Project Data Summary Sheet: Interstate 69-Section 9
From Hernando, Mississippi to Millington, Tennessee Desoto and Marshall Counties in Mississippi Shelby and Fayette Counties in Tennessee
PROJECT ROUTE
Interstate 69 begins at Port Huron, Michigan at the Canadian border and extends south passing through the states of Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana to the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas at the Mexican border. There are 32 Sections of Independent Utility identified along the I-69 Corridor. This project involves Section 9.
GENERAL PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The proposed project begins near the Interstate 55 / State Route 304 Interchange in Hernando, Mississippi and extends north to near the intersection of US 51 and State Route 385 in Millington, Tennessee. The project has two main alternative corridors. Corridor “A” extends north through the city of Memphis. Corridor “B” extends east on new location and provides an eastern bypass around the city of Memphis.
The proposed project will be built to interstate design standards and will be at a minimum four-lane divided, access-controlled facility with interchanges at major crossroads. A traffic analysis is being prepared to determine the number of traffic lanes needed to safely accommodate the predicted future traffic traveling through the corridor.
PROJECT PURPOSE
This project is part of a larger I-69 project initiated by the United States Congress. The project originated as Corridor 18 in the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) where Congress designated certain highway corridors of national significance to be included in the National Highway System. Enactment of the North American Free Trade Agreement of 1992 (NAFTA) has stimulated international trade flows from Mexico to the industrial north/northeast portions of the United States as well as trade flows from Canada. The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA 21), signed into law June 9, 1998 designated this route as Interstate 69.
The overall purpose of I-69 is to improve international and interstate trade in accordance with national and state goals; to facilitate economic development in accordance with state, regional and local policies, plans, and provide surface transportation consistent with national, state, regional and local needs.
The overall goals for I-69 are to improve international and interstate movement of freight and people by ensuring a safe transportation system that is accessible, integrated, and efficient while offering flexibility of transportation choices in mid-America; to enhance the regional and local transportation systems by providing transportation capacity to meet current and future needs; to facilitate economic development and enhance economic growth opportunities domestically and internationally through efficient and flexible transportation with particular emphasis being given to economic growth in the Lower Mississippi Delta Region; to facilitate connections to intermodal facilities and major ports along the corridor; to facilitate the safe and efficient movement of persons and goods by fostering a reduction in incident risk; to upgrade existing facilities to be utilized as I-69 within the corridor to design standards suitable for an Interstate highway and commensurate with the project demand.
TRAFFIC
A traffic analysis of the project impact area utilizing the existing Regional Travel Model is being conducted. The traffic years for this study will be base year 2010 and design year 2030. Preliminary traffic studies indicate the Interstate System through Memphis is over capacity. The traffic analysis will be used to determine the number of traffic lanes needed to accommodate future traffic volumes expected through this area as a result of increased trade and future growth in the Memphis and surrounding areas.
ALTERNATIVES
Alternatives to be considered in the environmental document will include: 1) the No-Build Alternative, 2) Build Alternative Corridor A and, 3) Build Alternative Corridor B.
The No-Build Alternative will mean that the proposed project will not be constructed and only routine maintenance on existing highways will be performed in the future.
Alternative Corridor A begins at I-55/SR 304 in Hernando, Desoto County, Mississippi and goes north along I-55 into Shelby County, Tennessee to I-240. The Alternative follows I-40/240 through midtown Memphis to Highway 300. At this point, four alternatives are being investigated to connect with State Route 385 near Millington.
Alternative B also begins at I-55/SR 304 in Hernando, Mississippi. Three alternatives on new location are being investigated between Hernando and the state line. The route extends east towards Byhalia before shifting north into Tennessee and extending along the alignment of SR 385, currently being developed, near Collierville and connecting to Interstate 40. Alternate Corridor “B” joins existing Paul Barrett Parkway at I-40 and continues along the Parkway into Millington.
The Build Alternatives will improve the existing highway sections to bring them up to interstate standards. The typical cross-section will be a minimum four-lane access controlled facility. Future traffic studies will determine the number of lanes necessary to carry the projected traffic at an acceptable level-of-service. Interchanges will be located at major road crossings.
SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
LAND USE
The land use within the project area varies between urban residential, rural residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural lands, as well as undeveloped forested/scrub-shrub lands.
Residential:
Most of the urban residential lands are located within the Alternate “A” study corridors that pass through downtown Memphis. Suburban residential lands exist in the Alternate “B” Corridor near Hernando and Byhalia in Mississippi, as well as Collierville and Millington in Tennessee. The northern sections of A-1, A-3, A-5, and A-8 corridors, as well as much of the Alternate “B” corridor, contain rural residential lands.
Commercial:
Commercial properties exist within the Alternate “A” corridors through the downtown Memphis area and the portion of the Alternate “A-3” corridor north of Memphis that follows the existing US 51 route. Commercial properties also exist within the Alternate “B” corridor. These commercial properties consist of convenience stores/gas stations, auto sales, mobile home sales, restaurants, hotels, etc.
Industrial:
Existing and proposed industrial properties occur in both the Alternate “A” and “B” corridors.
Agricultural:
Agricultural lands exist within the northern and southern portions of the Alternate “A” corridor, as well as, throughout much to the Alternate “B” corridor. The agricultural lands varied between grazed pasture and row-crop areas.
Undeveloped Forested/Scrub-shrub Areas:
The majority of the undeveloped lands exist within the Alternate “A” corridor, north and south of Memphis and throughout the Alternate “B” corridor, especially in the Mississippi portion. These undeveloped areas have the potential to contain wetlands, stream crossings, and other aquatic resources.
Impacts to these different land use types will be evaluated when individual alignments within the Alternate “A” and Alternate “B” corridors are further refined.
AIR QUALITY
The proposed project is located within an air quality maintenance area for carbon monoxide and ozone. Air quality studies will be conducted for the study area. The results of these studies will be analyzed to determine the impacts of the proposed project on air quality.
NOISE EVALUATION
A Noise Impact Study will be conducted at noise sensitive locations along the project corridor. The results of these studies will be analyzed to determine the noise impact associated with this project and to determine if any noise abatement measures are needed.
HYDROLOGICAL IMPACTS
The Alternate Corridors under study (“A” and “B”) will require crossings of aquatic resources such as blue-line streams, wetlands, creeks and rivers. The most notable water bodies within the project area are the Loosahatchie River, Wolf River, and the Coldwater River. The entire study corridor (Alternate “A” and “B”) will be delineated pursuant to the 1987 US Army Corps of Engineers Delineation Manual and impacts to aquatic resources will be assessed for each refined alignment. The location and design of the project will consider impacts to the aquatic resources, as well as the floodplain areas in accordance with Executive Order 11988 and all federal and local regulations. The project will be designed and constructed to minimize harm to the environment.
ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS
Terrestrial and aquatic studies will be conducted to determine the project’s impact on the ecological environment. Studies and investigations will be done to determine the presence of any endangered or threatened species or unique wildlife habitat that could be impacted by construction of the project. Studies will also be done to determine the extent, if any, of wetlands and other aquatic resources involvement in the project. Every feasible attempt will be made to avoid adverse ecological impacts and mitigation measures will be developed to minimize impacts that cannot be avoided.
CULTURAL IMPACTS
Historic and Archaeological studies will be conducted to determine if there are any sites or properties in the project impact area eligible for, or included in the National Register of Historic Places. The studies will determine if the proposed project will physically impact any archaeological sites or historical properties in the project impact area. Avoidance and/or mitigation efforts will be fully evaluated for any adverse impacts to any sites or properties identified.
FARMLAND IMPACTS
It is anticipated that impacts to farmland will occur in both Alternate “A” and “B” corridors. Studies will be performed to assess the impact of each refined alignment on farmland and farmable land. A Farmland Impact Rating Form has been sent to the US Department of Agriculture for their input.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Studies will be conducted to determine the presence of any underground storage tanks or other hazardous materials within the project limits. Measures will be taken to avoid these locations, if possible. However, if any hazardous material site/underground storage tanks cannot be avoided, appropriate measures and clean up of the sites will be carried out in accordance with federal and state procedures governing these actions.
If you would like to comment on this project email: TDOT.Comments@tn.gov
Governor Bill Haslam
