Office of Federal Lands Highway

Project Overview

The Western Federal Lands Highway Division of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) proposes to fund Linn County, Oregon for the Quartzville Road Improvements Project. Linn County's road improvements along Quartzville Road encompass a range of measures, including roadway widening and pavement overlay, stabilization of slide areas and roadway repairs, dispersed camping closures, construction of additional parking with informational kiosks, and maintenance, repair and preservation measures on the Whitcomb Bridge.

Quartzville Road is accessed primarily from Highway 20, the main travel route eastward from Albany and Sweet Home into the mountains of the Cascade Range. On the eastern periphery of Sweet Home, Quartzville Road turns north and crosses the South Santiam and Middle Santiam River at the upper end of Foster Lake. The road then continues generally eastward along the north side of the Middle Santiam River which, above Green Peter Dam, becomes the impounded Green Peter reservoir and lake (see attached APE maps).

The project area begins at the south side of the intersection of Quartzville Road and Old Hufford Drive, which is 0.61 mile north of the intersection where Quartzville Road turns north off of Highway 20. The project area ends above an inundated section of Quartzville Creek that is now an arm of Green Peter Lake.

Recreation Impacts

• Sunnyside Park Roadside Parking Area with Restroom and Kiosk.
  A parking area will be added for access from Quartzville Road. The parking area will be constructed on Linn County Property that is operated by Linn County Parks Department. The Parks Department will oversee the operation of the Parking Area and Restroom and Information Kiosk
• Green Peter Dam Parking Lot
  This is an existing parking lot on Corps Property. The project will improve it by adding an exit and also making the parking area larger.
• Thistle Creek Boat Ramp Overflow Parking Area
  This parking area will be built within the existing road easement agreement between the Corps and Linn County
• Elimination of Eleven Roadside Camping Areas on Corps Property
  The project will eliminate 11 roadside camping areas. Elimination of the camping areas have been previously approved by the Army Corps of Engineers and was posted in the Federal Register.

Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966 states that "the Secretary shall not approve any program or project which requires the use of any publicly owned land from a public park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge of national, state, or local significance as determined by the Federal, State, or local officials having jurisdiction thereof, or any land from an historic site of national, State, or local significance as so determined by such officials unless (1) there is no feasible and prudent alternative to the use of such land, and (2) such program includes all possible planning to minimize harm to such park, recreation areas, wildlife and waterfowl refuge, or historic sites resulting from such use."

Because the project is impacting some multi-use properties that include recreation uses the project is subject to Section 4(f). FHWA proposes that the project will have a de minimis (minimal) impact on recreation uses.

To comply with the Transportation Act, we are providing information to the public and affording an opportunity to review and comment on the effects of the project on the protected activities, features, and attributes of the Section 4(f) resource.

Please provide comments to me by December 21, 2015 at:
Western Federal Lands
610 East Fifth Street
Vancouver, WA 98661
seth.english-young@dot.gov

Contact Information

Seth English-Young, Environmental Specialist
Email: seth.english-young@dot.gov

Federal Highway Administration
Western Federal Lands Highway Division
610 East Fifth Street
Vancouver, WA 98661-3801