Illinois Terminal Expansion Online Meeting

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Welcome


Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District welcomes you to the Illinois Terminal Expansion Project online presentation! The Illinois Terminal Expansion Project is planned to improve safety at Illinois Terminal, reduce bus congestion, and support local economic development goals.

This online presentation will provide an overview of the Project, a summary of potential environmental impacts, an anticipated timeline for completion of the Project, and identify ways to comment.

How to Navigate

  • Click the arrows on the bottom right of your screen to go forward or the bottom left to go backward.
  • Click on any image to expand.
  • Use the navigation bar on the left of your screen to revisit any part of the meeting.
  • To provide a comment, simply click on the “comment” button at the top right of your screen. A comment form will appear. You may continue to add comments to the form throughout the meeting. To ensure your comments are saved for each slide, please close the form before continuing. Once finished with the meeting, please click “Submit” to officially submit your comment(s) to the project team.
Project Map

Project Overview


What are the Project Components?

New Mixed-Use Facility

The new structure will connect with the Illinois Terminal Building and will include the following:

  • Bus platforms
  • Dedicated area space for taxi and rideshare pickup
  • Passenger waiting areas
  • Expanded leasable space for office and retail uses
  • Residential units
  • Parking deck

Controlled Pedestrian Access for Increased Safety

  • Pedestrian barriers around bus platforms
  • Pedestrian walkway on the 2nd floor to connect to outer bus platforms and car services, with stairs and elevators to provide access to bus platform level
  • New reflective crosswalks
  • Lighting and pedestrian activated beacons.

New Dedicated Bus Platforms

  • 15 new MTD bus platforms on the 1st Floor of the Mixed-Use Facility
  • 3 new rural and intercity platforms on Market Street

Renovation and expansion of Illinois Terminal and waiting areas

  • Expand passenger waiting areas
  • Increased commercial space
  • Front entrance circular drive
  • Green space

The Illinois Terminal Expansion Project only includes improvements north of Logan Street. Development planned for south of Logan Street would be completed as a separate private project.

Note: Conceptual design for discussion only; Actual design may differ

Project Benefits and Funding


What will the Illinois Terminal Expansion provide?

  • Additional platforms for increased and more reliable bus service, larger waiting areas for passengers, and expanded leasable space
  • Improved safety for passengers and pedestrians
  • Increased reliability and on-time performance to accommodate future growth, improve local and regional connectivity, and enhance access to jobs, schools, and community resources
  • Leveraged private investment in downtown Champaign to maximize land use and advance local economic development goals

Project Funding

The Illinois Terminal Expansion is estimated to be a $70.8 million dollar project. Funding sources include:

  • Federal Transit Administration Section 5339 Bus and Bus Facilities grant with a local match consisting of contributions by MTD, City of Champaign, and joint development partner, Core Champaign Hockey, LLC
  • Urbanized Area Formula 5307 funds

Project Timeline


MTD began early planning and preliminary studies for the Illinois Terminal Expansion Project in 2012. Following the award of a Section 5339 Bus and Bus Facilities grant from the Federal Transit Administration in late 2019, MTD prepared an Environmental Assessment that complies with the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA. The Environmental Assessment evaluates the proposed project alternatives, resource impacts, and identifies proposed avoidance, minimization, and mitigation strategies.

Public agencies and the public are invited to review and comment on the Environmental Assessment. The comment period for the Environmental Assessment runs from June 1, 2021 to July 1, 2021. Copies of the Environmental Assessment are available for review at:

Illinois Terminal Customer Service Desk 45 East University Avenue Champaign, IL 61820

Champaign Public Library 200 W. Green Street Champaign, IL 61820

Online: www.ITETheYards.com

2012 to 2019

Early Planning and Preliminary Studies

2020 to 2021

Environmental Review

May 2020 to February 2021

Environmental Studies

Online Public Meeting

May 2020 to July 2021

Environmental Assessment

Public Review of Enviromental Assessment

We are here
September 2021

Finding of No Significant Impact

OR
Prepare Draft Environmental Impact Statement

2021 to 2022

Project Development, Final Design, and Land Acquisition

2022 to 2023

Construction

Ongoing Public Involvement in Each Phase

Environmental Impacts


Environmental impacts can be adverse or beneficial to the community and environment. Key issues evaluated for impacts include aesthetics, biological resources, historic properties, hazardous materials, effects to traditionally underserved populations, land use, noise and vibration, public services, displacements, social and economic impacts, traffic and parking, and water quality.

Measures are proposed to avoid, minimize, or mitigate impacts when there is a potential for an adverse impact. The following slides summarize impacts to resource areas where mitigation is proposed. More detail is provided in the Environmental Assessment available at www.ITETheYards.com. Resource areas are not discussed in this presentation if no impacts were identified.

