BROADBAND FLOOD SENSORS WIND SENSORS STRESS TESTING …

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North CarolinaINFRA Grant Application

March 2021

March 2021 ii

INFRA Grant ApplicationFuture I-87 RISE Project

Table of Contents

1. PROJECT SUMMARY �� 11�1 Project Overview �� 11�2 The Transportation Challenge and Project Response �� 2

1�2�1 Performance 31�2�2 Resilient Investments 4

1�3 Project History of Previously Incurred Costs �� 71�4 The Broader Context of the Project �� 7

2. PROJECT LOCATION �� 82.1 SupportforQualifiedOpportunityZones �� 9

3. PROJECT PARTIES �� 9

3�1 North Carolina Department of Transportation �� 9

4. GRANT FUNDS, SOURCES AND USES OF ALL PROJECT FUNDING ��104�1 Previously Incurred Expenses ��104�2 Future Eligible Costs ��104�3 Source and Amount of Funds ��104�4 Documentation of the Funding Commitment for non-Federal Funds ��104�5 Federal Funds Applied and Source of any Required Non-Federal Match ��104�6 Budget Showing Sources and Uses of Funds ��104�7 Documentation of Contingency ��114�8 Amount of the Request INFRA Funds that Would be Subject to the $500 Million Maximum in Section B�2 ��11

5. MERIT CRITERIA ��115�1 Criterion #1: Support for National or Regional Economic Vitality ��11

5�1�1 Safety 12

5�1�2 Economic Vitality 12

5.1.3 EnvironmentalBenefits 13

5.1.4 BenefitCostAnalysis 135�2 Criterion #2: Climate Change and Environmental Justice Impacts ��13

5�2�1 Planning and Policy Elements 145�2�2 Project Investment 14

5�3 Criterion #3: Racial Equity and Barriers to Opportunity ��155�3�1 Project Investment 15

5�4 Criterion #4: Leveraging of Federal Funding ��165�4�1 Description of NCDOT’s Activities to Maximize the non-Federal Share of the Project Funding 17

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5�4�2 Description of All Evaluations of the Project for Private Funding 17

5�5 Criterion #5: Potential for Innovation (Technology, Project Delivery, Innovative Financing) �� 17

5.5.1 TechnologyInnovations(fiveinnovations) 175�5�2 Project Delivery Innovations (three innovations) 195�5�3 Innovative Financing (two innovations) 20

5�6 Criterion #6: Performance and Accountability ��20

5�6�1 Plan to Address Lifecycle Costs 20

5�6�2 Accountability 215�6�3 Interstate Commerce 21

6. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS ��216�1 Project Readiness ��21

6�2 Technical Feasibility ��226�3 Project Schedule ��226�4 Required Approvals��23

6�4�1 Environmental Permits and Reviews 23

6�4�2 Legislative Approvals 23

6�4�3 State and Local Planning 23

6�4�4 Federal Transportation Requirements Affecting State and Local Planning 24

6�5 Description of Public Engagement for the Project ��246�6 Assessment of Project Risks and Mitigation Strategies ��24

7. LARGE/SMALL PROJECT REQUIREMENTS ��25

Application Information

Contact: Gregory Burns, PE Eastern Deputy Chief Engineer, NCDOT

Email: gburns@ncdot�gov

Tel: (919) 707-2512

Supplemental materials are available online at:https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/INFRA2021-I87/Pages/default.aspx

DUNS Number: 788142946

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https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/INFRA2021-I87/Pages/default.aspx

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List of Tables Table 1: CCX Truck Miles Estimates �� 4Table 2: North Carolina Storm Recovery Expenditures for Transportation �� 6Table 3: Summary of Project Costs by Major Cost Category (in 2019$) ��10Table 4: Major Project Component by Funding Source (in 2019$) ��11Table 5: Environmental Review Milestones ��23Table 6: NCDOT Project Delivery Performance ��24

List of FiguresFigure 1: Targeted Improvements to Strengthen Eastern North Carolina’s Network ��2Figure 2: Map of Recurring Flooding Locations in the Project Corridors ��5Figure 3: A Sustained & Strategic Investment Program to Build a Resilient Freight Network ��8Figure4:OpportunityZonesintheFutureI-87andUS64Corridor �� 10Figure 5: Princeville’s unique geography �� 16Figure 6: NCDOT and USACE investments in Princeville �� 17Figure 7: Project Schedules �� 23

Spatial Coordinates of Project Locations Future I-87: From I-440 in east Raleigh (78°34’23”W 35°46’54”N) northeast to Virginia border (76°22’34”W 36°33’1”N)

US 64: From US 17 at Williamston, NC (77°3’8”W 35°50’27”N) east to Whalebone, NC and/or Atlantic Ocean and/or NC 12 (75°35’57”W 35°54’25”N)

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Basic Project Information

What is the Project Name? Future I-87 Resiliency, Innovation, Safety, Economy (RISE) Project

Who is the Project Sponsor? North Carolina Department of Transportation

Was an INFRA application for this project submitted previously? (If Yes, please include title)

Yes, Future I-87 Resiliency, Innovation, Safety, Economy (RISE) Project

Project Costs

INFRA Request Amount (in years of expenditure) $123,822,394 (YOE$)

Estimated federal funding (excl. INFRA) $60,208,517 (YOE$)

Estimated non-federal funding $387,794,988 (YOE$)

Future Eligible Project Cost (sum of previous three rows) $571,825,899 (YOE$)

Previously incurred project costs (if applicable) $982,772 (YOE$)

Total Project Cost (Sum of ‘previous incurred’ and ‘future eligible’)

$572,808,671 (YOE$)

Are matching funds restricted to a specific project component? If so, which one?

No

Project Eligibility

Approximately how much of the estimated future eligible project costs will be spent on components of the project currently located on National Highway Freight Network (NHFN)?

$0

Approximately how much of the estimated future eligible project costs will be spent on components of the project currently located on the National Highway System (NHS)?

$571,825,899 (100% of future Project cost)

Approximately how much of the estimated future eligible project costs will be spent on components constituting railway-highway grade crossing or grade separation projects?

$0

Approximately how much of the estimated future eligible project costs will be spent on components constituting intermodal or freight rail projects, or freight projects within the boundaries of a public or private freight rail, water (including ports), or intermodal facility?

$0

March 2021 vi


Basic Project Information

Project Location

State(s) in which project is located North Carolina

Small/Large Project Large

Urbanized Area in which project is located, if applicable Road upgrades are all in rural areas; fiber optic cable will traverse the majority rural corridor from Raleigh through Rocky Mount to the Virginia border and the Outer Banks.

Population of Urbanized Area

As Rocky Mount’s populations is less than 200,000, it is considered rural under 2021 INFRA guidance.

Raleigh (474,069) and Rocky Mount (53,922) (2019 est.)

Is the project located (entirely or partially) in Federally designated community development zones?

The following community development zones are within a 20-mile distance travel catchment area of the Project:

• 63 opportunity zones (51 in NC, 12 in VA)

• 2 Choice Neighborhoods (1 in NC, 1 in VA)

• 9 Empowerment Zones (all in VA)Is the Project currently programmed in the:

- TIP

- STIP

- MPO Long Range Transportation Plan

- State Long Range Transportation Plan

- State Freight Plan

All project components are identified in the current STIP except for the installation of fiber optic cable, the hydraulic resilience components, and projects H141265 and H171801. Broadband is included in the Governor’s Long-Range Vision for 2040. Provision and use of technology to serve travelers is called out in the State Long Range Transportation Plan. The Project’s resilience measures in the vicinity of Princeville are consistent with the Princeville Recovery Plan and USACE Integrated Feasibility Study and Environmental Assessment.

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1. PROJECT SUMMARY 1.1 Project Overview

The Future I-87 Resiliency, Innovation, Safety, Economy (RISE) Project (hereafter “the Future I-87 RISE Project” or “the Project”) offers an opportunity for eastern North Carolina to Build Back Better. The Project is the outcome of a thoughtful and coordinated strategy to improve mobility, regional and national economic vitality, rural broadband adoption, equity, and resilience to climate change in eastern North Carolina. The Project will improve 179 miles of US 64 and US 17 between Raleigh and the Virginia State line to interstate standards. It will also fortify a section of US 64 that is part of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) levee system protecting the vulnerable Town of Princeville, a historic African-American town that is experiencing increasingly frequent and severe flooding events due to climate change. The Project targets infrastructure investments in areas most impacted by severe weather events and in need of improvements to enhance performance and system-wide resilience. Alongside these targeted investments, the Project helps to close the digital divide disproportionately impacting low-income and minority populations in rural North Carolina. By strategically upgrading the Future I-87 and US 64 corridors, the Project will provide much needed investment to fortify an underserved region of North Carolina that has not proportionally shared in the state’s prosperity.

Collectively, this portfolio of investments will:

• Improve the performance and infrastructure resilience of the highway network through the creative application of proven innovations;

• Protect public safety by reducing crashes and fatalities, and alerting travelers of dangerous weather conditions;

• Improve the performance of a highway corridor that connects the Port of Virginia, the new Carolina Connector (CCX) intermodal terminal, the City of Raleigh, and 74 Community Development Zones, thereby improving rural farm and industry's access to major urban markets and spurring economic development;

• Remove barriers to rural economic growth by investing in broadband infrastructure, thereby contributing to economic growth and greater quality of life;

• Enhance the resilience of vital evacuation routes and the communities they serve; and• Implement equitable solutions and reduce barriers to opportunity.

