Environmental Impact Statement for Improved Station Access and Additional Parking at the MTA Metro-North Railroad North White Plains Station, Westchester County, NY, 29813-29815 [05-10360]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 99 / Tuesday, May 24, 2005 / Notices
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addressed to the Domestic Fleet
Management and Operations Division
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Garner], 2201 C Street, NW., Room
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Dated: May 18, 2005.
Vincent J. Chaverini,
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[FR Doc. 05–10334 Filed 5–23–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710–24–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Environmental Impact Statement for
Improved Station Access and
Additional Parking at the MTA MetroNorth Railroad North White Plains
Station, Westchester County, NY
Federal Transit Administration
(FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The FTA, in cooperation with
the Metropolitan Transportation
Authority (MTA) Metro-North Railroad
(Metro-North) and the Westchester
County Department of Transportation
(WCDOT), intend to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
on a proposal to improve station access
and provide additional parking at the
Metro-North North White Plains Station,
Westchester County, New York
(Proposed Action).
The FTA is the lead Federal agency
under the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The
Proposed Action is being developed by
Metro-North and WCDOT, the cosponsors of the Proposed Action. The
EIS will be prepared in accordance with
NEPA and the applicable regulations for
implementing NEPA, as set forth in 23
CFR part 771 and 40 CFR parts 1500–
1508. The EIS is being prepared to
satisfy the requirements of the New
York State Environmental Quality
Review Act (SEQRA). Items that will be
considered in the Proposed Action are:
• Expansion of parking capacity
through the construction of a multi-level
parking structure at Metro-North’s North
White Plains Station;
• Improved access to/from the
proposed expanded parking facilities
from the east side of the railroad tracks;
• Enhanced customer service
facilities for intermodal connections and
parking demand management strategies
such as: Jitney services, feeder buses
supported by park-and-ride lots, carpool
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and vanpool arrangements, bicycling
and walking;
• Restoration of a portion of the
Bronx River Parkway Reservation which
is currently used for customer parking
back to parkland; and
• Rerouting a portion of the Bronx
River Parkway Reservation bike
pathway in the study area.
The EIS will evaluate a build
alternative, comprising a multi-level
parking structure and four possible
access alternatives, a No Action
Alternative and any additional
reasonable alternatives generated by the
scoping process. Scoping will be
accomplished through meetings and
correspondence with interested persons,
organizations, and Federal, State,
regional, and local agencies.
DATES: The public is invited to
participate in a scoping meeting on June
14th, 2005 commencing at 7 p.m. at the
location identified under ADDRESSES
below to ensure that all significant
issues are identified and considered.
Presentation boards depicting the
Proposed Action will be available for
review at the meeting. Metro-North and
WCDOT representatives will be present
at the meeting.
Formal presentations by Metro-North
and WCDOT regarding the project will
be made at 7 p.m., followed by the
opportunity for the public to make
comments on the scope of the EIS.
Registration to speak will begin at 6:30
p.m. and will remain open until 8:30
p.m.. A stenographer will be available at
the meeting to record oral comments.
Those wishing to speak are requested to
register at the meeting location upon
arrival, however, registration to speak
will remain open until 8:30 p.m. The
meeting will conclude when all
registered speakers have been heard.
Printed versions of the Scoping
Information Document are available at a
number of public libraries and
municipal offices. A list of these
locations can be obtained by contacting
Mr. James Hoegler, PE, AICP, or Ms.
Patricia Chemka, AICP, at the telephone
numbers listed below under ADDRESSES,
or by visiting the following Web sites:
https://www.mta.info (click ‘‘MTA–
Home’’ then ‘‘Planning Studies,’’ and
‘‘North White Plains Station ’’) and the
WCDOT Web site: https://
www.westchestergov.com/
transportation. The Scoping Information
Document may also be requested by
writing to these individuals, or may be
viewed on-line by visiting the Web sites
listed above.
The scoping comment period will
remain open through July 11, 2005.
