[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 68 (Friday, April 8, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-8330]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: April 8, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the
Relocation of a Portion of the Miller Highway Between West 59th Street
and West 72nd Street in New York City
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The FHWA, as lead federal agency, in cooperation with the New
York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and the New York State
Urban Development Corporation (UDC), as co-lead agencies, intends to
prepare and circulate an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a
project that would provide for the relocation of a portion of the
Miller Highway between West 59th Street and West 72nd Street on the
west side of Manhattan, New York City. For preparation and development
of the tasks associated with the environmental studies, the ``Project
Area,'' is defined as the sites and the immediate adjacent area where
actual construction of the project components would occur. The ``Study
Area,'' including both a primary study area in which detailed
investigations will be completed and a secondary study area in which
more generalized assessments will be completed, encompasses the
geographic area from the Hudson River on the west, to Central Park West
on the east, and from West 42nd Street on the south to West 96th Street
on the north.
The EIS scoping process will consist of a public scoping meeting to
provide the general public an opportunity to comment and an interagency
scoping meeting to obtain comments from federal, state, and local
agencies. The public and interagency scoping meetings will be held in
the vicinity of the project area at dates, times and places to be
announced. In addition, involved and interested agencies and persons
will be provided an opportunity to submit written comments representing
concerns and issues they believe should be addressed in the EIS.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Information, data, opinions and comments
obtained through the scoping process will be considered in preparing
the EIS. The purpose of this Notice of Intent is to inform the public
and local, state and federal government agencies that an EIS will be
prepared and to provide those interested with the opportunity to
present their opinions, comments, information or other relevant
observations concerning the environmental impacts related to the
implementation of this proposal.
A copy of a draft ``EIS Scoping Document,'' describing the purpose
and need for the proposed action, the alternatives under consideration,
and the methods and criteria to be applied in completing the EIS will
be made available prior to the public and interagency scoping meetings.
This document will be finalized based on the information, opinions,
comments and other data received during the scoping process, and will
form the basis for further studies.
Goals for the Relocated Miller Highway Project were developed as
part of a comprehensive planning study conducted by UDC, in
consultation with, among others, NYSDOT, the New York Metropolitan
Transportation Council, the New York City Department of Transportation,
and New York City Department of City Planning. The goals of the
projects identified in that study are to:
Maintain and improve the park environment on the West Side
of Manhattan;
Maintain or enhance safe and efficient transportation
along the West Side Highway corridor in the study area;
Achieve physical compatibility between the highway and
surrounding existing and proposed development;
Minimize adverse social, economic and/or environmental
consequences to the surrounding community.
The project is a transportation improvement project of substantial
cost which will create significant urban design, recreational and
economic development opportunities. However, it is not expected to have
a substantial effect on capacity, traffic flow, level of service, or
mode share at the corridor or subarea scale, since it will merely
replace the existing section of the Miller Highway. It will include no
additional capacity or new egress/access points to the arterial roadway
system within Manhattan.
Major actions to be addressed in the EIS will include, but may not
be limited to, a No Build alternative, two highway build alternatives
with alignments parallel to the existing roadway, a transit alternative
and a transportation systems management (TSM) alternative.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, QUESTIONS AND/OR COMMENTS CONTACT: Mr. Harold
J. Brown, Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, New
York Division, Leo W. O'Brien Federal Building, room 911, Clinton
Avenue & North Pearl Street, Albany, New York 12207; Mr. Ben Zodikoff,
New York State Urban Development Corporation, 1515 Broadway, New York,
New York 10036; or Mr. Philip J. Clark, New York State Department of
Transportation, State Campus Building 5-405, Albany, New York 12232.
Charles E. Bosner,
District Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, Albany, New York.
[FR Doc. 94-8330 Filed 4-7-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M
