[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 13, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18941-18942]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-8439]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Environmental Impact Statement: Bexar County, TX
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Amended notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Texas Department of
Transportation (TxDOT) and Alamo Regional Mobility Authority (Alamo
RMA) issued a notice of intent to advise the public that an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) would be prepared for proposed
improvements to Loop 1604 in San Antonio, Texas, within Bexar County
limits to enhance mobility and improve safety from FM 1957 to IH 35
North, a distance of approximately 32.35 miles in Bexar County Texas.
FHWA, TxDOT and Alamo RMA are issuing this amended notice of intent to
advise the public of changes to the aforementioned EIS for proposed
Loop 1604 improvements. Specifically, the southwestern limit of the
proposed improvements is changing from FM 1957 to U.S. Highway 90 for a
total distance of approximately 37 miles. The change to the limits of
the proposed improvements is consistent with the updated San Antonio-
Bexar County Metropolitan Planning Organization Mobility 2035 Plan
(December 2009) and in response to comments received during the first
scoping meetings held in October 2009.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Salvador Deocampo, District
Engineer, District A, Federal Highway Administration, Texas Division,
300 East 8th Street, Room 826, Austin, Texas, 78701. Phone: 512-536-
5950
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FHWA in cooperation with TxDOT and the Alamo
RMA issued a Notice of Intent on July 31, 2009, advising the public
that they would be preparing an EIS for transportation improvements to
Loop 1604 from FM 1957 to IH 35 North, a distance of approximately
32.35 miles. Since then, FHWA, TxDOT and the Alamo RMA approved the
Draft Project Coordination Plan, the Draft Need and
[[Page 18942]]
Purpose, convened two meetings with a Community Advisory Group, held a
meeting with Participating and Cooperating Agencies and held a series
of Public Scoping meetings. Based on public input and studies conducted
to date, FHWA, TxDOT and Alamo RMA now propose to include an additional
segment from FM 1957 to U.S. 90 in the EIS so that the limits of the
proposed improvements would be from U.S. 90 to IH 35 North, a total
distance of approximately 37 miles. The additional segment between FM
1957 and U.S. 90 is described in the San Antonio-Bexar County
Metropolitan Planning Organization's Mobility 2035 Plan (adopted
December 7, 2009) as added capacity improvements consisting of
expanding the existing facility to a four lane expressway with four
toll mainlanes and four non-toll outer lanes. The need for improvements
within the additional segment relate to compromised safety, decreased
mobility, and operational deficiencies attributed to substantial growth
in traffic. The purpose of adding the proposed segment is to address
these needs by upgrading the existing roadway to current design
standards to improve safety, enhance mobility and improve operational
efficiency.
Anticipated Federal permits, pending selection of alternatives and
field surveys may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Section 401/404 (Clean Water Act), and Section 7 (Endangered Species
Act). The Draft Project Coordination Plan will be updated in accordance
with Public Law 109-59, Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), Title VI,
section 6002, Efficient Environmental Reviews for Project Decision
Making, August 10, 2005, to reflect the change in project limits. The
Project Coordination Plan will continue to promote early and continuous
involvement from stakeholders, agencies, and the public as well as
describe the proposed project, the roles of the agencies and the
public, the project need and purpose, schedule, level of detail for
alternatives analysis, methodologies to be used in the environmental
analysis, and the proposed process for coordination and communication.
The Revised Project Coordination Plan will be available for public
review, input, and comments at public meetings, including scoping
meetings and hearings held in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) through the evaluation process, and
upon request at the Alamo RMA's office. Pursuant to section 6002 of
SAFETEA-LU, cooperating agencies, participating agencies, and the
public will be given an opportunity for input in the development of the
project. The second series of public scoping meetings, conducted in an
open house format, is planned to be held in April of 2010.
Issued on: April 7, 2010.
Salvador Deocampo,
District Engineer, Austin, Texas.
[FR Doc. 2010-8439 Filed 4-12-10; 8:45 am]
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