Transportation and Safety


Temporary Impacts during Construction

Impacts
  1. Changes in bus staging, to include temporary bus platforms on Chester Street and Water Street.
  2. Temporary closure of Market Street between Logan Street and Bailey Street.
  3. Reduced parking availability at on-street meters, in the public parking lot west of Illinois Terminal, and in the City-owned parking ramp at Logan Street and Market Street.
  4. Access to Illinois Terminal and adjacent businesses to be maintained throughout construction.
  5. Passenger circulation through active construction zones with potential for increased hazards.
Measures proposed to avoid, minimize or mitigate impacts
  1. Phased approach to construction to limit closures.
  2. Contractor will prepare a Construction Traffic Management Plan in coordination with MTD, City of Champaign Public Works Department, and emergency responders to identify construction phasing, maintenance of traffic and access, and on-site circulation for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
  3. Temporary bus platforms on Chester/Water.
  4. ADA spaces in public parking lot west of Illinois Terminal to be maintained during construction until new spaces in parking deck are available and accessible. Additional ADA spaces will be available in parking lot east of Illinois Terminal when buses are staged along Chester and Water Streets.
  5. Notification of changes to parking, closures, and detours to businesses, residents, riders, and emergency responders.
  6. Work zones at Bailey Street to maintain at least 20-feet width for one way traffic and loading.
  7. Pedestrian detours to be provided, with signage, fences, and handrails, as needed. Public use areas involving sidewalks, entrances to Illinois Terminal, and lobbies to be protected with appropriate barricades and adequate visibility. Doors, corridors, and areas to be used by the public will be kept clear and appropriate warnings, signs, and instructional safety information will be posted, as needed. The contractor will be required to maintain good housekeeping standards during construction.

Permanent Impacts after Construction

Impacts
  1. Beneficial impacts related to pedestrian safety and reduces bus-related congestion on surrounding roadways
  2. Enhanced pedestrian crossings
  3. Existing public parking to be relocated to parking deck. Parking in Christie Clinic lot to be relocated to lot on Clark and State Streets.
Measures proposed to avoid, minimize or mitigate impacts

None required.

Temporary Bus Platform Locations
Parking relocation

Land Use and Economic Development Impacts


Temporary Impacts during Construction

Impacts
  1. Potential for short-term impacts to existing businesses during construction, as some traffic and customers may avoid the area.
  2. Project would create construction jobs during the one-year construction period. Indirect job growth would also include jobs supporting construction, including trade, architectural, truck transportation, and restaurants in the area.
Mitigation
  1. Contractor will communicate with the Downtown business community about construction zones, parking, and the maintenance of traffic plan. Methods of communication about upcoming construction may include a Construction Update section on the Project website, email alerts, and/or social media posts.

Permanent Impacts after Construction

Impacts
  1. Project is compatible with surrounding land use, supports allowable development, and is consistent with planned land uses.
  2. Project anticipated to provide quantified value benefits of $65.3 million from 2023 through 2042 through travel time savings for existing bus riders, cost benefits for new bus riders, reductions in crashes within the Project Area, and increased real estate property value.
  3. Project would generate new tax revenue through new and expanded leases at the new Mixed Use Facility.
  4. Project would improve regional access, support economic development, and increase housing choices in the downtown core.
Mitigation

None required.

View from University Avenue Looking South

Conceptual design for discussion only; Actual design may differ

Neighborhood and Community Resources


Temporary Impacts during Construction

Impacts
  1. Potential for impacts to neighborhood related to intermittent noise, vibration, dust, utility disruptions, detours, altered access to some businesses, temporary transit platforms, reduced parking availability, aesthetic changes from construction, changes in emergency vehicle routing, construction vehicle emissions, and increased truck traffic.
  2. Temporary impacts would not disproportionately impact minority or low-income populations.
  3. Potential for residents of Inman Place Independent Living and Senior Facility and those in the area experiencing homelessness to experience increased exposure to noise, vibration, dust, and air quality.
  4. Temporary detours or road closures may occur but would have minimal impact on community resources because alternate routes would be provided in the immediate area to ensure access during construction.
Measures proposed to avoid, minimize or mitigate impacts
  1. Contractor to prepare construction outreach plan to identify methods of communication with neighborhoods, businesses, general public, and community services, such as the Champaign Urbana Canteen Run, to prepare for construction. Methods of communication about upcoming construction may include a Construction Update section on the Project website, email alerts, and/or social media posts.
  2. Contractor required to prepare construction plans that outline construction best management practices to be employed, including the following:
    1. maintenance of access to business, residential, and community facilities,
    2. traffic control,
    3. access to businesses in the construction area,
    4. erosion and dust control,
    5. maintenance of equipment,
    6. noise and vibration, and
    7. guidelines included in U.S. EPA’s Construction Emissions Control Checklist.
  3. Contractor and MTD to work with local governments and emergency response providers to ensure that safe mobility would be maintained within the Project Area.
  4. The design architect and contractor would be required to coordinate complete utility locations and include utilities on construction plans.
  5. The contractor would be required to provide affected utility customers advance notice of any planned utility disruptions.
  6. MTD will coordinate with the City of Champaign, emergency response providers, the directors of Inman Place, and Champaign County Continuum of Service Providers to the Homeless to discuss the proposed Project and construction.

