Case study | Environmental Science
US 20 106 Report
Details
Owner
Illinois Department of Transportation
Client
Illinois Department of Transportation
Project Cost
$48,000 (Fee)
Status
Completed 2014
Summary
Kaskaskia Engineering Group, LLC (KEG) provided environmental services for the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), in support of the completion of a joint Section 106 and Section 4(f) Report for U.S. 20 (i.e. Spring Street) in Galena, Jo Daviess County, Illinois. The purpose of this project was to improve motorist and pedestrian safety and improve traffic flow on U.S. 20, while maintaining the historic character unique to Galena, Illinois.
Project
The proposed project analyzed in Section 106/Section 4(f) Report consisted of a total reconstruction of approximately one mile of U.S. 20 between Gear Street and the Galena River. To facilitate these improvements, a detour route was also analyzed as part of the proposed project.
Since this project involved properties protected under Section 106, the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) requires the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and IDOT to provide sufficient information to the Illinois State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) explaining the effects of the proposed project. Additionally, since this project is within the Galena Historic District, a Section 4(f) resource, the project team was required to document there were no other feasible and prudent alternatives. As such, the Section 106/Section 4(f) Report prepared by KEG summarized these efforts.
The Section 106/Section 4(f) Report detailed, in narrative and graphic, the historic properties potentially affected by the proposed project, as well as the direct and indirect impacts in regards to the Section 4(f) resource (i.e. Galena Historic District). The report concluded there was no feasible or prudent alternative that addressed the project purpose and needs and how to avoid all impacts to Section 4(f) resources, and the alternatives that caused the least overall harm were suggested to be carried forward.
