[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 129 (Thursday, July 6, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35255-35256]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-16486]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Environmental Impact Statement: Currituck County, NC
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Highway Administration is issuing this notice to
advise the public that an environmental impact statement will be
prepared for a Mid-Currituck Sound bridge in Currituck County, North
Carolina.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Roy C. Shelton, Operations Engineer, 310 New Bern Avenue, Suite 410,
Raleigh, North Carolina 27601, Telephone: (919) 856-4350.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the North
Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), will prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS) on a proposal to build a bridge
and approach roadway connecting US 158 on the mainland to NC 12 on the
Outer Banks, crossing Currituck Sound. The proposed project would
include approximately 3.7 kilometers (2.3 miles) of approach road on
the mainland and a bridge across the sound of approximately 7.6
kilometers (4.7 miles).
The proposed project is considered necessary to relieve forecast
congestion on US 158 and NC 12, to improve access to public services
for Outer Bank residents and to improve future emergency evaluation
times. Alternatives under consideration include (1) taking no action
and (2) building a bridge in one of six corridors made up of differing
combinations of three mainland approach corridors and two Outer Bank
termini.
The alternatives to be evaluated in the EIS were chosen based on
the results of an alternatives study conducted in 1994 and 1995. Nine
bridge alternatives and several no-bridge alternatives were studied.
The no-bridge alternatives were: improve existing roads, improving
public services on the Outer Banks, altering storm evacuation plans and
a ferry alternative. The reasonableness of widening existing roads in
lieu of building the bridge will be examined further. Improving public
services on the Outer Banks and altering storm evacuation plans are
options Currituck County could implement if the no action alternative
was found to be unreasonable.
In April 1994, a letter describing the proposed action and
soliciting comments was sent to appropriate federal, state and local
agencies. An interagency scoping meeting was held on May 26, 1994 to
introduce the project to federal and state regulatory agencies. Key
environmental issues raised during the meeting were (1) the potential
for secondary and cumulative impacts, particularly in terms of the
potential for the bridge to alter existing development trends in
Currituck County, (2) the need to evaluate no bridge alternatives, (3)
disturbance of existing communities on the mainland by the approach
road and its associated traffic and (4) the sensitivity and importance
of Currituck Sound, Maple Swamp and the Outer Banks as natural
resources.
During the alternative study, two sets of citizen informational
workshops (August 1994 and April 1995) and one additional interagency
meeting (November 1994) were held. Prior to selection of the
alternatives to be
[[Page 35256]]
evaluated in the EIS, the results of the alternatives study were
discussed at the second workshop and second interagency meeting.
To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed
action are addressed and all significant issues identified, comments
and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Comments or
questions concerning this proposed action and the EIS should be
directed to the FHWA at the address 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.)
Issued on: June 27, 1995.
Roy C. Shelton,
Operations Engineer, Raleigh, North Carolina.
[FR Doc. 95-16486 Filed 7-5-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M