Figure 1 illustrates the location and type of each major component of the Project’s investment strategy. Major elements in the Future I-87 corridor include upgrading the highway to interstate standards, completing three large interchange projects, and widening to six lanes in the vicinity of Zebulon to improve access, safety and mobility. The resilience of Future I-87 will be improved through spot improvements to protect vulnerable transportation assets in areas prone to flooding. Fiber optic cable will be added to the entire length of the Future I-87 corridor and US 64 to the Outer Banks, and it will be connected to NCDOT's Traffic Management Center. This broadband connection will support an Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) System that will alert travelers to traffic congestion as well dangerous wind and flooding conditions, leveraging the Project’s proposed stream gauges and anemometers to monitor conditions in vulnerable areas. Lastly, the Project improves not just the resilience of the roadway itself, but the town of Princeville through rock plating, vegetation removal, improved levee access, and the rehabilitation of four (4) failing culverts. These important investments will work in tandem with previous NCDOT improvements and a planned 39.6 million dollar investment in flood protection measures by the USACE to protect this historic African American community from future flood events. Together, these projects will substantially bolster the roadway, which forms a portion of the USACE levee system protecting the town, and is the town’s primary evacuation route.

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Figure 1: Targeted Improvements to Strengthen Eastern North Carolina’s Network

1.2 The Transportation Challenge and Project Response

The Future I-87 RISE Project addresses multiple transportation challenges. These are divided into everyday performance challenges and resiliency challenges which disrupt the use of facilities during and after extreme weather events. Section 1.2.2 describes the investments to increase resiliency including the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), ICM, and broadband investments that support both performance and resilient outcomes.

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Project Component Description

Performance(Capacity & Safety)

• Upgrade to interstate standards from Zebulon to Williamston• Expand to 6 lanes in Zebulon area• Interchange projects at Smith Field Road, Harvey Point Road, and New Hope Road

Resiliency & Environmental Justice

• Implement vulnerability assessment and stress testing • • Install rock plating and stream gauges• Implement Bridgewatch and FIMANT for new gauges

Broadband & ITS • Install broadband along Future I-87 and US-64• Adding wind monitors and hazard warnings• Design an Integrated Corridor Management system

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1.2.1 Performance

This section describes the traditional transportation challenges that affect the performance of the network—safety, capacity and access.

The US 64/US 17 (Future I-87) Performance Challenge The Future I-87 Corridor traverses rural eastern North Carolina via US 64 between Raleigh and Williamston. At Williamston, Future I-87 heads north along US 17 to the Virginia State line, connecting Raleigh at its southern terminus and the Hampton Roads-Norfolk region in Virginia at its northern terminus. When fully upgraded, this new interstate corridor will be a fast access-controlled connection between the Port of Virginia and I-95. Because of the physical geography of northeastern North Carolina, the port with the lowest access cost is across the State line in Virginia, compared to North Carolina’s own two ports.1

Within the US 64/US 17 (Future I-87) portion of the Project, the existing 4-lane divided freeway will be upgraded to a 6-lane divided interstate for 7.1 miles in the vicinity of Zebulon. At grade intersections located at SR 1336, SR 1338, SR 1300 will be converted to interchanges. The mainline outside paved shoulders will be widened to 12 feet (based on high truck volumes) between the US 264 fork and NC-58 as well as widening several structures based on age and sufficiency ratings. Collectively, these investments will remove travel conflicts and improve safety through the design improvements. The proposed improvements, such as wider paved shoulders, concrete barrier, and new bridges with wider offsets, have the potential to help reduce the frequency and severity of crashes and reduce injuries, fatalities, and property damage.

Improvements along the existing US 64 as part of projects I-6005, H141265, U-6149, and H171801 include the replacement and/or improvements of several bridges that were built prior to 1970 and are functionally obsolete, and/or have poor sufficiency ratings. In all, it is anticipated that 46 bridges will require replacement, widening, or rehab as part of the project along the corridor between Wendell and Williamston. Seven of these bridges (B-102, B-045, B-046, B-047, B-030, B-122, and B-101) do not currently meet minimum AASHTO vertical clearance requirements of 16’0”. Where feasible, cost effective solutions will be employed to bring these bridges up to acceptable design standards, including the milling of mainline asphalt pavement. In other instances, substandard bridges will be completely replaced. Bringing these bridges up to AASHTO standards is important for the safety of the corridor, to prevent “bridge strike” crashes that can occur when there is insufficient vertical clearance.

Fiber optic cable will be installed along the entire length of the Future I-87 corridor, as well as US 64 between Williamston and the coast. This investment will permit NCDOT to manage the corridor in a coordinated manner with I-95 and US 70 (Future I-42) where fiber is already being installed under a separate INFRA grant, implement state-of-the-art wind and flood monitoring and warning system, prepare for future implementation of connected and autonomous vehicles, enhance broadband capabilities and availability in rural communities, and offer opportunities for NCDOT to lease excess fiber capacity for potential revenue.

US 64/US 17 are part of the National Highway Network. The CCX Intermodal Rail Terminal for CSX, scheduled to open in 2021 in Rocky Mount, is expected to increase truck traffic in the area significantly. The intermodal hub is expected to reduce overall line-haul truck miles in the region by shifting truckloads to rail; however, local truck miles and traffic densities on roads serving CCX will increase due to drayage to the intermodal terminal. A report completed in 2016 estimates 11.5 million drayage 1 North Carolina Maritime Strategy. https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/Transportation/freight/Documents/NC_Maritime_final_report_2012-06-26.pdf

https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/Transportation/freight/Documents/NC_Maritime_final_report_2012-06-26.pdf

https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/Transportation/freight/Documents/NC_Maritime_final_report_2012-06-26.pdf

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truck miles will be added in North Carolina.2 The Project will improve the capacity of Future I-87 in the vicinity of Rocky Mount to accommodate the additional truck traffic through shoulder and bridge structure widening, conversion of at grade intersections to interchanges, and implementation of ICM to monitor and manage traffic conditions in real time.

Table 1: CCX Truck Miles Estimates

The Future I-87 RISE Project components that address these mobility and safety performance challenges are:

• Improve safety and mobility by upgrading Future I-87 between Zebulon, in Wake County, and Williamston, in Martin County, to interstate standards, widening the highway to six lanes in the vicinity of Zebulon, replacing and/or improving several bridges, and completing three large interchange projects.

• Clear incidents more quickly, alert travelers to dangerous conditions, and improve safety by implementing an ICM system that adds Future I-87 to the existing system comprised of I-95 and US 70/Future I-42.

The US 64 Extension to the Coast Performance ChallengeThe installation of fiber optic cable will extend from Future I-87 in Williamston along the right-of-way (ROW) of US 64 to the Outer Banks. This investment, in tandem with the installation of wind monitors, will permit NCDOT to monitor and forecast flooding impacts and wind speeds in real time, warn travelers of high-wind conditions, and close facilities when high winds represent a hazard to travel in this coastal corridor. Wind events represent a significant safety hazard and account for multiple crashes and at least one fatality on this corridor.3 US 64 is also an important evacuation route from the coast to I-95 and is part of the National Highway System. The installation of fiber optic cable also creates an economic development opportunity for improve digital access in this underserved broadband market.

The Future I-87 RISE Project component that addresses this safety performance challenge by implementing a real time wind warning system on US 64 from Williamston to Whalebone on the Outer Banks by connecting wind monitors to the newly installed fiber optic cable.

1.2.2 Resilient Investments

Severe storms and rain event that affect North Carolina are expected to grow in intensity and frequency. Across all tropical storms/hurricanes that have impacted the southeastern US, North Carolina is the second most frequently affected state, second only to Florida (which has two coasts). Over the past 160 years, North Carolina has averaged more than two major devastating storms per year, according to data from the State’s Climate Office. The 2020 Hurricane season was the highest on record for named

2 Evaluation of a Proposed Intermodal Terminal (CCX) in Rocky Mount (2016). https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/Rail-Division-Resources/Documents/CCX%20Rocky%20Mount%20Long%20Version%207-18-16.pdf 3 One killed after tractor trailer overturns on Alligator River bridge from high winds https://www.pilotonline.com/news/article_b91e5f44-191c-5888-b402-b8a8ac2b2b8b.html

Line-haul Truck Miles Diverted in NC (Million)

Drayage Truck Miles Added in NC (million)

Net Truck Miles Reduced in NC (million)

RaleighGreensboro 12�29 9�56 2�73

Pass-through 15�12 1�94 13�18

Total 27�41 11�50 15�91

Source: NCDOT Rail, Evaluation of a Proposed Intermodal Terminal (CCX) in Rocky Mount, 2016.

https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/Rail-Division-Resources/Documents/CCX%20Rocky%20Mount%20Long%20Version%207-18-16.pdf

https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/Rail-Division-Resources/Documents/CCX%20Rocky%20Mount%20Long%20Version%207-18-16.pdf

https://www.pilotonline.com/news/article_b91e5f44-191c-5888-b402-b8a8ac2b2b8b.html

https://www.pilotonline.com/news/article_b91e5f44-191c-5888-b402-b8a8ac2b2b8b.html

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storms. The NC coast faced flooding and storm related impacts from Hurricanes Bertha, Isaias and Zeta, along with 8 major rain events, resulting in damage to 1,720 sites and 90 bridges in the state.4 A full list of storms that have hit North Carolina directly or hit elsewhere and traversed the State, the date, and their severity measure are in the Supplemental Materials provided with this application.

