[Federal Register: March 18, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 53)]
[Notices]
[Page 12893-12894]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18mr04-91]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement; Washington County,
MN, and St. Croix, County, WI
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Revised notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this revised notice to advise the public
that a supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS) will be
prepared for a proposed highway project on Minnesota Trunk Highway (TH)
36 and Wisconsin State Trunk Highway (STH) 64, including a new crossing
of the St. Croix River in Washington County, Minnesota and St. Croix
County, Wisconsin. The project extends from TH 5 in Oak Park Heights,
Minnesota to approximately 150th Avenue in Houlton, Wisconsin.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Martin, Federal Highway
Administration, Galtier Plaza, 380 Jackson Street, Suite 500, St. Paul,
Minnesota 55101, Telephone (651) 291-6120; Todd Clarkowski, Area
Engineer, Minnesota Department of Transportation, 1500 West County Road
B2, MS 050, Roseville, Minnesota 55113, Telephone (651) 582-1169; or
Terry Pederson, District Planning Projects Engineer, Wisconsin
Department of Transportation, 718 West Clairemont Avenue, Eau Claire,
Wisconsin 54701, Telephone (800) 991-5285 or (715) 836-2857.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Minnesota
Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) and Wisconsin Department of
Transportation, will prepare a supplement to the EIS on a proposal for
a new river crossing, including the reconstruction of bridge approach
roadways, on TH 36/STH 64 from TH 5 in Oak Park Heights, Washington
County, Minnesota to approximately 150th Avenue on STH 35/64 in
Houlton, St. Croix County, Wisconsin. Mn/DOT is the lead State agency.
The original EIS for the river crossing (FHWA-MN-EIS-90-92-F) was
approved on April 5, 1995 with a Board of Decision issued on July 10,
1995. In 1996, the National Park Service issued an adverse effect
finding for the project under section 7(a) of the Federal Wild and
Scenic Rivers Act. Therefore, resource agency permits were unable to be
issued for the project.
In June 2003, discussion regarding scoping alternatives was
reinitiated as part of a Stakeholder Resolution Process. The
Stakeholder Group includes Federal, State and Local agencies,
environmental groups, historic preservation groups, and other
interested organizations. At the Stakeholder Group meetings, all
alternatives previously studied, as well as new alternatives, were
reconsidered. Through the Stakeholder Resolution Process, five
alternatives were identified as having the best potential for meeting
the project's transportation needs and environmental and historical
impact concerns. A ``2003 Amended Scoping Document and 2003 Amended
Draft Scoping Decision Document'' were released in November 2003.
Public scoping meetings were held in December 2003. Based on public,
agency and Stakeholder Group comments on the document, four
alternatives, in addition to the No-Build alternative, have been
identified for study in the supplemental Draft EIS.
[[Page 12894]]
Therefore, the supplemental EIS will evaluate the social, economic,
transportation an environmental impacts of alternatives, including: (1)
No-Build, (2) Alternative B--construction of a new four-lane bridge
(two through-traffic lanes in each direction) located approximately
6,500 feet south of the existing lift bridge (South Ravine Option), (3)
Alternative C--construction of a new four-lane bridge (two through-
traffic lanes in each direction) located approximately 3,900 feet south
of the existing lift bridge, (4) Alternative D-- construction of a new
four-lane bridge (two through-traffic lanes in each direction) located
approximately 700 feet south of the existing lift bridge on the
Minnesota shore and meeting the Wisconsin bluff near the existing lift
bridge crossing, and (5) Alternative E--construction of a new two-lane
bridge (two through-traffic lanes for eastbound traffic) located
approximately 500-700 feet south of the existing lift bridge on the
Minnesota shore and meeting the Wisconsin bluff near the existing lift
bridge crossing. The existing lift bridge would be used as a two-lane
roadway for westbound traffic.
It is anticipated that the final ``2003 Amended Scoping Decision
Document'' will be published in March 2004. Coordination has been
initiated and will continue with appropriate Federal, State and local
agencies and private organizations and citizens who have previously
expressed or are known to have an interest in the proposed action. To
ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed action
are addressed and all significant issues identified, comments and
suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Comments or
questions concerning this proposed action and the supplemental EIS
should be directed to the FHWA at the address provided above.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance program Number 20.205,
Highway Planning and Construction. The regulations implementing
Executive order 12372 regarding intergovernmental consultation on
Federal programs and activities apply to this program.)
Issued on: March 8, 2004.
Stanley M. Graczyk,
Project Development Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, St. Paul,
Minnesota.
[FR Doc. 04-6114 Filed 3-17-04; 8:45 am]
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