Preparation of an Alternatives Analysis/Environmental Impact Statement for High-Capacity Transit Improvements in the Central Mesa Corridor, 43324-43326 [07-3815]

Agencies

• Federal Transit Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 149 (Friday, August 3, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43324-43326]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-3815]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Preparation of an Alternatives Analysis/Environmental Impact 
Statement for High-Capacity Transit Improvements in the Central Mesa 
Corridor

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of 
Transportation.

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

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Valley Metro 
Rail, Inc. (METRO) intend to prepare an Alternatives Analysis (AA) and 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on proposed high capacity transit 
improvements, including a potential light rail transit (LRT) and/or bus 
rapid transit (BRT) in the Central Mesa Corridor between the LRT 
Starter Line eastern terminus and Power Road (a distance of 
approximately 13 miles) in the City of Mesa in Maricopa County, 
Arizona. The proposed study area is bounded on the west by the LRT 
Starter Line eastern terminus at Main Street/Sycamore; University 
Boulevard to the north; Power Road to the east; and the Superstition 
Freeway (US 60) on the south. The AA/EIS will be prepared in accordance 
with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
and its implementing regulations. The AA/EIS process will be initiated 
with a scoping process that provides opportunities for the public to 
comment on the scope of the project and proposed alternatives to be 
considered in the AA and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). 
This input will be used to assist decisionmakers in determining a 
locally preferred alternative (LPA) for the Central Mesa Corridor. Upon 
selection of an LPA, METRO will request permission from FTA to enter 
into preliminary engineering per requirements of New Starts regulations 
49 CFR part 611. The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) will 
be issued after FTA approves entrance into preliminary engineering.
    The purpose of this notice is to alert interested parties regarding 
the intent to prepare the AA/EIS, to provide information on the nature 
of the proposed project and possible alternatives, to invite public 
participation in the AA/EIS process, including comments on the scope of 
the alternatives proposed in this notice, to announce that public 
scoping meetings will be conducted, and to identify participating 
agency contacts.

DATES: Written and e-mailed comments on the scope of study, including 
the alternatives to be considered, and the impacts to be assessed, 
should be sent to Valley Metro Rail, Inc. (METRO) on or before 
September 13, 2007. See ADDRESSES below for the street address and e-
mail address to which written comments may be sent. Public scoping 
meetings to accept comments on the scope of the study will be held on 
the following dates:
     Thursday, August 23, 2007, at 6 p.m., Mesa City Plaza, 
Training Room 170, 20 E. Main Street, Mesa, Arizona 85201.
     Thursday, August 30, 2007, at 6 p.m., Jefferson Elementary 
School, Recreation Center, 120 S. Jefferson Avenue, Mesa, AZ 85208.
    An interagency scoping meeting will be held on the following date:
     Tuesday, August 21, 2007, at 10 a.m., Valley Metro Rail, 
Inc. (METRO), 101 North 1st Avenue, Suite 1300, Phoenix, AZ 85003.
    The project's purpose and need and the initial set of alternatives 
proposed for study will be presented at these meetings. The buildings 
used for the scoping meetings are accessible to persons with 
disabilities. Any individual who requires special assistance, such as a 
sign language interpreter, to participate in a scoping meeting should 
contact Jodi Sorrell, City of Mesa, 600 SE. Sixth Street, Mesa, AZ 
85211 (Telephone 480-644-5541) at least 48 hours in advance of a 
meeting in order for METRO and the City of Mesa to make the necessary 
arrangements.
    Scoping materials wil be available at the meetings and through the 
project's Web site at https://www.metrolightrail.org/centralmesa. Hard 
copies of the scoping materials are also available from Mr. Marc 
Soronson whose contact information is given in ADDRESSES below.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to the attention of Mr. Marc 
Soronson, Valley Metro Rail, Inc., 101 North 1st Avenue, Suite 1300, 
Phoenix, AZ 85003. E-mail centralmesa@metrolightrail.org. Phone: (602) 
744-5545, Fax: (602) 252-7453. The locations of the public scoping 
meetings are given above under DATES.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Hymie Luden, Office of Planning 
and Program Development, Federal Transit Administration, 201 Mission 
Street, Room 1650, San Francisco, CA 94105. Phone: (415) 744-2732.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Scoping