Written comments on the scope of the
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29813
EIS may be tendered at the scoping
meeting, or may be sent to Mr. James
Hoegler, PE, AICP at Metro-North
Railroad, or Ms. Patricia Chemka, AICP
at WCDOT at the addresses given under
ADDRESSES below. Requests to be placed
on the study mailing list may also be
made by calling or by writing to these
individuals.
ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting
will be held: Tuesday, June 14, 2005 in
rooms C and D at the Westchester
County Center, 198 Central Avenue (at
the Bronx River Parkway), White Plains,
NY 10606.
The scoping meeting site is accessible
to mobility-impaired people and
interpreter services will be provided for
persons with hearing impairments upon
request. People with special needs
should contact Mr. James Hoegler at
Metro-North (888) 836–8301 at least five
(5) days prior to the meeting.
Written comments will be taken at the
meeting or may be sent to the following
addresses thru July 11, 2005: Mr. James
Hoegler, PE, AICP, MTA Metro-North
Railroad, 345 Madison Avenue, 3rd
Floor, New York, NY 10017, phone
(888) 836–8301; or Ms. Patricia Chemka,
AICP, Westchester County Department
of Transportation, 100 East 1st Street,
9th Floor, Mount Vernon, NY 10550,
phone (914) 813–7753.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Irwin B. Kessman, Director of Planning
and Program Development, Federal
Transit Administration, (212) 668–2170.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Scoping
FTA, Metro-North and WCDOT invite
interested individuals, organizations,
and Federal, State, and local agencies to
provide comments on the scope of the
Proposed Action. During the scoping
process, comments should focus on
specific social, economic, or
environmental issues to be evaluated,
and on suggesting alternatives that may
be less costly or have fewer
environmental impacts while achieving
similar transportation objectives. To
assist interested parties in formulating
their comments, a Scoping Information
Document has been prepared and is
available on the MTA Web site and the
Westchester County Web site addresses
noted above, or upon request from the
Metro-North and WCDOT
representatives identified above. The
Scoping Information Document includes
the purpose and need for the Proposed
Action, a description of the preliminary
alternatives, environmental issues that
will be addressed during the course of
the study, and an outline of the on-going
public participation program.
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 99 / Tuesday, May 24, 2005 / Notices
II. Description of the Study Area
The North White Plains Station is
located along Metro-North’s Harlem
Line on Harlem Avenue west of
Broadway (NY Route 22) and east of the
Bronx River Parkway, approximately
0.25 miles north of Interstate 287 (I–
287), in the northern section of the City
of White Plains, Westchester County,
New York. The station is located amidst
many one-way roads near the municipal
boundaries of the City of White Plains,
the Towns of North Castle and
Greenburgh.
The Harlem Line, which generally
runs north-south through the City of
White Plains, is one of three major
passenger rail lines which provide
regularly scheduled daily train service
between New York City, Grand Central
Terminal, and various locations in
Westchester County. The northern
terminus of the Harlem Line is in
Wassaic, in the Town of Amenia,
Dutchess County, New York.
The Primary Study Area is defined as
the area west of Harlem Avenue and
east of the Bronx River Parkway
Reservation (BRPR) between Holland
Avenue to the south and Fisher Lane to
the north. This area consists of Harlem
Avenue, the land currently occupied by
station parking areas, the station itself,
and immediately adjacent facilities (e.g.,
drop off/pick up; intermodal area).
Towards its goal of improving access
to public transportation, Metro-North
has identified the North White Plains
Station as a Strategic Passenger Facility
due to its central location and the level
of train service currently provided.
Metro-North currently provides a level
of train service to the North White
Plains Station that is among the top five
on the Harlem Line and among the top
ten systemwide. Three parking areas
currently serve Metro-North customers
at the North White Plains Station, with
Metro-North and Westchester County
owning the majority of the
approximately 1,250 available parking
spaces.
Vehicular access to the station from
the north and south is provided
primarily by Broadway to the east and
the Bronx River Parkway to the west.
