Deadwood Box Corridor Study

Visual Impact Assessment (VIA) Process

The Deadwood Box Study Team has identified and evaluated a wide range of concepts and selected two for detailed evaluation as build alternatives in a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Assessment (EA). The two alternatives are known as 1A and 1C and are further discussed in a document located in the Project Documents section of this page (Deadwood Box VIA Process Renderings (Alternatives 1A & 1C)). The build alternatives under consideration vary in terms of the roadway location, parking location, drainage structure length, and rock excavation.

Coordination with the National Park Service and South Dakota Historic Preservation Office has resulted in a commitment to review potential direct and indirect impacts to the National Historic Landmark (NHL) and state/local historic districts associated with the City of Deadwood. Potential impacts resulting from the build alternative’s project scope include:

• Physical disturbance within the districts and of properties within the districts
• Noise and vibration
• Change in the visual environment during or post construction

As recommended by the South Dakota Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration, a VIA process is being conducted for the Deadwood Box Project. The VIA process includes consideration of visual preferences of the local community, both as residents viewing the project corridor and as travelers through the corridor.

The VIA team has prepared renderings of three viewpoints of the two build alternatives (1A & 1C) within the NHL and historic districts. Alternative 1A’s parking is to the east of the highway and would not require any removal of the hillside. Alternative 1C’s parking is to the west of the highway with removal of a portion of the hillside east of the highway.

We solicited input from the public on the consideration of visual impacts of the project in a Visual Impacts Assessment (VIA) process. If you would like to review the renderings, the renderings can also be found within this PDF.