The increasing number of hurricanes and extreme weather events leads to repeated flooding in low-lying and flood-prone areas of the coastal plain. Figure 2 highlights the “hot spots” in the Project area with actual images of the flooding at that location during Hurricane Florence. The costs to repeatedly rebuild communities after storms and flooding events falls disproportionately on low-income and minority communities who live along the Project corridor. By improving the resilience of the state’s highway network, the Project addresses climate change and environmental justice concerns, as discussed in Chapter 5.

Figure 2: Map of Recurring Flooding Locations in the Project Corridors

At the height of Hurricane Matthew, there were over 600 road closures in North Carolina, with over 2,100 required road repairs that included shoulder washouts and damage to drainage structures such as pipes, reinforced concrete box culverts, and bridges. At the peak of Hurricane Florence, 2,500 roads were closed. Table 2 highlights the transportation-only expenditures due to tropical storms/hurricanes (declared events only) and the disruption to NCDOT’s Program. In fact, between October 2018 and January 2020, NCDOT spent close to $400 million on storm-related cleanup, compared to a long-term average of about $66 million a year.5 The investments made through the Project would help to reduce these recurring costs and erosion of the State’s transportation budget.

The recovery effort ties up funds until Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and FHWA funds are reimbursed, if eligible. If not eligible for FEMA or FHWA funding, NCDOT absorbs the costs, with the potential to delay the delivery of their program.4 NCDOT Board of Transportation – Highway Committee, March 3rd, 2021 5 NCDOT says finances have stabilized but remain precarious, hoping the weather holds https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article239583348.html

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article239583348.html

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article239583348.html

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The Future I-87 Resiliency ChallengeAs Figure 2 highlights, the Future I-87 corridor has recurring flooding problems that are more severe in areas east of I-95. These flood events close the road for multiple days at a time, hindering the movement of both evacuees from the coast traveling inland and first responders and disaster assistance resources who provide much needed assistance to impacted communities. As discussed in section 5.2.2, the Project will make spot improvements to enhance the resilience of the roadway itself while providing improved flood protection to the Town of Princeville. Thirty-seven stream monitoring gauges will be installed and connected to ITS and the NC Flood Inundation Mapping and Alert Network for Transportation (FIMANT) to monitor and forecast flood risk/conditions in the corridor, while a high-wind warning system on 4 bridges along the coast will alert travelers

to unsafe wind conditions. By putting these measures in place, flood risk is mitigated, emergency preparedness and response is improved and real time data can be used to assist NCDOT and NCDEM decision-makers with future evacuations and resource allocation that will be faster and safer.

The Future I-87 RISE Project components that address this resiliency challenge are:

• Providing spot improvements to harden transportation infrastructure in areas prone to flooding.• Implementing resilience measures to investment in this important highway corridor while building

upon significant state and Federal investments to protect Princeville from worsening flooding caused by climate change.

• Apply modeling work and lessons learned from the hydraulic analysis in the Lumberton area (conducted under the awarded 2019 BUILD grant funding) to stress test US 64/US 17. This will save NCDOT money in post-storm repair costs over time as vulnerabilities are identified and adaptation measures proactively addressed through direct projects and design adjustments during routine maintenance and reconstruction.

• Combine anemometers, stream gauges and state-of-the-art hydraulic modeling with the Project’s ITS capabilities (from the fiber optic cable) to monitor wind conditions and water levels around key transportation assets. Travelers would be warned of hazardous conditions and rerouted on detours in real time using signs with flashers, dynamic message signs (DMS) and Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS).

• Enhance flood protection in Princeville, as discussed in section 5.2.

Broadband and ITS in the Future I-87 Corridor and US 64 Extension to the Outer BanksThe Project proposes fiber optic cable capacity along the entire length of the US 64/US 17 Corridor (Future I-87) and US 64 to the Outer Banks, crossing the urbanized areas of Raleigh and Rocky Mount.

Table 2: North Carolina Storm Recovery Expenditures for TransportationExpenditures

Event FEMA FHWA Total

Jan� 2013 Mudslides $0 $872,486 $872,486

2013 Avery/Wilkes Mudslides $0 $4,427,821 $4,427,821

3-13 Jul 2013 Mudslides $8,870,215 $2,676,477 $11,546,691

27 Jul 2013 Mudslides $4,658,845 $838,376 $5,497,221

Mar 2014 Winter Storm $31,034,916 $0 $31,034,916

2015 Hurricane Joaquin* $20,812 $1,427,020 $1,447,832

2016 Hurricane Matthew $143,280,051 $59,765,965 $203,046,016

2016 NC Party Rock Fire $109,470 $0 $109,470

2018 TS Alberto $0 $10,203,446 $10,203,446

2018 Hurricane Florence $159,967,432 $75,451,132 $235,418,564

2018 Hurricane Michael $13,958,255 $3,176,827 $17,135,081

2019 February Rains $0 $21,177,099 $21,177,099

2019 June Rains $0 $2,510,557 $2,510,557

2019 Hurricane Dorian $10,748,197 $11,503,268 $22,251,465

2020 Feb 6 Rain $12,837,261 $2,262,239 $15,099,500

2020 Coronavirus $1,166,375 $0 $1,166,375

2021 TS Isaias $3,800,703 $0 $3,800,703

Total $390,627,896 $219,467,382 $610,095,278

Table reflects expenditures incurred through 3/5/2021*Does not include $3,998,316 not eligible for FEMA reimbursement

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The installation of fiber optic cable along both the US 64/US 17 (Future I-87) and US 64 extension portions of the Future I-87 RISE Project not only allows the two corridors to be managed jointly, but also leverages ongoing investment by North Carolina to add fiber optic cable to the entire length of I-95 and US 70 (Future I-42), and to NCDOT Traffic Management Center via fiber. This expansion also maximizes the innovative contracting opportunities that arise from allowing the private sector to have access to controlled access ROW.

The Future I-87 RISE Project allows the State to use its public ROWs to address the digital divide as it simultaneously addresses mobility challenges. Screenshots of NC One Map’s Broadband Availability and Broadband Adoption Dashboards6, included with the Supplemental Materials, demonstrate the digital divide for rural counties along the Project Corridor, with broadband availability, and particularly adoption, lags behind other parts of the state and that additional investment is needed.

Future I-87 RISE Project addresses this communication challenge by improving digital access in this underserved broadband market, preparing for the use of connected vehicles by adding fiber optic cable in the ROW of Future I-87 and US-64 to the Outer Banks. Broadband on Future 1-87 may offer opportunities for NCDOT to lease excess fiber capacity for potential revenue—retaining capacity for NCDOT operations.

Finally, the installation of fiber optic/broadband lines in the highway ROW prepares these two corridors for adoption of connected and autonomous vehicles. While the rate of adoption for connected and autonomous vehicles is growing and the subject of much industry speculation, the transportation industry has agreed that it is no longer a question of if there will be connected and autonomous vehicles but rather the question is when they will be prevalent. Moreover, there is a cost to not preparing to support the adoption of this emerging technology as applications of the newest transportation innovations will not be supported in lagging economies—sending economic growth elsewhere. The Future I-87 RISE Project proactively positions the US 64/US 17 (Future I-87) corridor to be prepared for this transportation revolution.

1.3 Project History of Previously Incurred Costs

To date, NCDOT has invested $982,772 (YOE$) to develop the Future I-87 RISE Project; beyond these costs there has been significant investment in these same corridors. These are described in greater detail in section 4.1 of the application narrative.

1.4 The Broader Context of the Project

The Future I-87 RISE Project is part of a much larger program of state investment to improve the safety, capacity, and resilience of the freight network in eastern North Carolina. The goal of the program is to connect the major freight hubs, including ports, intermodal facilities, and highways, into one efficient and resilient network.

Figure 3 illustrates the evolution of the North Carolina freight network. I-95 forms the main north-south spine, with Future I-42, US 64, and Future I-87 serving as key routes to the coast. This network connects the Port of Morehead City, CCX, and the Port of Virginia. The connections are both physical and digital with the inclusion of fiber optic cable along each of the corridors. These investments overlay the National Highway System and key regional evacuation routes. By improving the connectivity (physical and digital), reliability, and resiliency, of the region’s road network, the Future I-87 RISE Project removes barriers to economic growth in this part of the State that has not shared in the economic prosperity found elsewhere. See discussion of county poverty rates in Section 2.0 Project Location.

6 Refer to https://www.ncbroadband.gov/media/19/open

https://www.ncbroadband.gov/media/19/open

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Figure 3: A Sustained & Strategic Investment Program to Build a Resilient Freight Network

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°Primary Freight Distribution NetworkINFRA 2017 & INFRA 2020INFRA 2021PORT

A well-functioning freight distribution network is key to connecting eastern North Carolina’s markets with ports, and with markets in South Carolina and Virginia

Network Development

With INFRA 2017 & 2020, a critical section of the network infrastructure was upgraded and connected to broadband

Eastern North Carolina Freight Distribution Network

Adding infrastructure improvements with INFRA 2021 will build out a more resilient and better connected state highway network in easternNorth Carolina

70 70 70

2. PROJECT LOCATION The Future I-87 RISE Project is mainly in rural North Carolina. Spatial Coordinates of Project Locations are located below the table of contents. With a population of 54,242, Rocky Mount is considered rural for the purposes of INFRA 2021 as its population is below 200,000. For Future I-87, the counties affected by the Project are: Camden, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Chowan, Bertie, Martin, Edgecombe, Nash, Franklin and Wake. The counties for US 64, not elsewhere listed as part of Future I-87, are: Washington, Tyrrell, and Dare (to Whalebone). Of these combined 13 counties across the Project elements, 9 have a poverty rate higher than the US rate of 14.11 percent. Five counties have rates in the 15 percent to 20 percent range; four have a rate above 20 percent. Tyrrell County (on the US 64 corridor) has the highest at 25 percent.

Because of their statewide and regional importance, US 64/US 17 (Future I-87) has been designated as a Strategic Transportation Corridor (STC) by NCDOT. The STC initiative is NCDOT’s effort to preserve and maximize the mobility and connectivity on a core set of transportation corridors, while promoting environmental stewardship through maximizing the use of existing facilities to the extent possible and fostering economic prosperity through the quick and efficient movement of people and goods. Additionally, US 64 and US 17 are vital corridors for hurricane evacuations, allowing residents of the low lying areas near the coast to safely shelter further inland; the Project will improve the connection between the rural coastal areas and inland destinations in North Carolina and the I-95 corridor. Future I-87 connects Raleigh with Norfolk via the rural northeastern part of the state. The route is an important corridor for the Port of Virginia. Approximately 25 percent of the truck traffic leaving the Hampton Roads/Port area are headed to I-95 and points south; roughly 14 percent is destined for North Carolina and at least another 6 percent travels through North Carolina on its way to South Carolina. A map of port trade patterns is in the Supplemental Material. The Hampton Roads Regional Freight Study (2017) identifies improvements to existing US 58 in Virginia or Future I-87 through North Carolina as a “key Hampton Roads gateway.” The Port of Virginia anchors Foreign Trade Zone 20, which extends to eastern North Carolina.

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2.1 Support for Qualified Opportunity Zones

There is a total of 74 community development zones within a 20-mile travel catchment area of the Project. This includes 63 Opportunity Zones (51 in INC, 12 in VA); 2 choice neighborhoods (1 in Wilson County, NC and 1 in Suffolk VA) and 9 empowerment zones (all in Norfolk and Portsmouth, CA). Figure 4 shows these community development zones.

Figure 4: Opportunity Zones in the Future I-87 and US 64 Corridor

Each year, the North Carolina Department of Commerce ranks and assigns to a “Tier” each of the state’s 100 counties based on economic well-being indicators. These tiers are incorporated into various state programs to encourage economic activity in less prosperous areas. The Tier 1 Counties shown on this map are among the 40 most distressed counties in the state. See https://www.nccommerce.com/grants-incentives/county-distress-rankings-tiers for more information

The Project enhances the economic competitiveness of the opportunity zones in proximity to the Project by making travel more predictable, reliable, and safe while also strengthening the transportation connections between the fast-growing Raleigh market, CCX, and the Port of Virginia. Once constructed, the Project’s infrastructure improvements, fiber, and resilience components will reduce congestion, improve safety and reliability, and increase the surrounding community’s resilience to climate change. These improvements will reduce disruptions to the movement of goods and people, particularly during extreme weather events, and reduce barriers to opportunity by improving access to broadband services in rural areas. The resilience components included in H141265 (Edgecombe County) will reduce flooding in an opportunity zone that has experienced repeated flooding over its history; see section 5.2 for more information.

3. PROJECT PARTIESThe North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will deliver the Project.

3.1 North Carolina Department of Transportation

NCDOT is responsible for maintaining approximately 80,000 miles of roadways and 18,000 bridges and culverts across North Carolina, as well as supporting rail, aviation, ferry, public transit, bicycle and pedestrian transportation.

https://www.nccommerce.com/grants-incentives/county-distress-rankings-tiers



March 2021 10


With an annual operating budget of about $5 billion, the NCDOT is responsible for building and maintaining the State’s transportation network. Federal funding accounts for a little over 20 percent of NCDOT’s overall budget and about 45 percent of its construction budget, generated through the federal motor fuel tax and vehicle fees (mostly on trucks). NCDOT understands USDOT reporting requirements and maintains the records and accounting systems that will allow it to comply with USDOT’s reporting requirements and maintains the records and accounting systems that will allow it to comply with USDOT’s reporting and administration requirements.

The Department’s role(s) for the Project includes:

• INFRA 2021 Discretionary Grant Applicant and Recipient responsible for administering the grant if selected for award,

• Funding partner,• Owner of the ROW, • Aids in ensuring efficient integration of the Future I-87 RISE Project into the existing intermodal

operations surrounding Future I-87, as well as planned projects,• Oversight of the capital project delivery,• Monitor operations and maintenance standards for outsourced services and maintain assets where

outsourced agreements do not apply, and• Innovative contracting partner generating revenue from the fiber optic cable in the corridor ROW.

4. GRANT FUNDS, SOURCES AND USES OF ALL PROJECT FUNDINGThe estimated cost of the overall Project, including previously incurred costs, is $572,808,671 (in years of expenditure, YOE$). NCDOT is requesting INFRA funding to leverage state investment, unlock private investment, and accelerate improvement to one of the Nation’s future interstate routes.

4.1 Previously Incurred Expenses

To date, there are $982,772 (YOE$) in incurred expenses in the Future I-87 RISE Project to improve Future I-87. In addition, NCDOT has already made or committed substantial investment elsewhere to the I-95 corridor, which is linked to Future I-87 and US 64.

4.2 Future Eligible Costs

The total Future I-87 RISE Project future eligible cost is $571,825,899 (YOE$). Table 3 summarizes the major cost categories. Detailed cost information is provided with the Supplemental Materials located at https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/INFRA2021-I87/Pages/default.aspx

4.3 Source and Amount of Funds

All non-Federal match funds are State funds. The source is North Carolina’s Highway Trust Fund.

4.4 Documentation of the Funding Commitment for non-Federal Funds

A letter from NCDOT’s Chief Financial Officer committing the State’s non-Federal match funds is included in the Attachments.

4.5 Federal Funds Applied and Source of any Required Non-Federal Match

Other federal funds will be used for the project beyond the INFRA funds requested in this application. The source is National Highway Performance Funds.


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4.6 Budget Showing Sources and Uses of Funds

NCDOT requests $123,822,394 (YOE$) in INFRA funding. This represents 22 percent of the total Project cost. The Project funding sources are allocated across the major project components in Table 3 and Table 4 below (all in 2019$).

Table 3: Summary of Project Costs by Major Cost Category (in 2019$)

Table 4: Major Project Component by Funding Source (in 2019$)

STIP Committed Federal Committed State INFRA Funds Total Cost Previously Expended

I-6007 $5,920,000 $1,480,000 $0 $7,400,000 $321,838

I-6005 $47,280,000 $11,820,000 $0 $59,100,000 $415,845

Broadband $0 $10,800,000 $43,200,000 $54,000,000 $0

H141265 $0 $70,000,000 $17,800,000 $87,800,000 $0

U-6149 $0 $112,100,000 $0 $112,100,000 $160,441

H141265 $0 $76,000,000 $17,000,000 $93,000,000 $0

H171801 $0 $19,900,000 $11,000,000 $30,900,000 $0

R-5869A $0 $31,900,000 $5,000,000 $36,900,000 $65,623

R-5869B $0 $8,700,000 $15,000,000 $23,700,000 $0

I-87 Resiliency $0 $600,000 $2,400,000 $3,000,000 $0

Total $53,200,000 $343,300,000 $111,400,000 $507,900,000 $963,747

STIP Project Right-of-Way Utilities Construction Resiliency Total

I-6007SR 2233 Convert Interchange to DDI

$1,700,000 $500,000 $5,200,000 $0 $7,400,000

I-6005US 64 Business to US 264� Widen I-87 From Four to Six Lanes

$4,900,000 $500,000 $53,700,000 $0 $59,100,000

BroadbandBroadband Along I-87 From Raleigh to VA Line and US 64 from Williamston to Whalebone

$0 $0 $45,000,000 $9,000,000 $54,000,000

H141265US264 to NC 58 Upgrade to Interstate Standards

$1,000,000 $1,000,000 $85,000,000 $800,000 $87,800,000

U-6149NC 58, Exit 459, to Thomas Road Overpass� Upgrade to Interstate Standards�

$10,900,000 $2,500,000 $98,700,000 $0 $112,100,000

H141265Thomas Road Overpass to Martin County Line� Upgrade to Interstate Standards

$1,000,000 $1,000,000 $90,000,000 $1,000,000 $93,000,000

H171801Martin County Line to US 17 Near Williamston� Upgrade to Interstate Standards�

$600,000 $500,000 $29,800,000 $0 $30,900,000

R-5869ASR 1336 and SR 1338� Convert At-Grade Intersection to an Interchange�

$6,000,000 $900,000 $30,000,000 $0 $36,900,000

R-5869BSR 1300, Convert At-Grade Intersection to Interchange�

$3,400,000 $500,000 $19,800,000 $0 $23,700,000

I-87 Resiliency

Vulnerability Assessment, Stress Testing, FIMANT, and Gauges

$0 $0 $0 $3,000,000 $3,000,000

Total Costs $29,500,000 $7,400,000 $457,200,000 $13,800,000 $507,900,000

*Costs rounded to the nearest hundred thousand

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4.7 Documentation of Contingency

A contingency of 45 percent for roadway costs and 15 percent for structure items is included in the estimates, consistent with NCDOT practice. NCDOT can issue bonds to support the Project, if necessary.