The majority of parking spaces that
serve the station are located on the west
side of the tracks and can only be
accessed via the Bronx River Parkway at
Fisher Lane. A one-way travel
restriction on Fisher Lane in the vicinity
of the railroad underpass prevents full
west-to-east travel across the study area.
III. Purpose and Need for the Proposed
Action
The need for the Proposed Action is
due to the current parking deficiency,
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Jkt 205001
forecasted growth in ridership and
projected customer diversions from
other stations. In addition, access to the
North White Plains Station is hampered
by its location amidst a series of oneway roads such as Fisher Lane.
Parking utilization at the North White
Plains Station is approximately 90
percent on any typical weekday. MetroNorth experience suggests that drivers
perceive a lot as full when the
utilization exceeds 85 percent. A
separate effort by Metro-North to
estimate parking demand systemwide at
its rail stations in New York State,
which included a survey of the waiting
lists for permits to park at the North
White Plains Station, indicates the total
current demand at the North White
Plains Station to be approximately 1,560
spaces. Parking demand is forecast to be
approximately 2,800 in 2015 and
approximately 4,600 in 2,025. The
construction of a multi-level parking
structure would provide additional
parking capacity to Metro-North
customers to accommodate both current
and future demand for parking (in
2015).
In addition, access to the North White
Plains Station is hampered by its
location amidst a series of one-way
roads such as Fisher Lane. Fisher Lane
currently provides the only means of
access to the parking areas located west
of the tracks, areas which provide
approximately 80% of all North White
Plains Station parking. All Metro-North
customers who use these parking areas
must travel through the Bronx River
Parkway—Fisher Lane intersection for
access. This intersection currently
experiences heavy traffic during the
morning peak hours. Improved station
access would reduce the site’s
dependence on the Bronx River
Parkway—Fisher Lane intersection.
IV. Alternatives
The EIS will evaluate Build and NoAction alternatives. The Build
alternative will provide improvements
that enhance connections to the existing
transportation system and will meet the
anticipated increase in parking demand.
Metro-North and WCDOT conducted
a Planning Study for the Proposed
Action in advance of the EIS. The
purpose of the study was to identify
area constraints and determine the
viability for the Proposed Action. The
study identified a range of alternative
improvement options to address the
parking and access deficiencies at North
White Plains Station. Two garage
concepts and eleven access alternatives
were developed and analyzed. Printed
versions of the Planning Study are
available on the Web sites indicated
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above in DATES. Copies can also be
viewed at the Metro-North and WCDOT
offices by contacting Mr. Hoegler or Ms.
Chemka at the telephone numbers listed
above in ADDRESSES.
As a result of the Planning Study, one
garage concept and four access
alternatives will be progressed in the
EIS. These alternatives both improve
site access to/from the east side of the
railroad tracks and increase parking
capacity. Specifically, the alternatives to
be evaluated are include:
(a) Parking Garage Concept
Currently, there are approximately
1,250 surface parking spaces at the
North White Plains Station. The
Proposed Action would result in
approximately 2,700 parking spaces, a
net increase of about 116%
(approximately 1,450 spaces). This
would be accomplished through the
construction of an approximate 2,200
space parking structure. The structure
would contain the 1,450 net new spaces
as well as approximately 750 spaces
relocated into the garage from surface
lots, permitting the most efficient use of
the limited available space.
Approximately 500 surface spaces
would remain.
The Planning Study revealed that due
to area constraints and projected
demand for parking spaces, the southern
portion of the Westchester Countyoperated parking is the most feasible
location for a new parking structure. It
is also the largest contiguous area
owned by Metro-North.
