STATE OF NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION€¦ · Bhavesh Shah NJDOT, DPPD - North 609-530-8078 Laine Rankin NJDOT, DPPD 609-530-6539 Discussion: This was the first core group

STATE OF NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Tier 2 Report

For

Route 80 Rock Cut Stabilization at MP 29.4

Roxbury Township and Mount Arlington Borough

Morris County

August 2004 New Jersey Department of Transportation

Division of Project Planning and Development Third Floor, E&O Building

1035 Parkway Avenue, P.O. Box 600 Trenton, New Jersey 08625

Prepared by:

Arora and Associates, P.C. 3120 Princeton Pike, 3rd floor

Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648

Tier 2 Screening Report ARORA and ASSOCIATES, P.C. Route I-80 Rock Cut at MP 29.4 Consulting Engineers Roxbury Township and Mount Arlington Borough Morris County Page 2 of 68

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Location ................................................................................................................3 Problem Statement ................................................................................................3 Accident Data........................................................................................................3 Assessment of Needs ............................................................................................3 Public Involvement ...............................................................................................4 Right of Way.........................................................................................................4 Utilities..................................................................................................................4 Environmental.......................................................................................................4 Coordination .........................................................................................................4 Proposed Limits ....................................................................................................5 Recommended Pipeline Assignment ....................................................................5 CPC Screening Endorsement................................................................................5 Figure 1 – Project Location Map ..........................................................................6 Figure 2 – Project Study Area ..............................................................................7 Figure 3 – Straight Line Diagram.........................................................................8 Appendix A Problem Statement ...........................................................................9 Appendix B Environmental ................................................................................14 Appendix C Core Group Meeting ......................................................................16 Appendix D Accident Data.................................................................................19 Appendix E Photographs ....................................................................................54

Tier 2 Screening Report ARORA and ASSOCIATES, P.C. Route I-80 Rock Cut at MP 29.4 Consulting Engineers Roxbury Township and Mount Arlington Borough Morris County Page 3 of 68 Location This project is located on RouteI-80 from Milepoint 29.3 in Roxbury Township to Milepoint 29.6 in Mount Arlington Borough, Morris County. The location is identified on the attached Project Location Map illustrated as Figure 1 and the Project Study Area illustrated as Figure 2 and the straight line diagram as Figure 3. Problem Statement The problem statement was submitted by NJDOT’s Geotechnical Unit on September 3, 2000. It states “ The Existing Rock Cut at this site, which ranges in height from twenty feet to sixty feet, has many large overhangs and loose boulders which have the potential of falling onto the shoulder and/or travel lanes, thus creating a serious threat to motorists. This problem is caused by a substandard rock catchment zone at the site. Recommended remedial action would consist of redesign and reconstruction of the rock cut and catchment zone. The Problem Statement is included in Appendix A. Accident Data The actual crash rate (Crashes/MVM) for Route 80 westbound from MP 29.3 to 29.6 was compared with the Statewide crash rate for the Year 2003 for roadways with the same cross section. The actual crash rate of 0.65 is significantly below the statewide average of 1.93. In addition, a crash summary relative to crash overrepresentations for the period January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2003 is included in Appendix D. However, since the report includes only 8 total accidents during this period, this data is not statistically significant. Actual accident records are also included in Appendix D. These accident reports do not indicate that there are accidents in this area caused by falling rocks. Assessment of Needs The rock needs to be stabilized to prevent debris from falling on the roadway. Various methods of stabilizing the slope include:

• Regrading the rock slope to eliminate all overhangs. • Installing a wire mesh on the rock slope and anchoring it with rock anchors. • Installing a fence behind the guide rail to catch any loose debris and rocks.