    The FTA and Valley Metro Rail, Inc. (METRO) invite all interested 
individuals and organizations, public agencies, and Native American 
Tribes to comment on the scope of the alternatives analysis and the 
EIS, including the project's preliminary statement of purpose and need, 
the alternatives to be studied and the impacts to be evaluated. 
Comments should focus on the purpose and need for the proposed project; 
alternatives that may be less costly or have less environmental or 
community impacts while achieving similar transportation objectives; 
and the identification of any significant social, economic, or 
environmental issues relating to the alternatives.

Purpose and Need for the Project

    The draft statement of the project purpose is currently under 
review by METRO and the City of Mesa, and will be refined further. In 
its current state, the purpose is defined as follows:
    1. Identify a transit alternative that increases efficient access 
to employment

[[Page 43325]]

opportunities throughout the Central Phoenix/East Valley region for 
City of Mesa residents.
    2. Identify a transit alternative that provides improved travel 
times in a congested environment over local bus.
    3. Identify a transit improvement alternative, with a recommended 
alignment and technology, to connect the western and central segments 
of the City of Mesa with the Central Phoenix/East Valley Light Rail 
System currently under construction.
    4. Identify a widely-supported transit improvement alternative that 
would facilitate continued development of a comprehensive and inter-
connected regional transit network that is multi-modal, that offers a 
range of effective mobility choices for current and future transit 
riders, and that attracts new transit riders onto the growing regional 
system.
    5. Identify a transit alternative that supports economic 
development, and ensures enhanced connectivity among existing and 
planned regional and local activity centers and attractions.
    Additional considerations supporting the project's need include:
    The City of Mesa, which spans approximately 132 square miles, is 
the third largest city in Arizona. Today's estimated population of 
455,100 is expected to increase by approximately 25% by 2020. In 
general, travel on highways and arterials is expected to increase by 
approximately 30% between 2004 and 2030 within Maricopa County; peak 
period travel to work is expected to grow by about 40%; similar trends 
are anticipated for the City of Mesa.
    Growth in the City of Mesa has caused substantial increases in 
traffic congestion on the existing roadway network, and has generated 
the need for new public transportation service. Even with 
implementation of the projects included in the Maricopa Association of 
Governments (MAG) Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), service levels in 
2030 on both the area freeways and arterials is expected to deteriorate 
substantially due to increased travel demand, resulting in a 
significant increase in delay. Based on MAG model results, daily 
freeway congestion appears to be highest on the freeways in the general 
project vicinity in 2004 and 2030, in comparison to other areas, such 
as the downtown Phoenix area, Sky Harbor Airport vicinity, and downtown 
Tempe area. In 2030, daily congestion is expected on 93% of lane miles 
on arterials in the Mesa project corridor, a growth of 66% over current 
levels.
    The AA/EIS will analyze the potential for the proposed high 
capacity transit improvement to address increased demand for travel by 
connecting the project corridor with the LRT Starter Line eastern 
terminus at Main Street/Sycamore.
    Several major attractions are located in the City. In addition, 
other attractions of regional magnitude are in varying stages of 
development throughout the City. These will provide significant 
employment, commercial, entertainment and retail resources, and are 
expected to generate even greater demand for travel and access, both 
within the City limits and between the City and regionally significant 
areas west and northwest of the City, such as the City of Tempe, the 
Phoenix Central Business District (CBD)/Washington Corridor, and the 
Spectrum Mall vicinity.

