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7 <br />BARRYJACOBS, CHAIR ORANGE GOUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />VALER/E P. FOUSHEE, VICE CHAIR POST OFFIGE BOX 8'I 8'I <br />MOSES CAREY, JR <br />ALICE M. GORDON 200 SOUTH CAMERON STREET <br />MIKE NELSON <br />HILLSBOROUGH, NORTH CAROLINA 27'278 <br />December 12, 2007 <br />Mr. William T. Goodwin, JR. PE <br />North Carolina Department of Transportation <br />Project Development and Environmental Analysis Branch <br />551 Mail Service Center <br />Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1551 <br /> <br />Re: TIP Project B-4218 Bridge No. 108 over New Hope Creek on SR 1730, Turkey Farm Rd. <br />Dear Mr. Goodwin: <br />The County is gravely concerned about the potential impacts to New Hope Creek Aquatic Habitat that <br />may result from the design of TIP Project 8-4218, which is scheduled to be constructed in 2008. The <br />design calls for an interior bent and three associated 3.5-foot diameter drilled piers and placement of a <br />55-foot long rip rap causeway placed in the stream bed in a reach of New Hope Creek Stream that is <br />home to six species listed in the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, three of which that program <br />lists as endangered. <br />Orange County governments and citizens have invested tremendous amounts of time and public funds <br />for efforts to protect the New Hope Creek corridor. Orange County, the Town Chapel Hill, the City of <br />Durham and Durham County adopted the New Hope Corridor Open Space Master Plan in 1991 to <br />preserve that open space as a natural asset, including preservation of critical environmental areas and <br />wildlife corridors. Since then the County has been actively engaged in accomplishing the <br />recommendations of that plan. <br />The County has no documentation of notice from the North Carolina Department of Transportation <br />regarding initial studies for this project in which local agencies are usually notified and invited to submit <br />environmental and cultural concerns regarding project impacts. <br />I respectfully request on behalf of Orange County that the NCDOT further review the design of the <br />bridge from an environmental perspective. <br />Yours truly, <br />Barry Jacobs, Ghair <br />Orange County Board of County Commissioners <br />WWW. CD. ORANGE. NC. US <br />PROTECTING AND PRESERVING -PEOPLE, RESOURCES, QUALITY OF LIFE <br />ORANGE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA -YOU COUNT./ <br />(919) 245-2130 • FAJC (919) 644-0246 <br />