer streams, farm ponds, wetlands and flood plain.
The Department of Army notes that the project will affect 10 to 14 streams, depending on the route chosen.
In addition, the project could affect 19.4 to 28.5 acres of wetland, primarily forested wetlands.
The DOT has indicated that it would use the Wetlands Restoration Program to pay for “unavoidable impacts to wetlands and streams associated with this project.”
The Corps of Engineers also must consider the project’s effects on endangered species and historic properties.
The endangered Schweinitz’s sunflower occurs in a N.C. DOT right of way adjacent to U.S. 52 in the Gold Hill area.
Half of the proposed alternatives would not affect the sunflower population, but the proposed widening of U.S. 52 near Gold Hill in the other six alternatives could impact the sunflowers on the eastern side of the road.
The DOT says a typical section proposed through this area would use a depressed grass median that would allow the sunflowers to remain.
Should the DOT’s plans change, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would have to step in and develop a plan to save the sunflowers, according to the Corps of Engineers.
As for historic properties, the DOT’s environmental assessment determined that 12 properties in the study area would be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. The proposed routes would not affect 11 of those 12 properties, however.
The Barringer-Lanning House, located within half of the proposed routes, could be affected. The DOT says it would minimize widening along the house’s property line and protect a large tree on the property to ensure its survival during and after construction.
The Corps of Engineers says it will not issue a permit until the N.C. Division of Water Quality determines that the project complies with the Clean Water Act.
The application and public notice for the Department of Army permit also serves as application to the Division of Water Quality for certification.
Right-of-way acquisition doesn’t start for a relocated U.S. 52 until 2007, with construction to begin by the end of the decade.
The DOT and Federal Highway Administration are expected to choose one of the 12 alternatives over the next year or so, with the next public hearing probably coming in 2003.
Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263, or mwineka@salisburypost.com
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