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Washington Street Bridge Replacement 

Vicksburg, Mississippi 

FINDING OF NO SIGNFICANT IMPACT 

Statement of Purpose and Need:

The City of Vicksburg, Mississippi is a riverfront town located on the eastern banks of 

the Mississippi River. The current Washington Street Bridge crosses over railroad tracks 

controlled by the Kansas City Southern Railway Company (KCSRC), in the western 

portion of Vicksburg. The current Washington Street Bridge is 315 feet long, and is 60 

feet in height from the KCSRC track bed to bridge deck. Washington Street acts as a 

major thoroughfare for the City of Vicksburg, running through downtown Vicksburg and 

connecting U.S. Interstate 20 to an interconnection with U.S. Highway 61. Since the 

KCSRC right-of-way runs in a north/south orientation, the tracks act as a practical divider 

within the city, requiring citizens to cross the KSCRC right-of-way in order to reach the 

Mississippi River and businesses located west of the right-of-way. The nearest right-ofway crossing to the north, Lee Street, is not equipped with crossing arms or an automated 

flashing signal system. 

The KCSRC right-of-way is located approximately 60 feet below Washington Street, at 

the base of a steep bluff. Erosion presents a constant challenge to the stability of any 

bridge at this location. Significant erosion at steep banks of the Washington Street 

Bridge, the north end of which was replaced in the 1980s, has caused significant 

instability and movement of the bridge structure. At last inspection, the deck, 

superstructure and substructure were each rated as being in “Poor Condition.” Shifting on 

the bridge has resulted in misalignment of guardrails on deck. Erosion on the north end of 

the structure has exposed approximately 15 feet of steel piling, while erosion on the south 

side has exposed approximately 20 feet of steel piles at the abutment. Because bank 

erosion is expected to be a long term problem associated with any bridge in the area, the 

proposed long-term solution is to construct a tunnel over the KCSRC tracks, and replace 

the existing bridge overpass with an at-grade road placed on top of the proposed tunnel. 

This alternative is preferable to replacing the bridge at its current location, the other Build 

Alternative, because it offers the best long term solution to address erosion concerns 

associated with the project site. 

Though Washington Street historically has operated as a designated truck route, the 

Washington Street Bridge has been closed to all truck traffic since April, 2006, forcing 

the rerouting of truck traffic to surface streets and grade crossings within Vicksburg. 

Citizens and legislators within Vicksburg have targeted the Washington Street Bridge for 

replacement as soon as possible, allocating funds for the project through bond issue in 

October, 2006. Bridge replacement remains a high priority in Vicksburg. Congress has 

appropriated $4,273,842 to the FRA for the project in the SAFETEA-LU. An additional 

$1,000,000 has been allocated from the FRA FY05 budget. The availability of this 

funding triggered the FRA’s preparation of an environmental assessment under the 

National Environmental Policy Act. 
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Alternatives:

Under the Preferred Alternative, an at-grade road to accommodate Washington Street 

traffic would be constructed on top of a tunnel erected over the KCSRC right-of-way and 

current Washington Street Bridge would be demolished. This would allow Washington 

Street to be reopened to large truck traffic while providing structural stability lacking in 

the current Washington Street Bridge. 

Additionally, an extension to Lee Street would be constructed under the Preferred 

Alternative, in order to allow for the closing of the Lee Street grade crossing that 

currently traverses the KCSRC tracks north of the Washington Street Bridge. This grade 

crossing, which provides entrance to the western commercial area, is not equipped with 

automated flashing signals or crossing arms. 

Various alternatives were considered, including a no-action alternative, reconstruction of 

the bridge at its current location, and reconstruction of the bridge in an alternate location. 

All alternatives, with the exception of the no-action alternative, proposed the closing of 

the Lee Street grade crossing and an extension of Lee Street to accommodate traffic flow 

and provide contiguous north/south street access west of the KCSRC right-of-way. 

Benefits of Preferred Alternative

The construction of a tunnel in place of the current Washington Street Bridge would 

address traffic flow and safety concerns within the City of Vicksburg. Washington Street 

could once again accommodate large truck traffic. Transportation patterns would become 

streamlined and more efficient, as large truck traffic between Interstate 20 and U.S. 