(b) Site Access Alternatives
1. New access from the North—
Construction of a new single lane
underpass located south of the existing
Fisher Lane underpass that would be
used for eastbound travel. The existing
Fisher Lane underpass would be
converted to westbound travel;
2. New access from the East—
Construction of a new two-way
underpass from an extended Glenn
Street under the Metro-North tracks;
3. New access from the South—
Construction of a one-way (ingress-only)
surface driveway from Cemetery Road;
4. New access from the South—
Construction of a reversible one-lane
ramp over Metro-North tracks on the
south side of proposed partial two-way
Cemetery Road.
Each of the four access alternatives is
feasible with the parking garage
concept. The access alternatives will be
assessed equally and one will be
progressed along with the garage as the
Proposed Action. No Action Alternative.
This alternative provides for minor
improvements, repairs, and other
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 99 / Tuesday, May 24, 2005 / Notices
maintenance actions to the existing
parking areas and access points in the
future, without the Proposed Action.
V. Potential Effects
Upon completion, the proposed
improvements associated with the
Proposed Action are anticipated to
eliminate existing and future parking
deficiencies through 2015. It will also
generate positive impacts for MetroNorth customers, Westchester County
residents, businesses, workers, and
visitors.
Impacts that may occur as a result of
the Proposed Action will be evaluated
in the EIS. Metro-North and WCDOT
have identified several environmental
areas of concern, including, but not
limited to: Traffic; historic and
archaeological resources; parkland;
wetlands; visual character; and safety
and security. Potential temporary effects
associated with the construction phase
include noise, vibration, impacts on
pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and air
quality. The EIS will describe the
methodology used to assess impacts;
identify the affected environment; and
identify opportunities and measures for
mitigating adverse impacts. Principles
of environmental construction
management, resource protection and
mitigation measures, and the ‘‘MTA
Metro North Railroad Sustainable
Design/Design for the Environment
Generic Recommendations and
Guidelines’’, dated August 19, 2002 and
developed pursuant to New York State
Executive Order No. 111, Green and
Clean State Buildings and Vehicles, will
be incorporated into the Build
Alternatives.
VI. FTA Procedures
During the NEPA process, FTA will
comply with the requirements of
Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act, Section 4(f) of the
Department of Transportation Act (49
U.S.C. 303), the conformity
requirements of the Clean Air Act,
Executive Order 12898 on
Environmental Justice and, to the
maximum extent practicable, all other
applicable federal environmental
statutes, regulations, and executive
orders, in accordance with FTA policy
and regulations.
A Draft EIS will be prepared and
made available for public and agency
review and comment. A public hearing
will be held on the Draft EIS. On the
basis of the Draft EIS and the public and
agency comments thereon, a preferred
alternative will be selected and will be
fully described and further developed in
the Final EIS.
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Jkt 205001
Issued on: May 19, 2005.
Letitia Thompson,
Regional Administrator, Region II.
[FR Doc. 05–10360 Filed 5–23–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–57–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA–04–18682]
Frontal New Car Assessment Program
National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of final decision on the
New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)
pilot programs for child safety.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Transportation Recall
Enhancement, Accountability, and
Documentation (TREAD) Act required
that a safety rating for child restraints be
established to provide practicable,
readily understandable, and timely
information to consumers. In addition,
the TREAD Act directed the Secretary of
Transportation to consider placing child
restraints in the rear seat of vehicles
crash-tested under NCAP. In response to
this mandate, NHTSA established a
consumer information program for addon child restraints based on their ease
of use, and announced that it would
perform two pilot programs to gather
additional information about other
aspects of child passenger safety. One
pilot program would subject child
restraints to a 48 km/h (30 mph) sled
test. This program focused on the
protection provided by the child
restraint. The second pilot program
placed child restraints in the rear seat of
vehicles in frontal NCAP tests. This
program focused on the protection the
vehicle provided to properly restrained
children. Based on the data collected
from both pilot programs, the agency
has decided not to implement a
dynamic child restraint system (CRS)
rating based on sled tests, and to
continue collecting data from NCAP
frontal crash tests to resolve some
outstanding technical issues and to
gather additional data on the Hybrid III
6-year-old and 10-year-old child
dummies. In addition, the agency will
develop a better understanding of the
real world data and its relationship to
NCAP child results. The agency will
make a decision on the merits of a
vehicle child protection rating in
conjunction with any possible revisions
to the frontal testing program, which the
agency is currently evaluating.