Permanent Impacts after Construction

Impacts
  1. Safer access and pedestrian at Illinois Terminal because of controlled pedestrian access, visibility improvements, and separated of transportation modes.
  2. Enhanced transportation reliability and access to jobs, healthcare, and recreational activities.
  3. Added green space.
  4. Improved quality of life by allowing local residents, rural populations, and visitors to more easily access existing and planned community resources. Rural transportation services will more easily bring passengers into downtown area, where they can utilize affordable transit to access healthcare, education, and employment needs, and patronize local businesses.
Mitigation

    None required.

View from Walnut Street and Logan Street, Looking North

Conceptual design for discussion only; Actual design may differ

Water Resources/Hazardous Materials


Water Resources

Temporary Impacts during Construction

Impacts
  1. Potential increase of sediment runoff to Boneyard Creek.
Measures proposed to avoid, minimize or mitigate impacts
  1. Erosion and sediment control plans that incorporate construction best management practices related to runoff.
  2. Construction Stormwater General Permit to be obtained from Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in compliance with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System.
  3. Contractor to adhere to any conditions laid out in the permits.

Permanent Impacts after Construction

Impacts

No impacts anticipated.

Measures proposed to avoid, minimize or mitigate impacts

None required.

Hazardous Materials

Temporary Impacts during Construction

Impacts
  1. Potential to disturb/uncover existing contamination in the soil and/or groundwater during excavation.
  2. Five Recognized Environmental Condition sites identified on the property and soil and groundwater samples identified presence of contaminated soils and heavy metals.
Measures proposed to avoid, minimize or mitigate impacts
  1. Contractor to develop a Materials Management Plan (MMP) to
    1. Address material handling and potential disposal;
    2. Address unforeseen contamination that is encountered during construction;
    3. Provide an awareness training and a response plan for engineering and construction crews to properly identify signs of contamination during subsurface activity; and
    4. Require engineering and construction crews to immediately stop work if signs of contamination are observed and report the apparent contamination to their supervisor, who would take immediate and appropriate action to protect worker and public safety.
  2. Phase II Environmental Site Assessment to be provided to the Contractor to determine additional worker safety considerations relating to exposure to contaminated soils needs to be addressed in a Health and Safety Plan.
  3. Prior to construction, MTD to coordinate with Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and enroll in the voluntary clean-up program to address areas of known contamination and request to eliminate the Migration to Groundwater Pathway using pavement as an engineering control.

Permanent Impacts after Construction

Impacts
  1. Minor storage and use of petroleum products, solvents, and other materials for maintenance purposes may occur. The facility may also generate used oil during the course of operation.
  2. Indoor air quality issues from vapor intrusion could be a concern if high enough concentrations of volatile contaminants are found in the soil and/or groundwater onsite and left in place.
Measures proposed to avoid, minimize or mitigate impacts
  1. Any additional storage and generation of regulated wastes including oils, greases, solvents, and other waste materials will be disposed of in accordance with state and local guidelines.
  2. Illinois Terminal to continue to operate under a health and safety program that will include provisions for the safe handling, storing, and disposal of regulated materials.