Highway 61 could cease diversion to other KCSRC crossing sites. This will in turn 

reduce large truck traffic in other areas of Vicksburg, helping to relieve congestion and 

inconvenience associated with diverted large truck traffic. 

Construction of a tunnel in place of the bridge would address significant soil-related 

safety and stability concerns. The proposed length of the tunnel spans 350 feet and would 

avoid the use of steep fill slopes on bluffs prone to basal erosion. The tunnel would be set 

on concrete footing supported by drilled shafts, with retaining walls used to help 

transition the fill slopes down the existing grade. Based on these mitigation efforts, the 

Preferred Alternative would significantly improve geology or soil conditions surrounding 

the project parameters while minimizing the need for future maintenance and lengthening 

the foreseeable lifespan of the structure. 

Procedural History

On May 14, 2008, Wildlife Technical Services (WTS), in conjunction with the City of 

Vicksburg, prepared an application Categorical Exclusion (CE) Worksheet in accordance 

with requirements set forth in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) addressing 

proposed improvements to the Washington Street Bridge and adjacent Lee Street. The CE 

worksheet indicated that the Preferred Alternative qualified as a CE that would be 

granted for the “maintenance of existing railroad equipment; track and bridge 

structures.... and other existing railroad-related facilities.” 
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The term “maintenance” as encompassed by agency rules means work normally provided 

on a periodic basis that does not change the currently existing character of the facility in 

question. 64 Fed. Reg. 28547. Based on the proposed construction of a tunnel to replace 

the current Washington Street Bridge, the rerouting of traffic to the at-grade road, and the 

extension of Lee Street proposed by the project, the FRA determined that the proposed 

project was ineligible for classification as a CE for NEPA purposes. At that time, the 

FRA requested that the City of Vicksburg and WTS cooperate with the preparation of an 

environmental assessment (EA) to address the Washington Street Bridge replacement and 

Lee Street extension project. 

Based upon the attached EA, the FRA has concluded the Preferred Alternative is not 

likely to incur significant environmental impacts. FRA concurs with the preferences of 

the City and KCSRC and finds that the Preferred Alternative is best able to achieve the 

project purpose and need without significant environmental impacts. 

The potential for environment impacts has been assessed by FRA Office of Railroad 

Development in the attached EA completed in August, 2008. The potential for 

environmental impact is summarized for each resource category as follows: 

Transportation:

Construction of the Preferred Alternative would have a significant positive impact on 

transportation within the City of Vicksburg. Washington Street would be reopened to 

large truck access. This should improve local area traffic by eliminating the need to reroute large trucks through adjoining surface streets in order to traverse the KCSRC rightof-way and by re-establishing Washington Street as the primary truck route connection 

for U.S. Interstate 20 and U.S. Highway 61. Extension of Lee Street will provide 

permanent access to existing properties located on the west side of the KCSRC tracks and 

address community safety concerns by allowing closure of the Lee Street grade crossing. 

Public Health and Safety: 

The existing Washington Street Bridge is inadequate to meet current transportation safety 

needs. The proposed tunnel project would allow for significantly safer travels by fully 

demolishing the current bridge and replacing it with a tunnel, on top of which runs an atgrade road to accommodate Washington Street traffic. Construction of a tunnel would 

eliminate the potential for erosion at the base of bridge pillars, a documented problem 

associated with the current bridge structure. The tunnel would provide significant 

advantages in the long term, offering more stability and less maintenance than a bridge 

alternative, providing significant long term public health and safety benefits. 

Cultural and Historic Resources: 

No impacts to historic or cultural resources would occur. Archaeology, Inc. completed a 

Cultural Resources Survey on May 14, 2007 covering the limits of the proposed project 

and determined the areas bordering the existing railroad right-of-way and the proposed 

project limits were to be considered clear of cultural resources. The Mississippi 

Department of Archives and History, in letters dated 3/31/08 and 6/4/08, stated that no 
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properties in the project area were listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of 

Historic Places. 

Socioeconomic Conditions/Environmental Justice: 

No significant impacts to natural, social or human environments would occur. The 

proposed site is entirely located in a portion of the City of Vicksburg zoned and 

historically used for commercial purposes. In the general vicinity of the project site are 

neighborhoods of residential and commercial character. The Preferred Alternative would 

replace the Washington Street Bridge that has long operated as a crossing over the 

KCSRC tracks, providing a safe and reliable connector for the commercial 

neighborhoods west of the KCSRC right-of-way and the predominantly residential 

neighborhoods east of the KCSRC right-of-way. 