Alternatives

    Central Phoenix/East Valley Light Rail LPA: The 2002 Final EIS for 
the Central Phoenix/East Valley Light Rail Transit Project (the LRT 
Starter Line that is currently under construction and scheduled to open 
in December 2008) identified four LRT alignment options that were 
outside the Build Alternative project studied in that Final EIS. These 
options extended from the eastern terminus of the LRT Starter Line and 
continued into the Mesa Town Center. All options used either Main 
Street 1st Avenue, 1st Street, or some combination thereof. Recent 
growth in the vicinity of Mesa Drive has narrowed opportunities for 
adequate park-and-ride facilities in that area; therefore, it is 
suggested that park-and-ride facilities be located further east near 
Horne where a park-and-ride facility could be provided.
    BRT Alternative: The City of Mesa recently conducted a study to 
evaluate new and improved bus rapid transit (BRT) in the study area. 
The study recommended a phased BRT project that would initially connect 
the eastern terminus of the LRT Starter Line to Superstition Springs 
Mall via Main Street and Power Road, a total of 13 miles. Phase 1 of 
the BRT project is scheduled to coincide with the opening of the LRT 
Starter Line in 2008. Future operating and service characteristics for 
the BRT project are subject to change pending the results of the AA/EIS 
and public and agency input. In addition, the 2002 Final EIS showed the 
LRT extension options to Mesa Town Center terminating just west of Mesa 
Drive.
    Other AA Alternatives: At a minimum, the alternatives to be 
considered include the following:
     No-Build--implements a modified existing and committed 
road and transit improvements as defined by the Regional Transportation 
Plan and coordinated with the City of Mesa. The No-Build includes the 
Mesa BRT project on Main Street scheduled for operation in December 
2008.
     Transportation System Management (TSM)--includes 
reasonable cost-effective transit service improvements short of a major 
capital investment in fixed guideway. The TSM implements all of the 
projects in the No-Build Alternative.
     Bus Rapid Transit--includes projects defined in the No-
Build Alternative and programmed bus service expansion. BRT options 
under consideration extend at-grade from the LRT Starter Line to 
Superstition Springs Mall and include:
     BRT via Main Street and Power Road.
     BRT via Main Street, Mesa Drive, and Southern Avenue.
     BRT via Main Street, Gilbert Road, and Southern Avenue).
     BRT in the Mesa Town Center include:
    [cir] Main Street through downtown Mesa.
    [cir] Main Street to 1st Street Loop in downtown Mesa.
    [cir] Main Street to 1st Street double fixed guideway in downtown 
Mesa.
     Light Rail Transit--includes projects included in the No-
Build Alternative plus consideration of a LRT extension from the CP/EV 
end of line station at Sycamore to the Mesa Town Center at Horne 
Avenue. LRT suboptions in the Mesa Town center include:
    [cir] Main Street through downtown Mesa.
    [cir] Main Street to 1st Street diversion in downtown Mesa.
    [cir] Main Street to 1st Avenue diversion in downtown Mesa.
    [cir] Main Street to 1st Street/1st Avenue couplet in downtown 
Mesa.
    [cir] A supporting bus component would include BRT service 
connecting the LRT terminus at approximately Horne and would extend to 
Superstition Springs Mall.
    These alternatives will be developed further during preparation of 
the AA/EIS. Additional reasonable Build Alternatives suggested during 
the scoping process that meet the purpose and need for the project may 
also be considered.

The EIS Process and the Role of Participating Agencies and the Public

    The purpose of the NEPA process is to explore, in a public setting, 
the effects of the proposed project and its alternatives on the 
physical, human, and natural environment. The FTA and METRO will 
evaluate all significant

[[Page 43326]]

