Opening of Proposal - INDOT School Zone Flashing Beacon Assemblies - VS Engineering

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CITY OF SOUTH BEND School Zone Flashing Beacons at 39 Schools Safety Improvements (Des. 1801240), . The VS Team understands that environmental analysis is on the "critical path" to moving this project through the design phase and into construction. Having completed the environmental work for previous infrastructure projects, our understanding of the environmental process and relationships with environmental review agencies is second -to -none. We will leverage these relationships early -on, to avoid costly environmental "discoveries" during design and construction. Based upon preliminary analysis completed by Alan Ball (VS Environmental Specialist), we expect that a Programmatic Categorical Exclusion will be required due to the minimal disturbance required for installation of the speed zone flashers. A project qualifies for a Programmatic CE when the following criteria are met: 1. There is no right-of-way acquisition, either temporary or permanent 2. The project falls within the guidelines of the MPPA 3. No wetland or waterways are impacted 4. No permits are required There are other stipulations too, but the above 4 are most often the ones that keep projects within the Programmatic CE category. One area of concern for the pedestrian safety installations within the City is that there are numerous historic resources identified on the Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database. Legend o National Register Sites Historic Districts`" Some of these structures (about 50) and districts (10) are already included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). A graphical representation is provided below. These locations may impact the school zone flasher installations near Good Shepard Montessori School (7), Jefferson Intermediate Center (12), Madison Primary Center (16), St. Anthony de Padua (28), St. Joseph Grade School (29), and Veritas Academy (38). In addition to the resources already on the NRHP, there are over 150 structures with an "Outstanding" rating scattered around South Bend. Outstanding resources are eligible for inclusion in the NRHP, but have not yet been nominated or accepted into the NRHP. There are another 200 or more "Notable" historic resources mapped within the project area. Notable resources may or may not be individually eligible for inclusion in the NRHP. Each Notable resource would need to be evaluated to determine its eligibility. Each school location will need to be evaluated to determine potential for impacts to historic resources. The placement of the school zone flashers will be such as to avoid any impacts to NRHP eligible properties, thus avoiding full Section 106 consultation. The goal is to keep this project within the guidelines of the MPPA, and thus a Programmatic CE. PROJECT UNDERSTANDING & APPROACH • 5