Noise and Vibration


Temporary Impacts during Construction

Impacts
  1. One noise sensitive receptor identified, the Inman Place Senior Living. Construction noise is not anticipated to exceed FTA thresholds for moderate or severe noise impacts at this location.
  2. Vibration sensitive receptors include the Inman Place Senior Living facility, the READY School, and Christie Clinic Radiology Clinic. Construction impacts depend on type of equipment and range of use. Impact pile drivers at a typical to upper range and sonic pile drivers operating in the upper range pose a risk of damage to non-engineered timber and masonry buildings and would exceed FTA’s annoyance assessment criteria values; however, a sonic pile driver operating at its typical range would be below the FTA construction vibration criteria for damage and annoyance.
  3. Impact pile drivers or sonic pile drivers operated at their upper ranges approach or exceed the vibration tolerances for diagnostic imaging equipment at a nearby radiology clinic.
Mitigation
  1. MTD will include noise and vibration performance specifications in construction contract documents that are consistent with City of Champaign ordinances.
  2. Construction activities will be conducted in accordance with City, State, and Federal guidelines, and will use best practices to limit noise, such as limiting construction activities to normal daytime working hours, limiting idling equipment, and additional preventative actions as the construction plan is finalized.
  3. Construction contractors would be required to develop a construction noise and vibration management plan. This may be a singular plan or it may be included in a larger environmental management plan for the construction project. At a minimum, the plan would include the following:
    1. Identification of the proposed Project’s noise control objectives and potential components;
    2. Summary of noise and vibration-related criteria and local ordinances for construction contractors to abide by;
    3. Requirement of a pre-construction survey to identify receptors potentially affected by construction noise and vibration and documentation of the pre-construction conditions of particularly susceptible receptors. This would include, at a minimum, the radiology clinic, the READY Program school, and the Inman Place;
    4. List of potential mitigation measures, a plan to implement mitigation, and an approach for deciding the appropriateness of mitigation by construction activity and receptor;
    5. Identification of methods to minimize noise impacts on adjacent noise-sensitive stakeholders while maintaining construction progress;
    6. Plans for coordination with affected project stakeholders to minimize intrusive construction effects; and
    7. Process to handle and resolve any noise or vibration-related complaints.

Permanent Impacts after Construction

Impacts

No impacts anticipated.

Mitigation

None required.

Air Quality


Temporary Impacts during Construction

Impacts
  1. Potential for impacts related to dust and emissions from diesel construction equipment and trucks.
  2. Potential localized increases in pollutant concentrations near construction area.
Measures proposed to avoid, minimize or mitigate impacts
  1. Contractor will implement construction best management practices identified in U.S. EPA’s Construction Emissions Control Checklist.
  2. Contractor will be required to prepare and implement a dust control plan and a strategy to control emissions from diesel-powered equipment. Strategies that could be employed include limiting idling of construction equipment during periods of inactivity, maintaining construction equipment in proper working condition, and limiting dust-producing construction activities near residential buildings.

Permanent Impacts after Construction

Impacts
  1. Overall beneficial impact on air quality by reducing bus congestion and improving reliability and accessibility of the transit system, thereby attracting new passengers that may otherwise travel by car within the community.
Mitigation

None required.

Utilities


Temporary Impacts during Construction

Impacts
  1. Potential for temporary utility disruptions during utility relocations.
Measures proposed to avoid, minimize or mitigate impacts
  1. Design architect and contractor will be required to coordinate complete utility locations and include utilities on construction plans.
  2. Contractor will be required to provide affected utility customers advance notice of any planned utility disruptions.

Permanent Impacts after Construction

Impacts

No impacts anticipated.

Mitigation

None required.

No Build Alternative


The No Build Alternative is a required alternative as part of the NEPA environmental analysis and is used for comparison purposes to assess the relative benefits and impacts of implementing the proposed Project.

  1. The No Build Alternative would not upgrade or expand Illinois Terminal. Operational crowding of buses and passenger crowding on platforms and within the waiting areas would continue to increase as the community grows, development in the downtown area progresses, and demand for public transportation rises.
  2. Safety of passengers would continue to be a concern for MTD and users of Illinois Terminal as buses compete for platform space, queue on local streets, and load and unload passengers at non-platform areas in parking lots and at double-parked locations.
  3. MTD would not be able to leverage private investment to increase value and improve quality of life for the community.

The No Build Alternative would not meet the needs for the Project.

Submit your Comments


Public agencies and the public are invited to comment on the Environmental Assessment. Written comments on the Environmental Assessment should be submitted no later than Thursday, July 1, 2021.

All comments must be received by July 1, 2021 to ensure consideration and incorporation into the Project record.

Comment submittal via:

  1. Comment form in upper right hand corner
  2. Email:  Info@ITETheYards.com
  3. Mail: Champaign-Urbana MTD
    Attn: Jane Sullivan
    1101 E. University Ave.
    Urbana, Illinois 61802
  4. Website:  ITETheYards.com
  5. Phone:  217.384.8188

Thank you


Illinois Terminal Expansion Contact Information

Jane Sullivan, MTD Grants & Governmental Affairs Director
  1. Phone:  217.384.8188
  2. Email:  Info@ITETheYards.com
  3. Website:  ITETheYards.com
  4. Facebook: 
  5. Twitter:  twitter.com/ITatTheYards
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