finding of effect: no adverse effect

Supplemental Supporting Information for a Finding of Effect

Project: Waterville-Winslow 23138.00 Scope: Bridge Replacement Finding of Effect: No Adverse Effect

Purpose and Need The purpose of the action is to provide long-term safe and efficient travel in support of economic competitiveness for current and projected travel volumes, including the movement of goods and people, between Waterville and Winslow along US Route 201.

The need for this project is to address a structurally deficient bridge that is in overall “poor” condition to “fair” condition. The 2020 Highway Bridge Inspection Report for this structure reports a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sufficiency rating of 57. The project provides a vital link between Waterville and Winslow and the surrounding communities.

Project Background The Ticonic Bridge (#2854) carries U.S. Route 201 over the Kennebec River connecting the City of Waterville and the Town of Winslow. The bridge is comprised of three transversely adjoining structures separated by two longitudinal joints. The downstream structure is a four-span earth filled concrete arch built in 1911 with a total structure length of 517’-0” and supports a sidewalk and esplanade. The central structure, constructed directly upstream of the arch in 1936, is a riveted steel girder bridge with steel needle beams supporting a non-composite cast-in-place concrete deck. The central structure also has four-spans with a total bridge length of 517’-0”, shares all the substructure locations of the concrete arch, and carries three eastbound lanes of traffic. The piers supporting the central structure pre-date the concrete arch and were originally constructed with stacked stone and supported an iron truss bridge.

The bridge was widened in 1970 through the addition of a five-span upstream structure consisting of welded steel plate girders supporting a composite cast-in-place concrete deck. The upstream structure carries two lanes of westbound traffic and a sidewalk with a total structure length of 569’ 0”. The structure shares two piers and the west abutment with the downstream structures. The remaining two piers and the east abutment are separate from, and unrelated to, the downstream structures.

The bridge was evaluated in 2004 for the MaineDOT Historic Bridge Survey and was found to be ineligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

Proposed ActionThe proposed action (Alternative 3: Bridge Replacement) would replace the existing Ticonic Bridge #2854. The proposed bridge would be constructed predominately on the existing horizontal alignment. The new bridge’s centerline would be approximately 1.5’ upstream of the existing centerline. The bridge would carry two 11’ travel lanes with two 5’ shoulders and two 6’ sidewalks. The bridge would consist of nine variable depth welded metalized steel plate girders with an 8” composite cast-in-place concrete deck and 3” bituminous wearing surface on a quarter inch performance waterproofing membrane. The conventional abutments would

Supplemental Information for a Finding of Effect Waterville-Winslow Bridge Replacement Project

MaineDOT WIN 23138.00

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be placed on bedrock or existing fill concrete. Abutment 1 would include a cast-in-place wingwall and one return wingwall, while Abutment 2 would include cast-in-place flared wingwalls. The concrete piers would be placed on bedrock. The MaineDOT would coordinate with the local communities to determine the new bridge rail type during the final design process. Bridge rail options presented as part of the preliminary public process included MaineDOT’s standard 4-bar steel pedestrian rail, Massachusetts 3-bar steel rail, Texas classic rail, Texas C2P Rail, and Wyoming rail. Bridge lighting would be provided and, similar to the bridge rail, the final lighting style would be selected during final design as part of ongoing public engagement. Bridge railing and lighting options can be found at the end of this document. The Town of Winslow has expressed the desire for the lighting to match the Waterville Downtown Improvement Project. The bridge approaches would match the existing intersection geometry.

Construction would be completed in two phases to support on-site traffic management to the extant practical. Construction access would be located on the Waterville side of the bridge to the north and on the Winslow side of the bridge and a trestle would be added on either side of the existing bridge. Construction is projected to take three years. Estimated project costs are $40.5 million.

Federal Action Federal funding.



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Definition of Area of Potential Effect (APE) The proposed project is located in Waterville and Winslow. A map is attached below that shows the APE.

Figure 1. Waterville-Winslow 23138.00 Area of Potential Effect



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Historic Properties The proposed project is located in Waterville and Winslow. The following descriptions of historic properties found within the project area are based on Maine Historic Preservation Commission (MHPC) survey forms and National Register of Historic Places nomination forms. Lockwood Mill Historic District (Numerous Owners, 10+12R to 17+00R)

National Register-listed Criteria A, B, C Architecture, Engineering, Industry Period of Significance 1873-1957

The Lockwood Mill Historic District is a complex of brick textile mill buildings with associated water power generating structures. The district consists of three mill buildings, a power house, canal, and a second power house. The three mill buildings are brick construction with granite trim and granite foundations. All three mill buildings have slightly pitched gabled roofs, segmental arch window openings with granite sills, and brick pilasters. The district’s hydropower station includes headworks, canal, and powerhouse. The district is associated with Amos Lockwood, a nationally significant early professional mill consulting engineer. The mill and its additions were designed by Lockwood and his firm, Lockwood-Greene. The mills were also an important contributor to the industrial and economic development of Waterville and as the home to the nationally significant Hathaway Shirt Company from 1957 to 2002.



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Maine Central Railroad Historic District (Maine Central Railroad Company, 20+50L to 23+50R)

National Register-eligible Criteria A, C Industry, Transportation Statewide Period of Significance 1852 to c. 1965

The Maine Central Railroad Historic District, at this location, includes a set of tracks that span from the east side of the Kennebec River from Winslow to Waterville and a Warren through truss and girder-floorbeam railroad bridge. The c.1910 railroad bridge is a four-span truss that is approximately 625’ long and approximately 10’ wide. The northern two spans and southernmost span are Warren through trusses, while the remaining span is a girder-floorbeam. The bridge sits on granite piers and abutments with some alterations in concrete. This section of the railroad was originally constructed by the Somerset and Kennebec (S&K) Railroad that opened in 1855 and leased to the Androscoggin and Kennebec (A&K) Railroad in 1856. The Maine Central acquired the A&K in 1862 and the S&K in 1870. At its height in the early twentieth century the Maine Central Railroad had almost 1,500 miles of track that ran from Vanceboro to Portland and extended throughout the central region and then westward into New Hampshire, Vermont, and Quebec. The Maine Central Railroad provided passenger and freight services, the latter of which was significantly influenced by the state’s booming pulp and paper production industry. The Maine Central Railroad retains all aspects of integrity. The period of significance is 1852 to c. 1965 with the end of passenger services and a reduction in its freight services. Arnold Trail to Quebec Historic District (Numerous Owners, 10+12 to 24+04) National Register-listed Criteria A, D Archaeology, Military, Transportation The Arnold Trail to Quebec Historic District runs 194 miles from Fort Popham to Coburn Gore. The trail follows the path of the Kennebec River to the Dead River to the Chain of Ponds and into Quebec. It follows the known route General Benedict Arnold and his troops traversed in a failed attempt to capture Quebec during the American Revolutionary War. Within the project area, there are no manmade objects related to the Arnold Trail, only the course of the Kennebec River. The period of significance is 1775.



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Archeological Resources There are no archaeological resources in the project area. Impacts to Property The following addresses potential impacts to properties as a result of the proposed action. Lockwood Mill Historic District (Numerous Owners, 10+12R to 17+00R) National Register-listed Criteria A, B, C Architecture, Engineering, Industry The proposed action would result in No Adverse Effect to the Lockwood Mills Historic District. Construction staging and access has been planned to avoid impacts to the historic district in the vicinity of the southwest corner of the existing bridge. At the Waterville approach, within the district’s viewshed, the proposed action would include installation of guardrail, curbing, and a flush-center island. These actions are a minimal change from the current roadway configuration and would not significantly affect the historic district. The proposed action would construct a bridge of similar massing as the existing bridge and with similar materials (concrete and steel). Further the proposed bridge would be placed on a similar alignment as the existing bridge. As a result, the proposed action would not significantly impact the historic district’s viewshed or integrity of feeling, association, or setting. Maine Central Railroad Historic District (Maine Central Railroad Company, 20+50L to 23+50R) National Register-eligible Criteria A, C Industry, Transportation The proposed action would result in No Adverse Effect to the Maine Central Railroad. Within the railroad’s right-of-way the proposed action would clear vegetation between the tracks and the bridge, but would avoid direct impacts to the tracks. At the intersection of the Winslow approach and Route 201, the proposed action would include adding guardrail, curbing, and sidewalk, which are similar to the existing configuration. The proposed action would also construct a bridge that is similar in location, massing, and materials (concrete and steel) to the existing bridge. As a result, the replacement bridge project would not significantly impact the railroad’s viewshed or integrity of feeling, association, or setting. Arnold Trail to Quebec Historic District (Numerous Owners, 10+12 to 24+04) National Register-listed Criteria A, D Archaeology, Military, Transportation The proposed action would result in No Adverse Effect to the Arnold Trail to Quebec Historic District. The proposed bridge replacement would pose a nominal change to the viewshed of the Arnold Trail to Quebec. The proposed action would not significantly diminish the resource’s integrity of feeling, setting, or association. Archaeological Resources No archaeological properties would be affected by the proposed undertaking.