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29815
Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search
the electronic form of all submissions
received into any of our dockets by the
name of the individual submitting the
petition (or signing the petition, if
submitted on behalf of an association,
business, labor union, etc.). You may
review DOT’s complete Privacy Act
Statement in the Federal Register
published on April 11, 2000, (Volume
65, Number 70; Pages 19477–78) or you
may visit https://dms.dot.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
technical issues concerning the dynamic
sled pilot program, contact Mr. Sean
Doyle of the New Car Assessment
Program. Telephone: (202) 366–1740.
Facsimile: (202) 493–2739. Electronic
mail: Sean.Doyle@nhtsa.dot.gov. For
technical issues concerning the vehicle
pilot program, contact Mr. Brian Park of
the New Car Assessment Program.
Telephone: (202) 366–1740. Facsimile:
(202) 493–2739. Electronic mail:
Brian.Park@nhtsa.dot.gov. For legal
issues, contact Ms. Deirdre Fujita of the
Office of Chief Counsel. Telephone:
(202) 366–2992. Facsimile: (202) 366–
3820. Electronic mail:
Dee.Fujita@nhtsa.dot.gov. You may
send mail to these officials at: The
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, 400 Seventh St., SW.,
Washington, DC, 20590.
I. Introduction
II. CRS Dynamic Pilot Program
A. Sled Testing
B. Findings
C. NHTSA’s Decision on a CRS Dynamic
Rating Program
III. Vehicle Pilot Program
A. Vehicle Testing
B. Findings
C. NHTSA’s Decision on a Vehicle Rating
System for Child Protection
IV. Conclusions
Appendix A
I. Introduction
On November 1, 2000, Congress
passed the Transportation Recall
Enhancement, Accountability, and
Documentation (TREAD) Act (Pub. L.
106–414, 114 Stat. 1800). Section 14(b)
of this act directed the Secretary of
Transportation to determine ‘‘whether
to include child restraints in each
vehicle crash tested under NCAP.’’
Additionally, section 14(g) directed
NHTSA to ‘‘establish a child restraint
safety rating consumer information
program to provide practicable, readily
understandable, and timely information
to consumers for use in making
informed decisions in the purchase of
child restraints.’’
NHTSA published a notice on
November 6, 2001, which discussed
existing programs throughout the world
that rate the dynamic performance of
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 24, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29813-29815]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-10360]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Environmental Impact Statement for Improved Station Access and
Additional Parking at the MTA Metro-North Railroad North White Plains
Station, Westchester County, NY
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The FTA, in cooperation with the Metropolitan Transportation
Authority (MTA) Metro-North Railroad (Metro-North) and the Westchester
County Department of Transportation (WCDOT), intend to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a proposal to improve station
access and provide additional parking at the Metro-North North White
Plains Station, Westchester County, New York (Proposed Action).
The FTA is the lead Federal agency under the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The Proposed Action is being developed by
Metro-North and WCDOT, the co-sponsors of the Proposed Action. The EIS
will be prepared in accordance with NEPA and the applicable regulations
for implementing NEPA, as set forth in 23 CFR part 771 and 40 CFR parts
1500-1508. The EIS is being prepared to satisfy the requirements of the
New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). Items that
will be considered in the Proposed Action are:
Expansion of parking capacity through the construction of
a multi-level parking structure at Metro-North's North White Plains
Station;
Improved access to/from the proposed expanded parking
facilities from the east side of the railroad tracks;
Enhanced customer service facilities for intermodal
connections and parking demand management strategies such as: Jitney
services, feeder buses supported by park-and-ride lots, carpool and
vanpool arrangements, bicycling and walking;
Restoration of a portion of the Bronx River Parkway
Reservation which is currently used for customer parking back to
parkland; and
Rerouting a portion of the Bronx River Parkway Reservation
bike pathway in the study area.
The EIS will evaluate a build alternative, comprising a multi-level
parking structure and four possible access alternatives, a No Action
Alternative and any additional reasonable alternatives generated by the
scoping process. Scoping will be accomplished through meetings and
correspondence with interested persons, organizations, and Federal,
State, regional, and local agencies.
DATES: The public is invited to participate in a scoping meeting on
June 14th, 2005 commencing at 7 p.m. at the location identified under
ADDRESSES below to ensure that all significant issues are identified
and considered. Presentation boards depicting the Proposed Action will
be available for review at the meeting. Metro-North and WCDOT
representatives will be present at the meeting.
Formal presentations by Metro-North and WCDOT regarding the project
will be made at 7 p.m., followed by the opportunity for the public to
make comments on the scope of the EIS. Registration to speak will begin
at 6:30 p.m. and will remain open until 8:30 p.m.. A stenographer will
be available at the meeting to record oral comments. Those wishing to
speak are requested to register at the meeting location upon arrival,
however, registration to speak will remain open until 8:30 p.m. The
meeting will conclude when all registered speakers have been heard.
Printed versions of the Scoping Information Document are available
at a number of public libraries and municipal offices. A list of these
locations can be obtained by contacting Mr. James Hoegler, PE, AICP, or
Ms. Patricia Chemka, AICP, at the telephone numbers listed below under
ADDRESSES, or by visiting the following Web sites: https://www.mta.info
(click ``MTA-Home'' then ``Planning Studies,'' and ``North White Plains
Station '') and the WCDOT Web site: https://www.westchestergov.com/
transportation. The Scoping Information Document may also be requested
by writing to these individuals, or may be viewed on-line by visiting
the Web sites listed above.
The scoping comment period will remain open through July 11, 2005.
Written comments on the scope of the EIS may be tendered at the scoping
meeting, or may be sent to Mr. James Hoegler, PE, AICP at Metro-North
Railroad, or Ms. Patricia Chemka, AICP at WCDOT at the addresses given
under ADDRESSES below. Requests to be placed on the study mailing list
may also be made by calling or by writing to these individuals.
ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting will be held: Tuesday, June 14,
2005 in rooms C and D at the Westchester County Center, 198 Central
Avenue (at the Bronx River Parkway), White Plains, NY 10606.
The scoping meeting site is accessible to mobility-impaired people
and interpreter services will be provided for persons with hearing
impairments upon request. People with special needs should contact Mr.
James Hoegler at Metro-North (888) 836-8301 at least five (5) days
prior to the meeting.
Written comments will be taken at the meeting or may be sent to the
following addresses thru July 11, 2005: Mr. James Hoegler, PE, AICP,
MTA Metro-North Railroad, 345 Madison Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY
10017, phone (888) 836-8301; or Ms. Patricia Chemka, AICP, Westchester
County Department of Transportation, 100 East 1st Street, 9th Floor,
Mount Vernon, NY 10550, phone (914) 813-7753.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Irwin B. Kessman, Director of
Planning and Program Development, Federal Transit Administration, (212)
668-2170.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Scoping
FTA, Metro-North and WCDOT invite interested individuals,
organizations, and Federal, State, and local agencies to provide
comments on the scope of the Proposed Action. During the scoping
process, comments should focus on specific social, economic, or
environmental issues to be evaluated, and on suggesting alternatives
that may be less costly or have fewer environmental impacts while
achieving similar transportation objectives. To assist interested
parties in formulating their comments, a Scoping Information Document
has been prepared and is available on the MTA Web site and the
Westchester County Web site addresses noted above, or upon request from
the Metro-North and WCDOT representatives identified above. The Scoping
Information Document includes the purpose and need for the Proposed
Action, a description of the preliminary alternatives, environmental
issues that will be addressed during the course of the study, and an
outline of the on-going public participation program.
[[Page 29814]]
II. Description of the Study Area
The North White Plains Station is located along Metro-North's
Harlem Line on Harlem Avenue west of Broadway (NY Route 22) and east of
the Bronx River Parkway, approximately 0.25 miles north of Interstate
287 (I-287), in the northern section of the City of White Plains,
Westchester County, New York. The station is located amidst many one-
way roads near the municipal boundaries of the City of White Plains,
the Towns of North Castle and Greenburgh.
The Harlem Line, which generally runs north-south through the City
of White Plains, is one of three major passenger rail lines which
provide regularly scheduled daily train service between New York City,
Grand Central Terminal, and various locations in Westchester County.
The northern terminus of the Harlem Line is in Wassaic, in the Town of
Amenia, Dutchess County, New York.
The Primary Study Area is defined as the area west of Harlem Avenue
and east of the Bronx River Parkway Reservation (BRPR) between Holland
Avenue to the south and Fisher Lane to the north. This area consists of
Harlem Avenue, the land currently occupied by station parking areas,
the station itself, and immediately adjacent facilities (e.g., drop
off/pick up; intermodal area).
Towards its goal of improving access to public transportation,
Metro-North has identified the North White Plains Station as a
Strategic Passenger Facility due to its central location and the level
of train service currently provided. Metro-North currently provides a
level of train service to the North White Plains Station that is among
the top five on the Harlem Line and among the top ten systemwide. Three
parking areas currently serve Metro-North customers at the North White
Plains Station, with Metro-North and Westchester County owning the
majority of the approximately 1,250 available parking spaces.
Vehicular access to the station from the north and south is
provided primarily by Broadway to the east and the Bronx River Parkway
to the west. The majority of parking spaces that serve the station are
located on the west side of the tracks and can only be accessed via the
Bronx River Parkway at Fisher Lane. A one-way travel restriction on
Fisher Lane in the vicinity of the railroad underpass prevents full
west-to-east travel across the study area.
III. Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action
The need for the Proposed Action is due to the current parking
deficiency, forecasted growth in ridership and projected customer
diversions from other stations. In addition, access to the North White
Plains Station is hampered by its location amidst a series of one-way
roads such as Fisher Lane.
Parking utilization at the North White Plains Station is
approximately 90 percent on any typical weekday. Metro-North experience
suggests that drivers perceive a lot as full when the utilization
exceeds 85 percent. A separate effort by Metro-North to estimate
parking demand systemwide at its rail stations in New York State, which
included a survey of the waiting lists for permits to park at the North
White Plains Station, indicates the total current demand at the North
White Plains Station to be approximately 1,560 spaces. Parking demand
is forecast to be approximately 2,800 in 2015 and approximately 4,600
in 2,025. The construction of a multi-level parking structure would
provide additional parking capacity to Metro-North customers to
accommodate both current and future demand for parking (in 2015).
In addition, access to the North White Plains Station is hampered
by its location amidst a series of one-way roads such as Fisher Lane.
Fisher Lane currently provides the only means of access to the parking
areas located west of the tracks, areas which provide approximately 80%
of all North White Plains Station parking. All Metro-North customers
who use these parking areas must travel through the Bronx River
Parkway--Fisher Lane intersection for access. This intersection
currently experiences heavy traffic during the morning peak hours.
Improved station access would reduce the site's dependence on the Bronx
River Parkway--Fisher Lane intersection.
IV. Alternatives
The EIS will evaluate Build and No-Action alternatives. The Build
alternative will provide improvements that enhance connections to the
existing transportation system and will meet the anticipated increase
in parking demand.
Metro-North and WCDOT conducted a Planning Study for the Proposed
Action in advance of the EIS. The purpose of the study was to identify
area constraints and determine the viability for the Proposed Action.
The study identified a range of alternative improvement options to
address the parking and access deficiencies at North White Plains
Station. Two garage concepts and eleven access alternatives were
developed and analyzed. Printed versions of the Planning Study are
available on the Web sites indicated above in DATES. Copies can also be
viewed at the Metro-North and WCDOT offices by contacting Mr. Hoegler
or Ms. Chemka at the telephone numbers listed above in ADDRESSES.
As a result of the Planning Study, one garage concept and four
access alternatives will be progressed in the EIS. These alternatives
both improve site access to/from the east side of the railroad tracks
and increase parking capacity. Specifically, the alternatives to be
evaluated are include:
(a) Parking Garage Concept
Currently, there are approximately 1,250 surface parking spaces at
the North White Plains Station. The Proposed Action would result in
approximately 2,700 parking spaces, a net increase of about 116%
(approximately 1,450 spaces). This would be accomplished through the
construction of an approximate 2,200 space parking structure. The
structure would contain the 1,450 net new spaces as well as
approximately 750 spaces relocated into the garage from surface lots,
permitting the most efficient use of the limited available space.
Approximately 500 surface spaces would remain.
The Planning Study revealed that due to area constraints and
projected demand for parking spaces, the southern portion of the
Westchester County-operated parking is the most feasible location for a
new parking structure. It is also the largest contiguous area owned by
Metro-North.
(b) Site Access Alternatives
1. New access from the North--Construction of a new single lane
underpass located south of the existing Fisher Lane underpass that
would be used for eastbound travel. The existing Fisher Lane underpass
would be converted to westbound travel;
2. New access from the East--Construction of a new two-way
underpass from an extended Glenn Street under the Metro-North tracks;
3. New access from the South--Construction of a one-way (ingress-
only) surface driveway from Cemetery Road;
4. New access from the South--Construction of a reversible one-lane
ramp over Metro-North tracks on the south side of proposed partial two-
way Cemetery Road.
Each of the four access alternatives is feasible with the parking
garage concept. The access alternatives will be assessed equally and
one will be progressed along with the garage as the Proposed Action. No
Action Alternative. This alternative provides for minor improvements,
repairs, and other
[[Page 29815]]
maintenance actions to the existing parking areas and access points in
the future, without the Proposed Action.
V. Potential Effects
Upon completion, the proposed improvements associated with the
Proposed Action are anticipated to eliminate existing and future
parking deficiencies through 2015. It will also generate positive
impacts for Metro-North customers, Westchester County residents,
businesses, workers, and visitors.
Impacts that may occur as a result of the Proposed Action will be
evaluated in the EIS. Metro-North and WCDOT have identified several
environmental areas of concern, including, but not limited to: Traffic;
historic and archaeological resources; parkland; wetlands; visual
character; and safety and security. Potential temporary effects
associated with the construction phase include noise, vibration,
impacts on pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and air quality. The EIS
will describe the methodology used to assess impacts; identify the
affected environment; and identify opportunities and measures for
mitigating adverse impacts. Principles of environmental construction
management, resource protection and mitigation measures, and the ``MTA
Metro North Railroad Sustainable Design/Design for the Environment
Generic Recommendations and Guidelines'', dated August 19, 2002 and
developed pursuant to New York State Executive Order No. 111, Green and
Clean State Buildings and Vehicles, will be incorporated into the Build
Alternatives.
VI. FTA Procedures
During the NEPA process, FTA will comply with the requirements of
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 4(f) of
the Department of Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 303), the conformity
requirements of the Clean Air Act, Executive Order 12898 on
Environmental Justice and, to the maximum extent practicable, all other
applicable federal environmental statutes, regulations, and executive
orders, in accordance with FTA policy and regulations.
A Draft EIS will be prepared and made available for public and
agency review and comment. A public hearing will be held on the Draft
EIS. On the basis of the Draft EIS and the public and agency comments
thereon, a preferred alternative will be selected and will be fully
described and further developed in the Final EIS.
Issued on: May 19, 2005.
Letitia Thompson,
Regional Administrator, Region II.
[FR Doc. 05-10360 Filed 5-23-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P