Tier 2 Screening Report ARORA and ASSOCIATES, P.C. Route I-80 Rock Cut at MP 29.4 Consulting Engineers Roxbury Township and Mount Arlington Borough Morris County Page 4 of 68 There is no indication, either through accident data or by debris on the side of the roadway, that the rock is currently falling on the roadway. However, the potential exists and there is no way of stating with any certainty as to when the rock will become loose and begin to fall. Public Involvement All work will be performed on the Interstate system within NJDOT right-of-way. No detour is required. Therefore, since the problem statement was initiated by the NJDOT and does not affect the traffic patterns or existing right-of-way, there is no public involvement at this stage. The public officials will be informed during the design stage of the project. Right of Way The existing right of way is three hundred (300) feet. Utilities This is an interstate route. There are no utilities within the right-of-way. Environmental A Meeting was held with the NJDOT Division of Environmental Resources. It was decided that this project is CE (Categorical exclusion) and the Environmental Resources unit will investigate for cultural resources and wetlands within the project limits. The memorandum of record of this meeting is included in Appendix B. Coordination An initial scope meeting was held with the various Subject Matter Experts (SME) on March 17, 2004. John Jamerson and KuangYu Yang of NJDOT’s Geotechnical unit recommended that this project be developed for a permanent solution by removing loose overhanged rock to create a stable slope. The Core Group agreed that this permanent solution should be pursued. Since the rock is not currently falling on the roadway, it should remain stable until this project could be developed. The rock condition should be monitored and if it is identified to be unstable and immediate danger to traffic, a project involving rock anchors could be developed quickly.

Tier 2 Screening Report ARORA and ASSOCIATES, P.C. Route I-80 Rock Cut at MP 29.4 Consulting Engineers Roxbury Township and Mount Arlington Borough Morris County Page 5 of 68 A copy of the minutes of this meeting is included as Appendix C. Proposed Limits The proposed limit is from Milepost 29.3 to 29.6. Recommended Pipeline Assignment There will be no increase in highway capacity. There will be no major utility involvement. The project should be classified as a categorical exclusion. However, a permanent solution will require a rock stability analysis, visual surface geological and drainage pattern mapping, rock quality evaluation and a complete ground survey. Rock cores will be required. Additional right-of way may be required if the rock quality requires a flatter slope. Therefore, the Division of Project Planning and Development recommends that this project be assigned to Pipeline 2. CPC Screening Committee Endorsement The CPC Screening Committee approved the transfer to project management in their meeting on July 13, 2004 as a Pipeline 2.


Figure 1

Project Location Map


Figure 2

Project Study Area


Figure 3

Straight Line Diagram


APPENDIX A

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Tier 2 Screening Report Route I-80 Rock Cut At MP 29.4 Roxbury Township and Mount Arlington Borough Morris County Page 10 of 68





APPENDIX B

ENVIRONMENTAL

Tier 2 Screening Report Route I-80 Rock Cut At MP 29.4 Roxbury Township and Mount Arlington Borough

Morris County Page 15 of 68


APPENDIX C

CORE GROUP MEETING

ARORA and ASSOCIATES, P.C. Consulting Engineers

3120 Princeton Pike, 3rd Floor, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 Tel.: (609) 844-1111 Fax: (609) 844-9799

e-mail: [email protected] • http://www.arorapc.com

Minutes of Meeting Date: March 22, 2004 Date of Meeting: March 17,2004 Location: NJDOT Conference room 3C

Re: Core Group Meeting Route 80 WB rock cut mitigation at MP 29.3 to 29.6 Roxbury Township and Mount Arlington Borough Morris County

Attendees: Name Affiliation Phone Towfigh Molavinejadnow NJDOT, DPPD 609-530-4880 Tanya Jackson-Emam FHWA 609-637-4238 KuangYu Yang NJDOT, Geotechnical 609-530-5302 Gerry Sellner Arora and Associates 609-844-1111 Upendra Karna Arora and Associates 609-844-1111 John Jamerson NJDOT, Geotechnical 609-530-3733 Michael Chilek NJDOT, Geotechnical 609-530-2950 Robert Alonso NJDOT, Maintenance 973-770-5129 Anupam I. Gandhi NJDOT, E-team 530-530-2166 Joe Sweger NJDOT, E-team 609-530-2985 Samir Shah NJDOT, Project Manager 609-530-5693 Bhavesh Shah NJDOT, DPPD - North 609-530-8078 Laine Rankin NJDOT, DPPD 609-530-6539 Discussion: This was the first core group meeting to discuss the Tier 2 screening report for the subject project. Mr. Bhavesh Shah explained that the intent of the meeting was to discuss the information available and to determine if the SME’s had additional information that is pertinent to the project and the determination of the pipeline process that should be followed for this project. The conclusion of this Tier 2 screening report would be a recommendation as to the pipeline that should be used for development of this project. Gerry Sellner and Upendra Karna stated that the following information had been collected:

• Accident data at this location • Plan sheets and cross sections of the original construction at this location • Pictures of the rock at this location • A rockfall Catchment Area Design Guide published by the Oregon Department of Transportation


• The problem statement, prepared by the NJDOT geotechnical engineering unit, that stated the problem is caused by a substandard rock catchment zone at the site and remedial action may consist of rock stability redesign and reconstruction of the rock cut and catchment zone.

Upendra Karna stated that the use of rock anchors and a redesign of the catchment zone with a fence to

prevent debris from rolling onto the roadway was a viable solution and could be implemented quickly. A wire mesh may be required to direct the debris straight down.

Tanya Jackson-Emam inquired as to the reason for this project and if similar projects had used Federal Funds. KuangYu Yang stated that there were other similar projects but it was not known if Federal Funds had been used. John Jamerson stated that the reason for the project was that the rock was fractured and there is water seeping out of the rock. This is confirmed by the pictures. Therefore, the rock contains shear plans that could cause boulders to fall onto the roadway, especially since the rock overhangs the shoulders. The NJDOT Geotechnical unit has developed a rock stability severity grid based on several factors. This grid is used to prioritize projects and indicated that this project should be programmed. It was agreed that there is no indication, either through accident data or by debris on the side of the roadway, that the rock is currently falling on the roadway. However, the potential exists and there is no way of stating with any certainty as to when the rock will become loose and begin to fall. John Jamerson and KuangYu Yang recommended that this project be developed for a permanent solution by removing enough rock to create a stable slope. It would require a rock stability analysis, visual surface mapping and a complete ground survey. Rock cores will be required. This would probably require additional right-of way. They recommended that a geologist’s input be included in the analysis and report. The Core Group agreed that this permanent solution should be pursued. Since the rock is not currently falling on the roadway, it should remain stable until this project could be developed. The rock should be monitored and if it deteriorates, a project involving rock anchors could be developed quickly. The Core Group agreed that a tier 2 screening was inappropriate and that a feasibility assessment should be developed. Gerry Sellner, P.E. Project Engineer Arora and Associates PC c: Attendees Peter Kenny, NJDOT DPPD H:\1382\Common Files\Admin\1382 Core Group Mtg Minutes.doc



APPENDIX D

ACCIDENT DATA






































APPENDIX E

PHOTOGRAPHS

Looking Eastward

Station 29.55


Close View

Rock Outcrop

Station 29.5


Close View

Rock Outcrop

Station 29.45


Overhang of the Rock Cut

Station 29.5 Tier 2 Screening Report Route I-80 Rock Cut At MP 29.4 Roxbury Township and Mount Arlington Borough Morris County Page 58 of 68

Looking West

Station 29.4


Looking West

Station 29.4


Looking West

Station 29.4


Looking West

Station 29.35


Looking West

Station 29.3


Looking Westbound

Station 29.3


Looking Eastbound

Station 29.4





Documents

STATE OF NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION€¦ · Bhavesh Shah NJDOT, DPPD - North 609-530-8078 Laine Rankin NJDOT, DPPD 609-530-6539 Discussion: This was the first core group