Transportation Infrastructure

Working alongside transportation engineers as well as state agencies, we are proud to help advance public infrastructure projects throughout the Commonwealth and greater New England. Our infrastructure work includes permitting a broad range of public facilities such as airports, bridges, roads, railways, and shared-use paths.

Epsilon's depth of services enables us to work with clients from the conceptual design of a project through its completion.

We provide a full range of services including, but not limited to, due diligence, historic resource assessments, alternatives analysis, environmental permitting, construction compliance, and post-construction environmental monitoring. Our work integrates the specific needs of our clients to provide real-world environmental permitting solutions to a range of transportation infrastructure projects.

Airports

Epsilon advises airport managers on effective strategies to develop their airports while complying with all regulations, ensuring safe and sustained operation.

As the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and state aeronautics divisions continue to update airport safety and environmental regulations, airport managers trust Epsilon’s guidance to comply with federal, state, and local environmental requirements. Project work includes runway safety area improvements, runway lengthening projects, taxiway construction, hangar developments, vegetation management plan support, and other similar airport expansions and improvements.

Epsilon relies upon qualified airport wildlife biologists who meets the requirements of FAA Advisory Circular 150/5200-36 to provide airports with these documents. They have supported numerous airports throughout the Commonwealth in producing Wildlife Hazard Assessments and Wildlife Hazard Management Plans.

We prepare permitting documentation for and have successfully received Variance Orders of Conditions from the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act and Section 401 for several general aviation airport projects. We have a strong, established working relationship with the MassDEP Variance review team and have an in-depth understanding of the Variance review process and permitting requirements. Furthermore, Epsilon has served as Environmental Monitor on several projects as required by these project’s Variance Orders, working collaboratively with the Airport or MassDOT project team, contractor, and MassDEP to ensure compliance with permits and overseeing complex wetland mitigation construction.

Project Details Norwood Memorial Airport
Norwood Memorial Airport
Expertise
  • Wildlife Hazard Assessments (WHAs)
  • Wetland mitigation design and monitoring plans
  • Ecological assessments
  • Regulatory compliance and construction monitoring
  • NEPA/MEPA and environmental permitting

Roadways and Roadway Bridges

While roadway and bridge work can be challenging from a construction and permitting perspective, it is a critical aspect in allowing people to move about their daily lives and Epsilon is able to provide the needed permitting assistance to move these projects forward.

From major highway expansions and new interchanges to pedestrian footbridge crossings, Epsilon’s team of technical specialists can efficiently plan and execute a winning permitting strategy for roadway and bridge projects. Epsilon has been supporting both MassDOT’s Environmental and Construction Divisions with on-call services contracts. Under these contracts, we have completed dozens of assignments related to ecological fieldwork (including wetland delineations, rare species surveys, and sediment sampling), cultural resource assessments, environmental permitting (including Section 401/404 permits), and construction inspection services.

Project Details Fore River Bridge
Fore River Bridge
Expertise
  • Natural resources surveys
  • Wetland mitigation plans and construction monitoring
  • Alternatives analysis (MEPA/NEPA)
  • Wetlands permitting

Railways and Railroad Bridges

From wetlands permitting to the preservation of historic structures, Epsilon provides a full range of permitting services to the railway industry.

Epsilon has a deep understanding of the complexities surrounding large-scale critical infrastructure projects like railway development. Our regulatory specialists maintain long-standing relationships with federal, state, and local agency regulators so that all teams work cooperatively and efficiently. Epsilon’s proven solutions ensure timely completion of all freight and passenger rail projects.

Project Details Gloucester Drawbridge
Gloucester Drawbridge
Expertise
  • Planning and strategy
  • Dredging/dredged material management plans
  • Air quality, noise & vibration monitoring and analysis
  • Wetlands permitting and compliance

Multi-Use Trails

A multi-use trail can bring numerous benefits to the local community, and at Epsilon we work alongside local municipalities to guide them through the permitting process so these projects can be completed successfully.

Towns and cities have been taking advantage of former railroad rights-of-way by extending them and creating multi-use trails that provide a safe place away from vehicular traffic or developing trail networks along the Commonwealth’s waterfronts. These trails serve as a fundamental link between neighborhoods, schools, businesses, parks, and community amenities. In both small towns and busy cities, trails can be used to create active transportation and recreation networks that improve the quality of life locally as well as regionally.

Our staff have helped numerous clients at the local and state level secure complex environmental approvals for these multi-use trail projects including the Neponset River Rail Trail and the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. Our services span a project’s life cycle including producing ecological assessments for both freshwater and coastal ecosystems, supporting alternative analyses for bridge types, developing permitting applications, and monitoring construction and wetland mitigation areas.

Project Details Draw Seven Park and Path Extension
Draw Seven Park and Path Extension
Expertise
  • Wetlands permitting and compliance
  • Rare species and wildlife monitoring

Have any questions?

David E. Hewett, LEED AP Principal

David E. Hewett, LEED AP

Principal

Local Permitting (including Article 80), MEPA, & NEPA

978-461-6215
Alyssa Jacobs, PWS Principal

Alyssa Jacobs, PWS

Principal

Wetlands, Infrastructure, & Airport Permitting

978-461-6271