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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AUGUSTA, GEORGIA AND THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO HOLD A LOCATION AND DESIGN PUBLIC HEARING FOR ROAD IMPROVEMENTS GDOT PROJECT STP-7001 RICHMOND COUNTY, P. I. NO. 250510 AUGUSTA PROJECT NO. 323-04-296823309 On July 21, 2003 Augusta, Georgia and the Georgia Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing concerning the proposed Location and Design of Project STP-7001 Richmond County. The hearing will be held from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Sue Reynolds Elementary School, located at 3840 Road, Augusta, Georgia 30909. Project STP-7001(9), is a proposal to improve Road from the existing five lane section of Road, approximately 2,400 feet east of the intersection with Jimmy Dyess Parkway, to the Interstate 520 southbound ramp in Augusta-Richmond County, a distance of approximately 2.4 miles. The improvements involve widening Road from two lanes to four 12-foot travel lanes, providing a 4-foot bicycle lane in each direction, and placing a 20- foot raised median with turn lanes at median openings. Shoulders would include curb and gutter with adequate drainage structures, and 5-foot sidewalks on both sides. As part of the project, Road would be realigned between Maddox Drive and Belair Road. In addition to the improvements to Road, Barton Chapel Road would be relocated approximately 180 feet to the west to satisfy current intersection spacing requirements and to provide adequate distance for required left turn queue at the intersections of Barton Chapel Road and Augusta West Parkway. The proposed roadway is anticipated to help alleviate traffic congestion, improve access to adjacent residences and businesses along the existing roadway, and reduce vehicular accidents. Representatives from Augusta-Richmond County and the Department of Transportation will be available from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with plans and displays. The public will have an opportunity to attend the hearing at its convenience to ask questions and discuss the project with a Department representative. Representatives will be available to discuss relocation assistance. There will be no formal presentation. A court reporter will be available during this time to allow the public an opportunity to make comments about the project. These comments will be included in the transcript of the hearing. Written comments may be submitted to: Mr. Harvey D. Keepler State Environmental/Location Engineer 3993 Aviation Circle Atlanta, Georgia 30336-1593 Written statements should be submitted by August 1, 2003. The displays at the public hearing will be available for ten days for review after the public hearing at the Augusta Public Works and Engineering, located at 1815 Marvin Griffin Road, Augusta Georgia. The transcript, as soon as it’s prepared, will also be available at this location. There is wetland involvement on this project. Unavoidable wetland losses would be mitigated by restoration of existing degraded wetland habitats or creation of new wetlands. The Georgia Department of Transportation is in need of providing wetland mitigation for their projects. Land for wetland mitigation, in the form of restoring degraded wetlands: 1. must be relatively near the project (no greater than ten miles); 2. must not be existing wetlands or swamp (potential restoration areas should show signs of being previously ditched or drained or converted to non-wetland use such as agriculture or silvaculture); and, 3. must be easily accessible by local or state roads. ---PAGE BREAK--- Anyone who has such property and would be willing to sell it to the state for wetland restoration, should send a letter, with a map (USGS Topographic Quad Sheet, County road map, or detailed drawing) clearly showing the location of the degraded wetland, to Harvey D. Keepler, at the above address. The environmental document and displays will be available for review 15 days before the date of the public hearing at the location stated above. Also copies of the environmental document will be available at the hearing for public review. Copies of the environmental document are available to the public by sending a request to Mr. Harvey Keepler at the address listed above.