Environmental Impact Statement: Rock and Walworth Counties, Wisconsin, 35300 [07-3141]

Agencies

• Federal Highway Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 123 (Wednesday, June 27, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 35300]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-3141]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Rock and Walworth Counties, 
Wisconsin

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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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 proposed 
improvement of USH 14/STH 11 between Janesville, in Rock County, and IH 
43 near Darien, in Walworth County, Wisconsin.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Mark Chandler, Field Operations 
Engineer, Federal Highway Administration 567 D'Onofrio Drive, Suite 
100, Madison, Wisconsin, 53719-2814; telephone: (608) 829-7514. You may 
also contact Mr. Eugene Johnson, Director, Bureau of Equity and 
Environmental Services, Wisconsin Department of Transportation, P.O. 
Box 7965, Madison, Wisconsin, 53707-7965; telephone: (608) 267-9527.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded from the 
Government Printing Offices' Electronic Bulletin Board Service at (202) 
512-1661, by using a computer, modem, and suitable communications 
software. Internet users may reach the Office of Federal Register's 
home page at: https://www.archives.gov/ and the Government Printing 
Offices' database at: https://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/.

Background

    The FHWA, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of 
Transportation, will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement to 
evaluate improvement alternatives for USH 14/STH 11. The project begins 
at USH 14 on the northwest side of Janesville, in Rock County, and 
extends approximately 25 miles to IH 43 near Darien, in Walworth 
County, Wisconsin. The EIS will be prepared in accordance with 40 CFR 
Part 1500 and FHWA regulations.
    Improvements to the highway are considered necessary to lessen 
congestion, improve safety, and provide efficient regional connections.
    Planning, environmental, and engineering studies are underway to 
develop transportation alternatives. The EIS will assess the need, 
location, and environmental impacts of alternatives within the study 
area. Possible improvement alternatives include a no build alternative, 
which assumes the continued use of the existing facility with the 
improvements necessary to ensure its continued use; an improved 2-lane 
highway with intersection improvements, passing lanes, and wider 
shoulders; the addition of lanes to create a 4-lane highway, and 
evaluation of one or more alternatives that follow new alignments. In 
addition, alternatives for a potential by-pass connecting USH 14 and 
STH 11 on the west side of Janesville will be evaluated. These 
alternatives include 2 and 4-lane connections along various alignments, 
as well as consideration of a freeway type highway.
    Information describing the proposed action and soliciting comments 
will be sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, and to 
private organizations and citizens who have previously expressed, or 
are known to have interest in this proposal. Local officials and the 
public will be given many opportunities to provide comments during the 
course of the study. There will be public information meetings 
throughout the data gathering and development and evaluation of 
alternatives. Two public hearings will be held. Public notice will be 
given of the time and place of the meetings and hearings. The Draft EIS 
will be available for public and agency review prior to the hearings. 
Several newsletters will be sent to keep local residents informed of 
the study's progress. A project Web site has been established to help 
provide information on the project. The Web site address is https://
www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/dl/wis11study/index.htm.
    In addition, two committees have been formed, a Technical Committee 
and an Advisory Committee, that will meet throughout the life of the 
study. These committees are made up of local government officials and 
agency personnel and they will be responsible for helping define the 
project purpose and need, as well as providing input and comments on 
alternatives.
    The anticipated format for the EIS will be Screening Worksheets 
rather than the typical narrative form. The Wisconsin Department of 
Transportation has developed a series of Environmental Screening 
Worksheets, which are divided into Basic Sheets and Factor Sheets. The 
Screening Worksheets provide a flexible means of addressing the 
requirements for an Environmental Document.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
action is addressed, and all substantive issues are identified, 
comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. 
Comments or questions concerning this proposed action and the EIS 
should be directed to FHWA or the Wisconsin Department of 
Transportation at the addresses provided in the caption FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, 
age, sex, or country of national origin in the implementation of this 
action. It is also Federal and State policy that no group of people 
bears the negative consequences of this action in a disproportionately 
high and adverse manner without adequate mitigation.

    Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315; 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on: May 24, 2007.
Mark R. Chandler,
Field Operations Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, Madison, 
Wisconsin.
[FR Doc. 07-3141 Filed 6-26-07; 8:45 am]
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