[Federal Register: January 22, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 14)]
[Notices]
[Page 3188]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22ja04-111]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision Approving the
Release of Grant Obligations Associated With the Proposed Construction
of a Freeway Connection Between the Existing Milan Beltway and the
Urbanized Area North of Rock River in Moline, IL
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability of the Record of Decision (ROD).
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SUMMARY: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Illinois
Department of Transportation (IDOT) prepared an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the construction of a new freeway connection
between the existing Milan Beltway and the urbanized area north of Rock
River in Moline, Illinois for the purpose of providing additional
transportation capacity over the Rock River and to avoid the need to
reconstruct IL 5 (Blackhawk Road) through Black Hawk State Historic
Site. As a cooperating agency to the EIS, the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) coordinated with FWHA and IDOT the design
alternatives for the proposed interchange at the Milan Beltway--Airport
Road intersection. The current Milan Beltway is approximately 2,700
feet from the west end of Runway 9-27 at the Quad City International
Airport. With this Record of Decision, the FAA is announcing its
approval of a release of land grant obligations over 14.380 acres of
airport property. FAA's decision for its action considered the
environmental impacts of the proposed project and the alternatives
discussed in the EIS.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bobb A. Beauchamp, Federal Aviation
Administration, Chicago Airports District Office, Environmental Program
Manager, 2300 E. Devon Ave., Suite 320, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018,
telephone (847) 294-7364, e-mail bobb.beauchamp@faa.gov. Copies of EIS
and the FHWA ROD are available from Norman R. Stoner, P.E., Division
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 3250 Executive Park Drive, Springfield, Illinois 62703,
telephone (217) 492-4640.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FHWA was the lead agency for the Project
EIS (FHWA-IL-EIS-93-04-F). FAA accepted FHWA's May 4, 1988 invitation
for cooperating agency status in preparing the EIS. After an
independent review of the Final EIS, FAA concluded that its comments
and suggestions were addressed in the Final EIS. The purpose of this
notice is to inform the public that the Record of Decision (ROD)
approving the release of the airport's land grant obligations for the
property identified in the Final EIS is available to anyone upon
request. Any person may obtain a copy of FAA's ROD by submitting a
request to the FAA contact identified above.
FHWA signed its ROD for the project on July 9, 2003, in which it
selected as part of its preferred alternative a grade separation and
combination cloverleaf/diamond type interchange at the present Milan
Beltway--Airport Road intersection. This interchange design requires
the sale of 14.380 acres of airport property to IDOT, including a 3.9-
acre encroachment into the runway protection zone (RPZ) for Runway 9 at
Quad City International Airport. The airport is required to seek a
release from Federal obligations prior to the sale of these lands. The
Quad City International Airport does not require these lands for
airport use. FHWA's ROD included several commitments to FAA and the
Metropolitan Airport Authority of Rock Island County, re-stated in
FAA's ROD, to ensure that the project will not pose a hazard to air
navigation.
FAA's ROD examines the build alternatives for the Milan Beltway--
Airport Road grade connection to the proposed Milan Beltway connection,
which will be a four-land, fully access controlled expressway bridge
over the Rock River. FAA's preferred alternative is the No Action
Alternative, which requires no action on behalf of the Quad City
International Airport. This Alternative would prevent any development
in the southeast quadrant of the Milan Beltway--Airport Road
intersection, eliminating the need to transfer any airport proposed to
IDOT. However, the proximity of Route 280, roughly 1000 feet north of
Airport Road, presents economic and engineering barriers that make the
No Action Alternative impracticable.
FAA's ROAD concurs with FHWA's Selected Alternative, requiring the
sale of 14.380 acres of airport property to IDOT. The Selected
Alternative, constructing a partial cloverleaf/diamond interchange in
the southeast quadrant of the Milan Beltway--Airport Road intersection,
avoids the economic and engineering constraints posed by the proximity
of Route 280, satisfies FHWA's purpose and need, poses the least
impacts to the natural and human environment, may be advanced through
detailed design and construction, and will pose no hazard to air
navigation.
Questions may be directed to the individual named above under the
heading FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Issued in Des Plaines, Illinois, December 29, 2003.
Chad Oliver,
Acting Manager, Chicago Airports District Office, FAA Great Lakes
Region.
[FR Doc. 04-1271 Filed 1-21-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M