There is general agreement throughout the Vicksburg community on the need to improve 

or replace the current Washington Street Bridge with updated facilities. The Preferred 

Alternative, viewed as the best investment given long term safety concerns over site soil 

conditions, was agreed up on by city officials, engineers and KCSRC officials in January, 

2007 at an informal meeting at Vicksburg’s City Hall. The initial costs are to be paid out 

of a bond measure previously approved by the City in October, 2006. 

Geology and Soils: 

Soil conditions associated with the current Washington Street Bridge are inadequate to 

support continued full operation of the bridge. Erosion at the base of the bridge, located 

on steep banks adjacent to the KCSRC tracks, has led to unsafe instability and movement 

of the bridge. Erosion is expected to continue, and presents a constant concern for bridges 

at the site. 

Construction Impacts: 

Construction of the proposed project as planned will require the relocation of utilities 

located along the KCSRC right-of-way. It is estimated the project construction will be 

completed within nine months of commencement. The affected roadways, Washington 

Street and Lee Street, are scheduled to remain open to traffic during construction, though 

traffic may be temporarily halted for a period of 30-45 days. The tracks within the 

KCSRC right-of-way will remain operational. The Preferred Alternative was chosen in 

part because traffic interruptions would be minimized when compared to other 

considered alternatives. 

Utilities: 

Select utility lines will be relocated under the Preferred Alternative, predominantly 

surrounding or within the KCSRC right-of-way. Upon completion of the relocation 

process, there would be no significant impacts to utilities under the Preferred Alternative. 

Noise/Vibration:

Marginal increases in traffic related noises can be expected at both the Washington Street 

Bridge site and along Lee Street, as both sites will be significantly improved and more 

accessible to traffic. The ability Washington Street to accommodate large truck traffic 
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will cause marginal increases in noise typical of that present before the bridge was closed 

to truck traffic. Because the Lee Street crossing is not equipped with automatic flashers 

or signal arms, trains traveling past Lee Street at the crossing must sound their horns. 

Approximately 40 trains pass per day. The closing of the Lee Street crossing will greatly 

reduce train horn noise. No other impacts related to noise or vibration disturbances are 

expected as a result of the proposed project. 

Land Use: 

No changes in land use or zoning would occur through this project. All work is to occur 

explicitly within the KCSRC or Mississippi Department of Transportation controlled 

right-of-ways. The neighborhoods bordering the right-of-way have been long established 

though city zoning and development as commercial to the west and 

residential/commercial to the east. The Preferred Alternative would improve the already 

established Washington Street thoroughfare without re-routing traffic in manners 

significant enough to trigger anticipated land use shift impacts. 

Water Resources: 

The proposed project is not located at or in an area directly adjacent to any protected 

waters of special concern, fish habitat or protected drinking water sources. The Preferred 

Alternative would not have any significant impact on water quality. The construction of 

an at-grade road on top of the proposed tunnel should improve water rainwater flow in 

comparison to the current Washington Street Bridge. Elimination of the steep bridge 

embankments should improve runoff and help limit erosion within the existing right-ofway. 

Air Quality: 

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality reports that in 2007 all data 

collected from various monitoring sites within the State of Mississippi show that the state 

is meeting all National Ambient Air Quality Standards for all monitored sites, with the 

exception of ground level ozone within DeSoto County. Warren County is located in an 

NAAQS attainment area. The proposed project will not have any significant impact on 

current or future air quality standards or lead to the establishment of a non-attainment 

area. 

Wetlands/Floodplains: 

There would be no temporary or permanent impacts on wetlands caused by the Preferred 

Alternative. There are no wetlands located within the proposed project limits. 

Coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will not be necessary. There also 

would be no impact to any floodplains nor any increased flood hazard under the Preferred 

Alternative. The proposed project property limits are not located within any 100-year 

floodplain and is not classified as a floodway by any regulating entity. 

Threatened or Endangered Species: 

There would be no impact to ecologically sensitive or endangered species. In a letter 

dated March 14, 2008, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks