Project Summary: The City of Lebanon, with funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and administrative oversight from the INDOT-Crawfordsville District, proposes various improvements to Grant Street and Williams Street. It is proposed that these improvements occur within two phases.

Phase 1 includes reconstruction of Grant Street from Washington Street to Fordice Street and Williams Street from east of Prairie Creek Bridge to Grant Street. Phase 1 is the proposed project under Des No 1800237.

Phase 2 includes reconstruction of Grant Street from Indianapolis Avenue (SR 32) to Washington Street using 100% local funds. The locally funded project, Phase 2, is included due to the storm water aspects of the project that Phase 1 is dependent on for utility.

Phase 2 is the proposed project under Des No 2001641. Phase 1 of the project is expected to begin construction after July 2022, while Phase 2 of the project is expected to begin construction after July 2025. Boone County Bridge No. 312, carrying Grant Street over Prairie Creek and within Phase 2 of the project, was recently constructed and will be excepted from this project. This environmental document covers impacts associated with both Phase 1 and 2.

Notice of Entry letters were mailed to potentially affected property owners near the project area on May 13, 2019 notifying them about the project and that individuals responsible for land surveying and field activities may be seen in the area. A sample copy of the Notice of Entry letter is included in Appendix G, page G1.
To meet the public involvement requirements of Section 106, a legal notice of FHWA’s finding of “No Historic Properties Affected” was published in The Lebanon Reporter on March 31, 2020 offering the public an opportunity to submit comments pursuant to 36 CFR 800.2(d), 800.3(e), and 800.6(a)(4). The public comment period closed 30 days later on April 30, 2020. The text of the public notice and the affidavit of publication appear in Appendix G, G6-G7.

A public information meeting was held on February 27, 2020, (Appendix G, G2-G5) in Lebanon, Indiana to give an overview of the project and conduct breakout groups with property owners. A total of 15 residents attended the public information meeting, along with the Mayor. The purpose of the meeting was to review the proposed design of the project. Several property owners requested to connect their sump drains into the storm sewer system and the city agreed to accommodate this. A resident asked if the private drive radii is wide enough to allow for easy backing out and a survey of the drive radii ensued. Discussions of traffic maintenance options were held, and none objected to the options proposed. Lastly, the narrow condition of Williams Street was mentioned, and BF&S proposed to widen Williams Street to the north, cutting down the existing retaining wall and rebuilding at an approximate 4-foot offset. The new wall could be a poured-in-place concrete with a patterned façade. The Public Involvement Meeting was concluded with only action items for the City of Lebanon. The widening of Williams Street to the north will be incorporated into the design.

The project will meet the minimum requirements described in the current Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) Public Involvement Manual which requires the project sponsor to offer the public an opportunity to submit comment and/or request a public hearing. Therefore, a legal notice will appear in a local publication contingent upon the release of this document for public involvement. This document will be revised after the public involvement requirements are fulfilled.

Signed Categorical Exclusion/Environmental Assessment Form – Grant Street

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