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Avoidance and Minimization Efforts The proposed action avoids significant impacts to historic properties in the project area. Project planning avoided impacts to the Lockwood Mills Historic District by restricting construction access and staging at the southwest corner of the bridge. In addition, the proposed action would construct a bridge that is similar in massing, location, and materials as the existing bridge, which would minimize effects to the viewsheds of surrounding historic properties. Dismissed Alternatives The following alternatives were evaluated for Waterville-Winslow 23138.00 bridge replacement project. No Build The No Build alternative does not meet the purpose and need of the project

and was therefore removed from further consideration. Rehabilitation Alternative 1: Rehabilitation would include a replacement of the bridge’s

concrete deck, expansion joints, and bridge railings. This alternative would also include repainting structural steel and repairing substructure concrete. Parts of the structural steel would also have been strengthened to increase the bridge’s load rating. Abutments and piers would require concrete caps. The rehabilitated bridge would carry two 11’ lanes in each direction with 2’ median, 3’ shoulders, and 6’ sidewalk. The Waterville approach would be widened with a kicker girder and flared overhangs to relocate the sidewalk from the existing arch. This alternative was dismissed from further considerations because 3’ shoulders do not meet Complete Streets Policy for bicycle accommodations, limitations for future maintenance created by the center median, and the uncertainty regarding the long-term serviceability of the existing piers.

Partial Replacement Alternative 2: Superstructure Replacement would include the scope of work

found in Rehabilitation and replace the structural steel. A bridge deck longitudinal joint with median curbs was also proposed to minimize cracking due to differential displacement. The bridge would carry two 11’ lanes in each direction with 2’ median, 3’ shoulders, and 6’ sidewalks. Abutments and piers would be modified with concrete caps and to accommodate a shallower superstructure. This alternative was dismissed for the same reasons as Alternative 1.

Proposed Materials Concrete, steel, guardrail, and curbing.



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Public Involvement The MaineDOT contacted the four federally recognized Native American Tribes in Maine. The Penobscot Nation and the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians replied with no concerns.

The MaineDOT notified the Towns and applicable historical groups of the project initiation. A preliminary online public meeting was posted on the MaineDOT website from April 6, 2021, to April 20, 2021. MaineDOT received no comments related to the historic review process or historic resources in the project area. A formal online public meeting is anticipated for November 2021.

The public involvement process is ongoing.

Plans Waterville-Winslow, Kennebec County, Ticonic Bridge over Kennebec River, US Route 210, Federal Aid Project No. 2313800, MaineDOT, July 16, 2021.

Attachments Art Spiess, MHPC, to Julie Senk, MaineDOT, June 7, 2021 Kirk F. Mohney, MHPC, Concur, February 18, 2020 Bridge Lighting and Rail Options

ADDITIONAL BRIDGE DETAILS• Bridge lighting, several options available. Type to be determined. • Aesthetic lighting options are available but subject to cost-sharing with municipalities

NORTH

BRIDGE RAILING OPTIONS• Bridge will include modern rail system, several options available. Type to be determined.

Wyoming Rail

Texas Classic Rail Texas C2P Rail Maine 4-Bar Rail

Massachusetts 3-Bar Rail

Julie.Senk

Typewritten Text

Lockwood Mill Historic District

Julie.Senk

Polygon

Julie.Senk

Typewritten Text

Maine Central Railroad Historic District

Julie.Senk

Polygon

finding of effect: no adverse effect

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