environmental, social and economic impacts of the construction and 
operation of the proposed project. Impact areas to be addressed 
include: Land use; development potential; secondary development; land 
acquisition and displacements and relocations; cultural resources 
(including impacts on historical and archaeological resources); 
parklands and recreation areas; visual and aesthetic qualities; air 
quality; noise and vibration; ecosystems (including threatened and 
endangered species); energy use; business and neighborhood disruptions; 
environmental justice; changes in traffic and pedestrian circulation 
and congestion; and changes in transit service and patronage. Measures 
to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any significant adverse impacts will be 
identified and evaluated.
    The methodology for evaluation of impacts will focus on the areas 
of investigation mentioned above. As the public involvement and agency 
consultation process proceeds, additional evaluation criteria and 
impact assessment measures will be included in the analysis. Potential 
alternatives will be developed to a conceptual level, and will be 
screened and ranked against these evaluation criteria and local 
community considerations. Travel time savings, potential for congestion 
reduction and improved mobility options for City of Mesa residents will 
be assessed for the transportation alternatives considered. The public 
involvement program and agency coordination plan discussed below will 
provide the vehicle through which these evaluation analyses will be 
conducted.
    The regulations implementing NEPA, as well as provisions of the 
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A 
Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), call for public involvement in the EIS 
process. Section 6002 of SAFETEA-LU requires that FTA and METRO do the 
following: (1) Extend an invitation to other Federal and non-Federal 
agencies and Indian tribes that may have an interest in the proposed 
project to become ``participating agencies''; (2) provide an 
opportunity for involvement by participating agencies and the public in 
helping to define the purpose and need for a proposed project, as well 
as the range of alternatives for consideration in the EIS; and (3) 
establish a plan for coordinating public and agency participation in 
and comment on the environmental review process.
    An invitation to become a participating agency, with the scoping 
information packet appended, will be extended to other Federal and non-
Federal agencies and Indian tribes that may have an interest in the 
proposed project. It is possible that we may not be able to identify 
all Federal and non-Federal agencies and Indian tribes that may have 
such an interest. Any Federal or non-Federal agency or Indian tribe 
interested in the proposed project that does not receive an invitation 
to become a participating agency should notify, at the earliest 
opportunity, the person identified above under ADDRESSES.
    A comprehensive Public Involvement Program will be developed, and a 
public and agency involvement Coordination Plan will be created. The 
Public Involvement Program will include a full range of involvement 
activities. Activities will include outreach to local and county 
officials and community and civic groups; a public scoping process to 
define the issues of concern among all parties interested in the 
project; organizing periodic meetings with various local agencies, 
organizations and committees; a public hearing on release of the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS); and development and distribution 
of project newsletters. There will be additional opportunities to 
participate in the scoping process in addition to the public meetings 
announced in this notice. Specific mechanisms for involvement will be 
detailed in the Public Involvement Program.
    Valley Metro Rail, Inc. (METRO) may seek New Starts funding for the 
proposed project under 49 U.S.C. 5309 and will therefore be subject to 
New Starts regulations (49 CFR part 611). The New Starts regulation 
requires a planning Alternatives Analysis that leads to the selection 
of a locally preferred alternative and the inclusion of the locally 
preferred alternative as part of the long-range transportation plan 
adopted by the Maricopa Association of Governments. The New Starts 
regulation also requires the submission of certain project-
justification information in support of a request to initiate 
preliminary engineering, and this information is normally developed in 
conjunction with the NEPA process. Pertinent New Starts evaluation 
criteria will be included in the Final EIS.
    The AA/EIS will be prepared in accordance with the NEPA and its 
implementing regulations issued by the Council on Environmental Quality 
(40 CFR parts 1500-1508) and with the FTA/Federal Highway 
Administration regulations ``Environmental Impact and Related 
Procedures'' (23 CFR part 771). In accordance with 23 CFR 771.105(a) 
and 771.133, FTA will comply with all Federal environmental laws, 
regulations, and executive orders applicable to the proposed project 
during the environmental review process to the maximum extent 
practicable. These requirements include, but are not limited to, the 
environmental and public hearing provisions of Federal transit laws (49 
U.S.C. 5301(e), 5323(b), and 5324), the project-level air quality 
conformity regulation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
(40 CFR part 93), the Section 404(b)(1) guidelines of EPA (40 CFR part 
230), the regulation implementing section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act (36 CFR part 800), the regulation implementing section 
7 of the Endangered Species Act (50 CFR part 402), section 4(f) of the 
Department of Transportation Act (23 CFR 771.135), and Executive Orders 
12898 on environmental justice, 11988 on floodplain management and 
11990 on wetlands.

    Issued on: July 25, 2007.
Leslie T. Rogers,
Regional Administrator, FTA Region IX.
[FR Doc. 07-3815 Filed 8-2-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-M