4.8 Amount of the Request INFRA Funds that Would be Subject to the $500 Million Maximum in Section B.2

None of the requested INFRA funds are subject to the $500 million maximum outlined in Section B.2 of the NOFO. All Project investments are in highways.

5. MERIT CRITERIAThe discussion of merit criteria is provided below.

5.1 Criterion #1: Support for National or Regional Economic Vitality

The Future I-87 RISE Project described in this application will support the region’s long-term economy by providing the workforce and residents of eastern North Carolina with improved highway facilities, generating travel time savings, improving safety, providing fiber cable capacity to rural counties, providing warnings of unsafe weather conditions and rerouting traffic to safer routes in real time, shoring up critical transportation routes to improve resilience to storm and flood events, providing real time information on flooding to inform evacuations and emergency services, and providing the fiber optic infrastructure for autonomous vehicles.

5.1.1 Safety

Safety is an important part of the transportation challenge addressed by the Future I-87 RISE Project and there are multiple safety benefits expected from the Project. First, the proposed upgrades would reduce the number of crashes resulting in fatalities, injuries, and property damage. Second, the Project will eliminate the need for detours near Princeville and Tarboro during flood events, saving vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and resulting in safety savings. Third, the addition of broadband along the US 64 corridor, from Williamston to Whalebone, will allow for wind speed monitoring to provide warnings and real time information that can prevent overturned vehicles in extreme wind events. In September 2016, there was a serious crash when a truck overturned on Alligator Bridge7 under sustained winds of 60 knots (kt) and gusts of 70 kt. As a result of the Project’s wind warning system on this and other bridges, it is assumed that such incidents will be avoided in future extreme wind events. Lastly, the provision of fiber optic communications along Future I-87 will enhance the resilience of the network and allow NCDOT to monitor water levels and direct evacuations accordingly.

Studies have shown that most of the county crash rates exceed the critical crash rates for similar facility types in North Carolina. The improvements proposed for the Project in many ways can address these high crash rates. For example, upgrading to four foot inside and 10 foot outside paved shoulders can reduce crashes and crash severity for errant vehicles that leave the travel lanes. These improved paved recovery areas coupled with improved barriers/ guardrails/ bridge rails, bridge lateral clearance, and wider clear zones, will further enhance safety by reducing crash severity. Adding to these holistic improvements are upgrades in designs of existing interchange ramps and loops that help with crash reductions on ramps/ loops. The existing at grade intersections that will be converted to grade separated 7 Hampton, Jeff, The Virginian-Pilot, “One killed after tractor trailer overturns on Alligator River bridge from high winds,” September 3, 2016 https://pilotonline.com/news/local/article_b91e5f44-191c-5888-b402-b8a8ac2b2b8b.html

https://pilotonline.com/news/local/article_b91e5f44-191c-5888-b402-b8a8ac2b2b8b.html

https://pilotonline.com/news/local/article_b91e5f44-191c-5888-b402-b8a8ac2b2b8b.html

March 2021 13


interchanges will provide crash reductions and free-flow conditions for the corridor. Based on predictive crash analyses, an approximate 17 percent reduction of total crashes is anticipated.

The Future I-87 RISE Project will save VMT in the event of flooding in areas of the Future I-87 corridor near Tarboro and Princeville. Drivers must detour around by a longer route, costing additional travel time and miles traveled. The Project will eliminate the risk of floodwaters overtopping this section of US 64 (Future I-87) and therefore VMT will be saved relative to the No Build. Based on actual detours used after Hurricane Matthew, additional VMT and the associated value of crashes were estimated that could be avoided in future flooding events due to improved roadways.

5.1.2 Economic Vitality

The Future I-87 RISE Project supports economic vitality in a variety of ways

Technology: The installation of fiber supports a variety of community needs. It allows for anemometers and stream gauges installed as part of the Project to be monitored remotely in real time, facilitating the evacuation of residents and avoidance of unnecessary detours. It also creates opportunities to expand broadband access to nearby rural communities where commercial coverage is limited because of the size of the local market. It allows Future I-87 and the US 64 corridor to be managed in an integrated fashion with I-95 where fiber is already being installed. Emergency services, evacuation, public safety, and roadside safety can all be improved with better broadband connectivity. The installation of fiber along the corridor also provides the groundwork for the future of autonomous vehicles. The eventual utilization of the connected and autonomous vehicles will further improve safety.

Travel time and cost savings. The improvements to US 64/US 17 (Future I-87), including the elimination of traffic signals, will reduce operating costs for trucks and travel time for autos. In addition, the introduction of ICM, supported by the fiber investment will improve the resolution of incidents, improve reliability, and allow for better management of the network, including the ability to re-route travelers. Collectively, this saves travel time and cost.

5.1.3 Environmental Benefits

Transportation is a large generator of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. When the efficiency of the road network improves, there is less idling during delays. The replacement of signalized intersections with interchanges and speed limit increases, together with the Project's ICM components, will reduce the amount of emissions released into the atmosphere, an avoided cost. Moreover, the Project eliminates the need for detours during flood events in the vicinity of Tarboro and Princeville resulting in an additional decrease in GHG emissions.

5.1.4 Benefit Cost Analysis

The Future I-87 RISE Project assessment has two major components: improvements to US 64/US 17 (Future I-87) and improvements to US 64 from Williamston to the Outer Banks. These improvements work in tandem to facilitate the efficient movement of travelers, evacuees, emergency responders, and freight while increasing the overall resilience of the highway system. While the components could be constructed independently, the full benefits are not fully realized until both are completed.

Project Benefit Cost. A 20-year evaluation period was applied, consistent with the recommended timeframe from the BCA Guidance. When the stream of costs and benefits are discounted at 7 percent, the Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) for the Full Project is 1.62. The BCR for US 64/US 17 (Future I-87) is

March 2021 14


1.62 and the BCR for the US 64 extension is 1.53. These BCRs represent a large return on investment, particularly for a $508.8 million project (in 2019$)8. For details on the Benefit Cost Analysis and the methodologies used, please see the BCA workbook and technical memo included in the attachments.

5.2 Criterion #2: Climate Change and Environmental Justice Impacts

Eastern and Central North Carolina, like many other communities around the world, are bearing the brunt of climate change impacts. Hurricanes and extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and more severe. Since 1999, Hurricanes Floyd, Matthew and Florence caused $31.2 billion of damage in eastern North Carolina, primarily due to major flooding. These storms also resulted in 119 fatalities.9 The impacts from climate change are exacerbating environmental, public health, and economic disparities, disproportionately affecting already vulnerable low-income and minority communities. In the 12 rural counties traversed by the Project, 17.8% of the population is below the poverty line, and 41.6% are minority populations, according to the 2013-2017 American Community Survey. To address these environmental justice and climate change concerns, the Project incorporates several planning, policy and design elements.

5.2.1 Planning and Policy Elements

In 2018, shortly after Hurricane Florence, Governor Roy Cooper issued EO80, “North Carolinas Commitment to Address Climate Change and Transition to a Clean Energy Economy”. This order aims to reduce greenhouse gases in the state to 40 percent below 2005 levels by 2025, improve the state’s resilience to climate change, and directs NCDOT to establish a plan to increase the number of registered, zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). The Project supports several elements of EO80 as follows:

Reduction in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions: During severe weather events, roads can become impassable by floodwaters. In these situations, evacuees and other members of the traveling public are forced to take lengthy detours which increase VMT and therefore GHG emissions. This is especially true of future I-87 in the vicinity of Princeville and Tarboro. Detour routes used to get around flooded sections of future I-87 during Hurricane Matthew in September 2016 added an extra 42 miles to trips through this corridor over a 12-hour period. The Project will eliminate the need for detours during flood events such as this in the vicinity of Tarboro and Princeville, resulting in savings of over 2.7 million VMT in years 2027 – 2047, thereby and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the travel time savings and implementation of ICM will result in increased efficiencies and travel time savings, which in turn will result in decreased emissions. The project saves an estimated 126,000 tons of CO2 due to the travel time savings.

Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV): To further reduce GHG emissions, NCDOT, in coordination with NCDEQ, developed a ZEV Plan, the goal of which is to increase the number of registered ZEVs in North Carolina to at least 80,000 by 2025. The plan establishes state-wide ZEV corridors along which the expansion of charging infrastructure is prioritized. The entire length of the Project along US 64 and US 17 has been identified as a priority corridor for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE). The Project will better prepare corridor for ZEVs by improving mobility along two of the state’s EVSE corridors.

8 Includes previously expended costs8 NC State University North Carolina Sea Grant, NC Coastal Rivers Flood Mitigation

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5.2.2 Project Investment

The Project also proposes several design elements to mitigate road flooding and environmental justice concerns in Princeville, a historic African American town that has experienced severe and repetitive flooding. Initially named Freedom Hill, the town was established in 1865 by slaves who had fled nearby plantations in an area of Edgecombe County occupied by Union troops. The land upon which the Town was built is a swampy floodplain, which is an often-cited reason for why former slaves were able to lay claim to it in the first place. Turner Prince, after which the town is named, rose to prominence after accumulating enough resources to construct homes and permanent structures for the town’s residents – many of whom arrived with little more than the clothes on their backs. As the oldest town incorporated by ex-slaves in the country, Princeville has a unique and significant place in American history. Today, it remains over 96% African American. Per capita income is approximately 44% of the national average at $12,024, and the average structure value is approximately 41% of the national average at $77,300.10 Like many African American towns in the southeast, Princeville has faced existential challenges since its founding, including racially motivated violence, lack of public investment, discriminatory policies, and repeated losses due to flooding. Figure 5 demonstrates Princeville’s unique socioeconomic and geographic vulnerabilities.

The construction of a levee by USACE in 1967 reduced flood risk until Hurricane Floyd in 1999, which resulted in catastrophic flooding and revealed flaws and vulnerabilities in the levee design that had been overlooked. Since then, USACE and NCDOT have cooperated to plan and implement a range of measures to better protect Princeville from flooding as shown in Figure 6. The Project contributes substantially to this portfolio of investments. The Project includes rock plating to stabilize slopes along the road embankment, improved access to the existing levee, replacing four (4) deteriorated culverts, and removing vegetation per USACE standards. These investments will shore up the roadway embankment to protect the town from flooding. In addition to improving the resilience of the town itself, the Project improves disaster preparedness and resilience of the entire corridor through the inclusion of rock-plating in locations prone to erosion, as well as by leveraging innovative technology to monitor, model, and forecast flood conditions; see section 5.5.1 for more information.

5.3 Criterion #3: Racial Equity and Barriers to Opportunity

The Future I-87 RISE Project will reduce the barriers faced by minority communities along the Future I-87 and US 64 corridors, while redressing past inequities to strengthen opportunities for underserved populations. This section describes how Project investments address these barriers and contribute to a more equitable North Carolina.

9 Princeville, North Carolina Flood Risk Management Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment Final Report (2016)

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March 2021 16


5.3.1 Project Investment

This project address both physical and digital barriers to opportunity in the Project corridor.

Physical BarriersThe repeated flooding faced by minority communities along the corridor, exemplified by the story of Princeville in the previous section, are based on historic discriminatory policies, namely that for a large part of American history, the only land made available to African Americans were in less desirable locations, like low lying and flood-prone areas. Because of this, repeated flooding has resulted in extraordinary human suffering as lives were lost and homes and properties were repeatedly destroyed, erasing scarce household wealth. Often times, properties had to be abandoned and subsequently destroyed, due to lack of financial resources to rebuild. During Hurricanes Floyd and Matthew, US 64 became impassable due to floodwaters in this area, severing access to a vital evacuation route, trapping residents and cutting them off from food and other critical disaster response operations from accessing the residents of the town. By improving the resilience of the roadway, the Project will address the past inequities related to the siting of a primarily African American town in the floodplain and address vulnerabilities to flooding during major weather events revealed by Hurricanes Floyd and Matthew. These improvements will ensure that US 64 (Future I-87), the town’s primary evacuation route, remains passable during increasingly frequent and severe flood events, providing a lifeline to the community and allowing emergency responders to provide food, shelter, and other critical necessities.

Digital BarriersBoth the adoption and availability of high-speed internet in rural areas along the Project Corridor lags behind other parts of the state. The digital divide is exemplified in Tyrrell County, a rural county near the coast with a minority population of 1,837 (44.9%). Tyrrell county that has the lowest adoption score in North Carolina’s Broadband Index. Less than half of homes in Tyrrell County subscribe to broadband, while close to a third of homes do not own any computer devices.11 Washington County, another rural coastal county along the Project Corridor with a minority population of 6,550 (53.1%), ranks in the bottom 5 for broadband adoption in the state. The Supplemental Materials include NC One Map’s broadband availability and adoption dashboard for the rural counties along the Project corridor. 11 North Carolina Broadband Adoption and Availability Methodology, available at https://www.ncbroadband.gov/media/19/open

Figure 6: NCDOT & USACE investments in Princeville

https://www.ncbroadband.gov/media/19/open

March 2021 17


The lack of high-speed internet creates several barriers for residents of the rural counties along the Project Corridor. These disparities have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, during which time school closures and social distancing measures have made the availability and adoption of high-speed internet even more important to education, small business, and access to information, goods, and services. Notably, students who do not have access to the Internet from home or are dependent on a cell phone for access perform lower on a range of metrics, including digital skills, homework completion, and grade point average.12 Moreover, individuals and families face hurdles in obtaining adequate medical care as doctors primarily rely on telehealth appointments to see patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.13 Inadequate high-speed internet access also presents barriers to e-commerce and online financial transactions for small business, informational resources, and social connections, reducing opportunities to contact with friends and family. These barriers compound the pressures caused by the impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities in eastern North Carolina.

5.4 Criterion #4: Leveraging of Federal Funding

For the Project, NCDOT will invest $387,794,988 (YOE$) in non-federal, state funds. Applied across the Project components, this yields a non-federal, state funds to requested federal INFRA funds ratio of 68 percent for Future I-87 RISE Project. In short, every $1.00 of INFRA funding received is matched by another $3.13 of state funding.

5.4.1 Description of NCDOT’s Activities to Maximize the non-Federal Share of the Project Funding

Starting January 1, 2018, North Carolina’s gas tax is updated at the beginning of each year based on a statutory formula that takes into consideration population and energy cost inflation. Thus, the State has taken steps to protect the purchasing power of a critical revenue source. As noted in the Innovation section of the narrative (Section 5.5), the State plans to use the fiber optic capabilities of the Future I-87 RISE Project to monitor weather and other hazards, manage capacity, and prepare for connected and autonomous vehicles.

5.4.2 Description of All Evaluations of the Project for Private Funding

NCDOT has continued to seek innovative ways to partner with the private sector to advance its program. One solution includes the installation of fiber optic cable in order to provide an opportunity to concession the use of the fiber to private companies, while leveraging its use for safety and operational needs—improving internet access and quality in rural areas of the state with poor internet and cell coverage, and generating revenue for the Department.

Description of any fiscal constraints that affect the applicant’s ability to use non-Federal contributionsPassed in 2013, North Carolina’s Strategic Transportation Investments (STI) law establishes the Strategic Mobility Formula, which allocates available revenues based on data-driven scoring and local input. It is used to develop NCDOT's State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), which identifies the transportation projects that will receive funding during a specified 10-year period. Federal law requires the STIP to be updated at least every four years. NCDOT, however, typically updates it every two years.

12 Broadband and Student Performance Gaps https://quello.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Broadband_Gap_Quello_Report_MSU.pdf13 COVID breathes life into North Carolina’s rural telehealth, but broadband remains an obstacle https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2020/05/14/coronavirus-rural-telehealth/

https://quello.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Broadband_Gap_Quello_Report_MSU.pdf

https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2020/05/14/coronavirus-rural-telehealth/

https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2020/05/14/coronavirus-rural-telehealth/

March 2021 18


With the amount of projects currently programmed in the STIP, accelerating the Future I-87 RISE Project would not be made possible without companion funding. Given the time needed to allocate funding through the STI process and the inflation of construction cost, it would be nearly a decade before the Future I-87 RISE Project could be delivered. Due to these constraints NCDOT is proposing to replace existing Federal funding already programed through STI, which is allowed, with State funds. Collectively, these funds accelerate the delivery of the Future I-87 RISE Project and create a higher leverage model of the Federal dollars if INFRA grants are available.

5.5 Criterion #5: Potential for Innovation (Technology, Project Delivery, Innovative Financing)

The NOFO recognizes innovations in three key areas: these are: Technology, Project Delivery, and Innovative Financing. The Future I-87 RISE Project’s innovations span all three areas and are described sequentially.

5.5.1 Technology Innovations (five innovations)

Monitoring water and wind levels in real time and communicating risk to the traveling publicThe Project will install thirty seven (37) stream gauges throughout sections of Future I-87 and US 64 to monitor water levels. These gauges will be connected to the ITS system to provide real time information on water levels and flood potential. This will support safer evacuations and avoid rerouting detours. In the US 64 extension corridor, both wind and water levels will be modeled in real time. The NCDOT was awarded a National Operations Center of Excellence Transportation Systems Management & Operations (TSMO) Award for its use of TSMO in the Hurricane Florence response. The full case study is available in the Supplemental Materials to this application. This Project enhances these TSMO capabilities, continuing NCDOT’s innovations in this area.

