[Federal Register: October 8, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 196)]
[Notices]
[Page 59028-59029]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08oc08-121]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Environmental Impact Statement: Sussex County, DE
AGENCIES: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Delaware
Department of Transportation (DelDOT).
ACTION: Update of notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The FHWA is updating a previous notice of intent (issued on
Friday, June 3, 2005) to advise the public that an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) will be prepared for a proposed highway improvement
project along US 113 in south central Sussex County, Delaware.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Nick Blendy, Environmental
Specialist, Federal Highway Administration, DelMar Division, J. Allen
Frear Federal Building, 300 South New Street, Room 2101, Dover, DE
19904; Telephone: (302) 734-2966; e-mail: nick.blendy@dot.gov or Mr.
Monroe C. Hite, III, P.E., Project Manager, Delaware Department of
Transportation, 800 Bay Road, P.O. Box 778, Dover, DE 19903; Telephone:
(302) 760-2120; e-mail: Monroe.Hite@state.de.us or contact the DelDOT
Public Relations Office (800) 652-5600 (in DE only) or (302) 760-2080.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA),
in cooperation with the
[[Page 59029]]
Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT), will prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to consider changes to the
existing US 113 corridor including access restrictions, additional
travel lanes, and the construction of a potential new alignment in
south central Sussex County, Delaware. The proposed limited access
facility would link back to the existing US 113 corridor north of the
Town of Millsboro and in the vicinity of the Delaware/Maryland state
line in the Town of Selbyville.
In July 2001, DelDOT completed a feasibility study (Sussex County
North-South Transportation Feasibility Study) to consider improvements
for the US 113 corridor from the vicinity of Delaware Route 1 north of
the City of Milford south to the Delaware/Maryland state line.
Originally, the data and findings from the study indicated that
upgrading the existing US 113 corridor is feasible and that
improvements on new alignment or alignments, bypassing existing US 113,
were a consideration in the Georgetown-South Area, which extends from
the Town of Georgetown to the Delaware/Maryland state line (including
the Towns of Georgetown, Millsboro, Dagsboro, Frankford, and
Selbyville).
The current US 113 North/South Study was initiated in 2003 as the
next step in the overall planning process for the US 113 corridor north
of the City of Milford to the Town of Selbyville at the Delaware/
Maryland state line, a distance of approximately 40 miles.
As a result of extensive public outreach and analysis of the
anticipated impacts associated with a number of alternatives considered
during the current US 113 North/South Study, FHWA and DelDOT have now
determined that an Environmental Assessment (EA) is the appropriate
class of action for the Georgetown Area (area in and around the Town of
Georgetown) portion of the US 113 corridor identified in the original
Notice of Intent.
Further, FHWA and DelDOT recommend that the Millsboro-South Area
(area in and around the Towns of Millsboro, Dagsboro, Frankford, and
Selbyville located in south central Sussex County, Delaware) portion of
the US 113 corridor identified in the original Notice of Intent be
studied separately from the remaining US 113 corridor, north of the
Town of Millsboro, located in central to northern Sussex County.
Because of the potential for new alignment alternative(s), access
restrictions, and the resulting potential for significant impacts on
the natural and human environment, the FHWA has determined that an EIS
continues to be the appropriate class of action and documentation for
any corridor changes that may be selected within the Millsboro-South
Area of study, south of Georgetown.
A program of public involvement and coordination with Federal,
State, and local agencies for the US 113 corridor began in 2003 and is
ongoing. Both agency and public involvement have been extensive and
will continue throughout project development. Comments have been
solicited from appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, and
private organizations and citizens who have previously expressed or are
known to have interest in this proposal. The initial Agency Scoping
Meeting was held in January 2004, and the Purpose and Need process was
completed with agency concurrence.
Public scoping meetings via public workshops were held and seven
(7) rounds of informational meetings or public workshops have been
conducted. Additional public workshops will be scheduled during the
remainder of the planning study. In addition, a formal public hearing
will be held after the draft EIS has been circulated. Public notice
will be given announcing the time and place of all public meetings and
the formal public hearing. The draft EIS will be available for public
and agency review and comment prior to the public hearing on the draft
EIS.
To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed
action is addressed and all significant issues are identified,
comments, and suggestions are invited from all interested parties.
Comments or questions concerning the proposed actions and the EIS and
EA documentation should be directed to the FHWA or DelDOT at the
addresses 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.)
Hassan Raza,
Division Administrator, Dover, Delaware.
[FR Doc. E8-23669 Filed 10-7-08; 8:45 am]
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