[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 250 (Thursday, December 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 73599]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-33925]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
First Tier Environmental Impact Statement: Jackson, Lafayette,
Saline, Pettis, Cooper, Boone, Callaway, Montgomery, Warren, Lincoln,
and St. Charles Counties, Missouri
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 a
First Tier environmental impact statement (EIS) will be prepared for
proposed improvements to Interstate 70 in Jackson, Lafayette, Saline,
Pettis, Cooper, Boone, Callaway, Montgomery, Warren, Lincoln, and St.
Charles Counties, Missouri.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Donald Neumann, Programs Engineer,
FHWA Division Office, 209 Adams Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101,
Telephone: (573) 636-7104 or Mr. Bob Sfreddo, Director of Project
Development, Missouri Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 270,
Jefferson City, MO 65102, Telephone: (573) 751-4586.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Missouri
Department of Transportation (MoDOT), will prepare a First Tier EIS for
a proposal to investigate improvements to Interstate 70 through
Missouri, from the interchange with Interstate 470 in Independence,
Missouri (Exit 15) to the interchange in Lake St. Louis, Missouri (Exit
214). The first tier EIS will involve the examination of transportation
strategies for improvements to Interstate 70 for 199 miles access the
state of Missouri. The study area will be about five (5) miles on each
side of existing Interstate 70 across Missouri.
Strategies under consideration include: (1) Taking no action, (2)
transportation system management, (3) other modes of transportation,
(4) upgrading and improving the existing Interstate 70, (5)
constructing a new limited-access highway on new or partially-new
location, and (6) a combination of the above strategies. The First Tier
EIS will be completed to a Record of Decision indicating a strategy and
a broad corridor up to a mile wide for improvements to Interstate 70
across Missouri. The first tier EIS also will indicate an approach for
subsequent NEPA work in the Second Tier(s) within the selected
corridor. It will indicate specific projects having independent utility
and logical termini for the Second Tier effort to progress to
subsequent detailed design and construction of manageable projects in
the future. The Second Tier will involve the detailed NEPA study for
specific alignments within the broad corridor previously selected in
the First Tier EIS.
The proposed First Tier EIS is the result of MoDOT's identification
of Interstate 70 across Missouri for improvement as part of the future
long range transportation plan. Given the current and projected traffic
volumes, and the dated design of existing Interstate 70 (some portions
dating from as early as 1956 as the first construction in the United
States on the interstate highway system), improvements to the
Interstate 70 corridor are considered critical to provide for a safe,
efficient, and economical transportation network that will meet traffic
demands in the state and for national travelers. The proposed
improvements are also intended to be environmentally sound. System
improvements will be examined based on the purposes of reducing traffic
congestion, addressing roadway deficiencies, improving safety, reducing
traffic congestion, and enhancing system linkage.
A scoping process has been initiated that involves all appropriate
federal and state agencies. This will continue throughout the study as
an ongoing process. An intensive public information effort will be
initiated in January 2000 to include those agencies, local agencies,
and private organizations and citizens who have previously expressed,
or are known to have, interest in this proposal. This effort also will
inform the public living in the study area and those who travel on
Interstate 70 from across the nation with the interest of capturing
their comments for and about the study. Public informational meetings
will be held across the study area to engage the regional community in
the decision making process and to obtain public comment. In addition,
public hearings will be held to present the findings of the First Tier
Draft EIS (DEIS). Public notice will be given concerning the time and
place of informational meetings and public hearings. The First Tier
DEIS will be available for public and agency review and comment prior
to the public hearings.
To ensure the full range of issues related to this proposed action
are addressed and all significant issues are identified, comments and
suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Comments or
questions concerning this proposed action and the First Tier EIS should
be directed to the FHWA or MoDOT at the addresses previously provided.
(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: December 16, 1999.
Donald L. Neumann,
Programs Engineer, Jefferson City.
[FR Doc. 99-33925 Filed 12-29-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M