Developing simulation capabilities to stress test the transportation network for risk and vulnerabilityIn addition, NCDOT plans to develop a 2D model of the road/watershed by leveraging its extensive LIDAR analysis of its road network. The NCDOT will build on the best practices and lessons learned from the pilot work completed by FHWA, WSDOT and Rijkswaterstaat in The Netherlands. NCDOT will use these tools to stress test a significant amount of the NHS system in North Carolina. Phase I focuses on I-87, I-95, US 70 (Future I-42), US 74, and I-40. The flood stress testing will look at both pluvial and fluvial flooding at major structures (National Bridge Inspection Standards) as well as chronic areas of flooding identified by Division engineers. The analysis will focus on a risk and vulnerability design standard that incorporates traditional storm frequency design standard.

Using real-time stream gauge information to forecast a storm’s inundation and stress on structuresThis information will support the application of FIMANT and Bridgewatch, two models that will allow NCDOT to use the information from the stream gauges to run simulations and forecasts as storm events unfold to predict future inundation by location and stresses on bridges. This information is vital when planning a storm response or screening investments to improve the resiliency of the network.

Far from an academic study, an event from the Hurricane Florence response highlights how this information guides action and helps protect the highway network. During Hurricane Florence, access

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roads to the Brunswick Nuclear Plant were flooded for a few days. The reactors were shut down as a precaution before the storm made landfall, but after roads flooded, plant staff and local emergency services could not get in or out of the plant. Food and supplies were airlifted in at one point. The isolated situation, with no access by first responders required the plant to declare an Alert condition, under Nuclear Regulatory Commission guidelines. While there was no emergency at the plant, other than a lack of access, the lack of information resulted in some inaccurate news media stories about problems at the plant and rising public concern. In this example, stress testing would identify critical corridors needed for protection and FIMANT would assist EM professionals to evaluate vulnerability and risk.

INFRA Grant funds would allow further expansion of FIMANT program, which could spend $2 million per year for the next 5 years. FIMANT is a roadway flooding prediction tool and operational status tool which uses stream gauge data and LIDAR-sourced ground topography to estimate the current state of roadway flooding during a storm event, maximum predicted flood elevation, time until flood peak is reached, and time until the flood waters recede. FIMANT is poised to be taken from a pilot program to full production as funding becomes available. Additional funding would allow for the development of flooding libraries, which are the backbone of data FIMANT accesses, over a wider area of North Carolina. The geographic coverage of FIMANT, and the beneficial impact it provides to the State can be scaled up in proportion to available funding

Using ITS to manage capacity and prepare for connected and autonomous vehicles The fiber cable capacity has both near-term and longer-term applications. In the near term, NCDOT can connect communications and monitoring equipment to implement ICM practices and jointly manage US 64/US 17 (Future I-87) and the US 64 extension to obtain more reliable throughput. Utilizing this new communications infrastructure to manage traffic through ICM is anticipated to reduce the incidence of crashes, reduce emissions, and utilize capacity more efficiently. It also allows NCDOT to monitor weather conditions and communicate warnings to the traveling public in real time.

Longer-term, the provision of fiber cable prepares the corridor for eventual adoption and use of autonomous and connected vehicles. The agency is proactively preparing these corridors for future technologies as the market evolves. The ability to accommodate future technologies is important given the critical role that these corridors play in the national highway travel network.

Leveraging transportation infrastructure to support education and economic development in North Carolina’s rural communities Finally, the Future I-87 RISE Project utilizes transportation infrastructure investment to accomplish more than just transportation. There is a digital divide between rural and urban areas in terms of access to the high-speed broadband and communications capability needed to run modern applications. This lack of access hinders economic development in small communities, limits agricultural access to applications that use big data to monitor and assess micro climate and yield data over large areas, and restricts educational opportunities. NCDOT will be working with its State Agency partners to utilize this infrastructure to deliver these types of benefits.

5.5.2 Project Delivery Innovations (three innovations)

Integrated Project DeliveryIn 2018, NCDOT announced the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) initiative, a culture where “we promise what we are going to do and deliver what we promise.” The purpose of IPD is to improve project delivery with transparent, repeatable and accountable processes that are effective and efficient,

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in order to meet the NCDOT Secretary’s “12-24-36” mandate. “12-24-36” refers to the number of months to complete environmental documentation and preliminary engineering – 12 months for a Categorical Exclusion (CE), 24 months for an Environmental Assessment (EA), and 36 months for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). In response, NCDOT undertook the task of reviewing all of its policies and procedures and challenging staff to come up with more efficient ways of delivering projects. Recommendations are now being implemented and new policies and procedures drafted for a new model focused on tailoring project development to the individual characteristics of a project. The key elements of the model are continuity in staff using a “project custodian” that stays with the project, more robust environmental and engineering screening earlier in the process to identify issues and allow for right-sizing of the project development process, and fewer re-do loops by integrating project planning, environmental analysis, and design into a coordinated process.

Section 404/NEPA Merger ProcessSince 1997, NCDOT has used the Section 404/NEPA Merger Process to develop projects. This environmental streamlining strategy was developed cooperatively by the Federal Highway Administration and USACE and was called “merger” because it basically “merges” decision-making for two federal regulations, the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, or CWA. In the Merger Process, a team of agency representatives meet at seven strategic decision (concurrence) points in the NEPA/SEPA project development and permitting process to discuss and concur on major project decisions. This process ensures that NCDOT will receive all permits necessary to implement a project in a timely manner. As part of the IPD initiative, NCDOT, in coordination with other Merger signatory agencies, is currently updating the process to allow for more flexibility in how it is applied to individual projects in order to streamline the decision-making process, including the early identification of permitting strategies.

Project ATLASIn 2019, NCDOT released Project ATLAS (Advancing Transportation through Linkages, Automation, and Screening), a web-based platform that provides a data access and storage framework to support informed project development. ATLAS consolidates statewide spatial data from a variety of into a single source with GIS based tools for screening and mapping environmental features and identifying potential constraints and impacts. In addition, the ATLAS Workbench provides a forum for managing projects and storing key project documents. The Workbench steps teams through all facets of the project life cycle and tracks the progression of a project based on reporting from multiple NCDOT Units. Since its initial release in June 2019, more than 1,100 NCDOT and private engineering consultant staff have been trained to use ATLAS, and it is being incorporated into all aspects of project delivery.

5.5.3 Innovative Financing (two innovations)

Partnering with the Private Sector to Generate RevenuesAs part of the Future I-87 RISE Project, NCDOT will be installing fiber optic cable in the ROW of US 64/US 17 (Future I-87) and US 64 to the coast. The cable has several innovative applications as discussed in the Technology Innovation section. Its inclusion in the project also offers an opportunity to partner with the private sector to generate revenue. An internal assessment of similar transactions suggests that NCDOT could generate $150 million over a 20-year period by allowing private communications vendors to lease the use of the fiber optic cable installed Future I-87 and US 64 extension corridors as part of the RISE Project.

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Use of Procurement MethodsThis project will use a mix of alternative delivery methods to include design build or progressive design build. All of these procurement methods promote innovation, accelerated schedules, and appropriate risk assessment and mitigation. The use of these best value procurement methods will ensure the project is delivered on or before the established completion dates.

5.6 Criterion #6: Performance and Accountability

This section describes NCDOT’s plan to address lifecycle costs, the construction performance metrics it will meet to demonstrate its accountability in the delivery of the Future I-87 RISE Project, and its efforts to foster interstate commerce.

5.6.1 Plan to Address Lifecycle Costs

NCDOT will manage the operations and maintenance of improved Future I-87 and the US 64 extension with its own resources. As this is an upgrade of existing infrastructure, the additional operations and maintenance (O&M) costs represent a small fraction of the Department’s existing responsibilities. The Future I-87 portion of the Project has an estimated O&M cost of $71.9 million over the 20-year analysis period, including a small savings of approximately $35,000 in annual highway O&M for most years but with periodic rehabilitation costs of over $3.8 million and $8.9 million. The fiber, ITS, and resiliency components also incur ongoing O&M expenses. On the US 64 corridor, O&M costs for fiber and ITS elements amount to $170,000 per year for a total of $3.4 million over the analysis period. The $75.3 million total O&M expense for the project amounts to 4.7 percent of the NCDOT’s 2020-2021 maintenance appropriations. 14

5.6.2 Accountability

North Carolina regularly uses performance metrics to track outcomes over time and assesses investments through the STI process to ensure that the state uses its dollars in the most efficient way to obtain long-range objectives. There are a number of innovations in the Future I-87 RISE Project and NCDOT has developed two initiatives to assess performance and to ensure accountability in the delivery of the Project described in this application. Each is outlined below.

• If selected for award, NCDOT proposes to negotiate a set of milestone dates for monitoring the remaining pre-construction activity. Once these milestones are established for each major Project component, NCDOT agrees to not seek reimbursement (fund out of their own budget over and above funds already committed to the Project) for pre-construction costs that fail to meet the let date for the Project by more than six months.

• If selected for award, NCDOT proposes to return 10 percent or $10 million, whichever is lower, of the Project component cost for any component not opened to the public for public use within six months of the agreed upon date.

Using this approach, USDOT can monitor NCDOT’s performance in managing the Future I-87 RISE Project and hold NCDOT accountable for its delivery.

12 https://www.ncdot.gov/about-us/how-we-operate/finance-budget/Documents/ncdot-funding-distribution.pdf

https://www.ncdot.gov/about-us/how-we-operate/finance-budget/Documents/ncdot-funding-distribution.pdf

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5.6.3 Interstate Commerce

Several elements of the Future I-87 RISE Project foster interstate commerce. The Future I-87 improvements are a large step forward in completing this access-controlled connection between a rural exporting region in North Carolina and the port best positioned to serve it in Virginia. The Port of Virginia gains a limited access route from the Hampton Roads-Norfolk region to I-95 for trucks that want to travel south. In addition, Future I-87 will benefit customers of the new CCX intermodal yard in Rocky Mount.

Moreover, the Governor’s EO80 directs “cabinet agencies to evaluate the impacts of climate change on their programs and operations and integrate climate change mitigation and adaptation practices into their programs and operations.” This policy has led to a change in design requirements for the Strategic Transportation Corridors by the State Hydraulics Engineer. The change requires a minimum design standard change from 50-year frequency to a 100-year frequency and analysis of inundation probability over the life cycle of the facility and duration of inundation. These changes, in combination with NCDOT’s network stress testing, will facilitate a more resilient and sustainable transportation infrastructure for intrastate and interstate commerce.

6. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS6.1 Project Readiness

Should the Future I-87 RISE Project be approved for INFRA grant funding, NCDOT is ready for obligation as soon as the necessary documentation can be executed. The Project has been developed through extensive planning with public consultation, with preliminary engineering and design nearly complete on several major components. All proposed investments are located within an active highway corridor, with no change in the existing land use. The environmental process is underway. Mitigation for environmental permits is facilitated by a Division of Mitigation Services. The Section 401/404 permitting requirements would be coordinated with the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.

6.2 Technical Feasibility

The designs and cost information presented in the Supplemental Materials are based on recent similar successfully completed projects by NCDOT. The Project will use a combination of Design Bid Build, Design Build, or Progressive Design Build procurement methods. There is a 45 percent contingency on roadway items and 15 percent on structure items. The cost estimates are the result of a preliminary engineering study that evaluated the existing facilities and the feasibility of the proposed improvements employing appropriate design criteria. All costs and designs have been reviewed by NCDOT’s engineering staff. NCDOT’s hydraulics team has reviewed all proposed resiliency investments and the proposed modeling strategy.

6.3 Project Schedule

Figure 7 depicts the Project's schedule. Assuming awards are made in mid-2021 and it takes the balance of the year to complete an agreement, the environmental work could begin on several of the project elements immediately in 2022. Construction can begin quickly within 18 months of completion of environmental work—no later than 2024.

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Figure 7: Project Schedules

STIP Project DescriptionFinal Environmental

Document Scheduled Date

Future I-87 Improvements

I-6007 SR 2233 CONVERT INTERCHANGE TO DDI CE Summer 2022

I-6005 US-64 BUSINESS TO US264� WIDEN I-87 FROM FOUR TO SIX LANES CE Summer 2022

Broadband BROADBAND ALONG I-87 FROM RALEIGH TO VA LINE AND US-64 FROM WILLIAMSTON TO WHALEBONE

CE Summer 2022

H141265 US264 TO NC 58� UPGRADE TO INTERSTATE STANDARDS CE Summer 2022

6.4 Required Approvals

The following describes the status of required approvals.

6.4.1 Environmental Permits and Reviews

Table 5 summarizes the status of each major Future I-87 RISE Project component. Based on project experience elsewhere in the Project area, it is anticipated that the appropriate National Environment Policy Act (NEPA) action is a documented Categorical Exclusion (CE) in most cases with two Environmental Assessments (EAs) required. However, it is recognized that the Lead Federal Agency will make the determination regarding the NEPA action required. NCDOT’s participation in USDOT’s innovative environmental process and use of Project ATLAS to streamline environmental screening and data collection will help expedite Project implementation.

Table 5: Environmental Review Milestones

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6.4.2 Legislative Approvals

No legislative approvals are required.

6.4.3 State and Local Planning

All components of the Future I-87 RISE Project were vetted through a data-driven planning process that coordinated transportation and land-use planning decisions and encouraged community participation.

All project components are identified in the current STIP except for the installation of fiber optic cable, the hydraulic modeling components, and projects H141265 and H171801. Broadband is included in the Governor’s Long-Range Vision for 2040. Provision and use of technology to serve travelers called out in State Long Range Transportation Plan. Federal Transportation Requirements Affecting State and Local Planning. All components of the Future I-87 RISE Project will be programmed in the STIP if the requested INFRA grant monies are received. This grant helps NCDOT advance the Project.

6.4.4 Federal Transportation Requirements Affecting State and Local Planning

Many of the needs addressed by the Project components are identified in the state’s Multimodal Freight Plan Final Report (2017) included with the Supplemental Materials. These include truck travel time reliability along US 64/US 17 (Future I-87). The Project thus supports the Freight Plan with these adjacent and similar projects.

6.5 Description of Public Engagement for the Project

Aside from the public engagement process that informs the state’s STI process (described in section 6.3.3 above), the State undertook a series of “Market Soundings” in order to gather information from the broadband industry. These soundings were conversations between NCDOT representatives and broadband/telecommunications firms to help NCDOT understand the interest of potential private sector partners and the factors that influence their level of interest, such as the potential size or pricing of a potential lease. This information allows NCDOT to structure their future procurement to be as productive (in terms of revenues and expanded service to underserved rural areas) as possible.

6.6 Assessment of Project Risks and Mitigation Strategies

The NCDOT has completed work similar to the proposed project and experienced no procurement delays of any significance. The Project site is currently utilized for highway purposes and is situated within an active transportation corridor, reducing many potential risks.

STIP Project DescriptionFinal Environmental

Document Scheduled Date

Future I-87 Improvements

U-6149 NC 58, EXIT 459, TO THOMAS ROAD OVERPASS� UPGRADE TO INTERSTATE STANDARDS

CE Summer 2022

H141265 THOMAS ROAD OVERPASS TO MARTIN COUNTY LINE� UPGRADE TO INTERSTATE STANDARDS

CE Summer 2022

H171801 MARTIN COUNTY LINE TO US 17 NEAR WILLIAMSTON� UPGRADE TO INTERSTATE STANDARDS

CE Summer 2022

R-5869A SR 1336 AND SR 1338� CONVERT AT-GRADE INTERSECTION TO AN INTERCHANGE

EA Winter 2023

R-5869B SR 1300� CONVERT AT-GRADE INTERSECTION TO INTERCHANGE EA Winter 2023

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NCDOT tracks Construction Project Delivery in terms of budget and schedule as part of its own performance metrics. The NCDOT 2020 Annual Report describes the outcomes for fiscal year (FY) 2020 year and the prior year comparator—the most recent data available Project delivery metrics are on page 12 of the report. Table 6 illustrates that the Department met its target. The NCDOT is familiar with federal funding obligation and construction procedures.

Table 6: NCDOT Project Delivery Performance

7. LARGE/SMALL PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

The text in this section addresses the questions identified in Section D.2.b.vii of the INFRA Notice of Funding Opportunity regarding the large project determination.

1. Does the project generate national or regional economic, mobility or safety benefits?Yes. The project delivers multiple types of benefits including safety, mobility, and supports significant regional and national economic opportunity.

2. Is the project cost effective? Yes. As outlined in the Merit Criteria section, the benefit cost ratio for all major components is 1.62.3. Does the project contribute to one or more of the Goals listed under 23 U.S.C. 150 (National

Goals: Safety, Infrastructure Condition, Congestion Reduction, System Reliability, Environmental Sustainability, or Reduced Project Delivery Delays)?Yes. The Project addresses the six national goals.

4. Is the project based on the results of preliminary engineering?Yes. The Preliminary Engineering report and materials are available with the Supplementary Materials provided with this application. These are located at: https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/INFRA2021-I87/Pages/default.aspx

5. a. With respect to non-Federal financial commitments, does the project have one or more stable and dependable funding or financing sources to construct, maintain and operate the project?Yes. A letter of commitment from NCDOT’s Chief Financial Officer for these State funds is provided in the supplemental materials to this application.b. Are contingency amounts available to cover unanticipated cost increases?

Yes. A 45 percent contingency is built into the roadway costs and 15 percent for structure costs.

6. Is it the case that the project cannot be easily and efficiently completed without other Federal funding or financial assistance available to the project sponsor?

Yes, the Project cannot be easily and efficiently completed without other Federal funding or financial assistance available to the Project sponsor.

7. Is the project reasonably expected to begin construction not later than 18 months after the date of obligation of funds for the project?

Yes.

Performance Measure How NCDOT Measures It Target Previous (FY 2019) Current (FY 2020) Target Met

Construction Projects—On Schedule

Percentage completed on schedule

More than 90%

91% 92% Construction Projects—On Budget

Total budget overrun on completed projects

Less than 5% -1�9% -0�1% Source: 2020 NCDOT Annual Report on Performance

