[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 225 (Wednesday, November 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59130-59131]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-29602]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Environmental Impact Statement: City of Issaquah, King County,
Washington
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an
environmental impact statement (EIS) will be prepared for the Southeast
Issaquah Bypass project in the City of Issaquah, King County,
Washington.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Gene K. Fong, Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration,
Evergreen Plaza Building, 711 South Capitol Way, Suite 501, Olympia,
Washington 98501, telephone (360) 753-9413; Jerry W. Alb, Director,
Environmental Services, Washington State Department of Transportation,
310 Maple Park East, PO Box 47331, Olympia, Washington 98504-7331,
telephone (360) 705-7480; or Ann DeFee, Project Manager, Department of
Public Works, City of Issaquah, PO Box 1307, Issaquah, Washington
98027, telephone (206) 557-2571.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Washington
State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the City of Issaquah
will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for a new bypass
arterial approximately 2.4 km (1.5 mile) long, intending to connect I-
90 in the vicinity of the Sunset Interchange, with Issaquah-Hobart
Road. The Southeast Issaquah Bypass would be located along an alignment
which will be selected as part of the EIS process. It is anticipated
the alignment will likely be similar to one of several alternative
alignments defined in previous feasibility studies completed for the
project.
The bypass arterial is planned to be a two-way road that would
provide through-lanes and turn-lane channelization at main
intersections. The road may be urban or rural in section, or a
combination thereof, with features such as bicycle lanes, curb, gutter,
sidewalk, stormwater management, water quality treatment, retaining
walls, bridges, landscaping, highway signs, lighting, and signalization
as determined appropriate during the EIS and design studies.
Alternatives under consideration include: a No-Action Alternative
and at least two roadway alignment alternatives (generally within, but
not restricted to, a previously identified corridor). The corridor
broadens in width at the south end and may include more than two
locations and geometric
[[Page 59131]]
configurations for the intersection with Issaquah-Hobart Road.
Reasonable alternatives identified during the scoping process will also
be evaluated. Analysis will focus on identifying impacts and mitigation
measures, and providing information appropriate to choosing a preferred
alignment alternative from among the alternatives identified through
the scoping and public involvement process.
The EIS will identify direct, secondary and cumulative impacts
associated with the roadway alternatives under consideration. The EIS
will also address other cumulative impacts, taking into consideration
two separate but related projects which are currently in the
preliminary design phase, and are undergoing separate environmental
review: (1) The proposed South Sammamish Plateau Access Road (South
SPAR) and Sunset Interchange modification project, and (2) the proposed
North Sammamish Plateau Access Road (North SPAR).
The South SPAR and Sunset Interchange modification project would
connect the Sunset Interchange with a major east-west arterial in the
southwestern portion of the Grand Ridge Development area and modify the
existing partial interchange, which presently provides only a west
bound off-ramp and east on-ramp, to a full interchange that provides
for all traffic movements to and from I-90. It is sponsored by the
Washington State Department of Transportation, City of Issaquah, King
County, and two private developers (Grand Ridge Ltd. Partnership and
Glacier Ridge Ltd. Partnership). It is being addressed in a separate
project-specific EIS written in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
The North SPAR project would connect the proposed South SPAR with
the existing intersection of Issaquah-Pine Lake Road Southeast and
Issaquah-Fall City Road Southeast. The North SPAR project is a King
County-sponsored project separate from the Sunset Interchange/South
SPAR project, with its own logical termini and independent utility. It
will be addressed in a separate project-specific EIS written in
accordance with the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA).
Relevant information about various environmental issues related to
both the Sunset Interchange/South SPAR EIS and the North SPAR EIS will
be incorporated into the Southeast Issaquah Bypass EIS to address
secondary and cumulative impacts.
The purpose of the proposed Southeast Issaquah Bypass project is to
provide arterial access to I-90 in the vicinity of the Sunset
Interchange for Issaquah traffic and Hobart area traffic; to provide a
bypass of the City of Issaquah Central Business District, thereby
reducing Issaquah congestion; to support adopted City and Region
comprehensive land use plans and their fulfillment, which today are
suffering from violations of level of transportation concurrency
standards; and to satisfy all of the above purposes in a multimodal
context with improved auto, transit, bicycle, and pedestrian access to
existing and future land uses.
Environmental issues of concern to be addressed in the EIS include
transportation; air quality; noise; land use and social elements;
wetlands; biological resources (wildlife and vegetation); fisheries
resources; water quality (surface and ground water); floodplains;
hazardous materials; historic, archaeological and cultural resources;
waterways and hydrological systems (surface and groundwater quantity);
soils and topography; geologic hazards; energy; and visual impacts.
Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will be
sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, appropriate
Native American tribes, and to private organizations and citizens who
have expressed, or are known to have, an interest in this proposal. An
agency scoping meeting will be held on December 9, 1996 from 1:30 p.m.
to 3:30 p.m. at the City of Issaquah's Council Chambers, 135 East
Sunset Way, Issaquah, Washington. A public scoping meeting will be held
on December 9, 1996 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Issaquah High School
Commons, 700 Second Avenue SE, Issaquah, Washington. The public and all
affected agencies will be invited to attend the meetings. Public notice
will be given of the time and place of the meetings.
To assure that the full range of issues related to this proposed
action are addressed and all significant issues are identified,
comments are invited from all interested parties. Comments and
suggestions concerning this proposed action and the EIS should be
directed to the FHWA at the address provided.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205,
Highway Research, Planning and Construction. The regulations
implementing Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental
consultation of federal programs and activities apply to this
program)
Issued on November 8, 1996.
Jose M. Miranda,
Environmental Program Manager, Olympia, WA.
[FR Doc. 96-29602 Filed 11-19-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M
