Early Scoping Notice for an Alternatives Analysis of Proposed Transit Improvements in the Westside Extension Transit Corridor of Los Angeles, CA, 55854-55856 [E7-19363]
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55854
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 189 / Monday, October 1, 2007 / Notices
and Environment, (202) 366–2573, or email: Stephanie.McVey@dot.gov
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested
parties are invited to send comments
regarding any aspect of this information
collection, including: (1) The necessity
and utility of the information collection
for the proper performance of the
functions of the FTA; (2) the accuracy
of the estimated burden; (3) ways to
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity
of the collected information; and (4)
ways to minimize the collection burden
without reducing the quality of the
collected information. Comments
submitted in response to this notice will
be summarized and/or included in the
request for OMB approval of this
information collection.
Title: 49 CFR Part 611 Major Capital
Investment Projects (OMB Number:
2132–0561).
Background: On August 10, 2005, the
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient,
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for
Users (SAFETEA–LU) was enacted.
Sections 3011(d)(5) and 3011(e)(6) of
SAFETEA–LU require FTA to issue
regulations on the manner in which
candidate projects for capital
investment grants and loans for new
fixed guideway systems and extensions
to existing systems (‘‘New Starts,’’
‘‘Small Starts,’’ respectively) will be
evaluated and rated for purposes of the
FTA Capital Investment Grants and
Loans program for New and Small Starts
under 49 U.S.C. Section 5309. The
Advanced Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (ANPRM) for this
regulation was issued on January 30,
2006, (71 FR 22841). The Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) was
issued on August 3, 2007, (72 FR
43328).
FTA has a longstanding requirement
to evaluate proposed projects against a
prescribed set of statutory criteria. The
Surface Transportation and Uniform
Relocation Assistance Act of 1987
(STURAA) established in law a set of
criteria that proposed projects had to
meet in order to be eligible for federal
funding. The requirement for summary
project ratings has been in place since
1998. Thus, the requirements for project
evaluation and data collection for New
Starts projects are not new, nor have
they changed extensively since their
inception. One addition included in
SAFETEA–LU is the Small Starts
program. The Small Starts program
enables projects with a lesser total
capital cost and smaller requested share
of New Starts funds to progress through
a simplified and streamlined project
evaluation and data collection process.
In general, though, the information used
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by FTA for New and Small Starts project
evaluation and rating purposes should
arise as a part of the normal planning
process.
FTA has been collecting project
evaluation information from project
sponsors under the existing OMB
approval for this program (OMB No.
2132–0561). However, due to
modifications in project evaluation
criteria for the New Starts program and
the addition of the Small Starts
program, it became apparent that some
information required under this
proposed rule might be beyond the
scope of ordinary planning activities.
The proposed rule creates additional
requirements for before-and-after data
collection for purposes of Government
Performance and Results Act reporting
as a condition of obtaining a Full
Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) or a
Project Construction Grant Agreement
(PCGA).
Respondents: State and local
government.
Estimated Annual Burden on
Respondents: Approximately 212 hours
for each of the 178 respondents.
Estimated Total Annual Burden:
38,760 hours.
Frequency: Annual.
Issued: September 25, 2007.
Ann M. Linnertz,
Associate Administrator for Administration.
[FR Doc. E7–19315 Filed 9–28–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–57–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Early Scoping Notice for an
Alternatives Analysis of Proposed
Transit Improvements in the Westside
Extension Transit Corridor of Los
Angeles, CA
AGENCY:
Federal Transit Administration,
DOT.
ACTION:
Early Scoping Notice.
SUMMARY: The Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) and the Los
Angeles County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority (LACMTA)
issue this early scoping notice to advise
other agencies and the public that they
intend to explore, in the context of the
Council on Environmental Quality’s
early scoping process, alternative means
of improving transit capacity and
service in the Westside Extension
Transit Corridor of Los Angeles,
California. The early scoping process is
part of a planning Alternatives Analysis
(AA) required by 49 United States Code
(U.S.C.) 5309, that will lead to the
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selection of a Locally Preferred
Alternative by the LACMTA Board and
Southern California Association of
Governments (SCAG). Early scoping
meetings have been planned and are
announced below.
The Westside Extension Transit
Corridor is east-west oriented and
includes portions of five jurisdictions:
the cities of Los Angeles, West
Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa
Monica, as well as portions of
unincorporated County of Los Angeles.
The study area generally extends north
to the base of the Santa Monica
Mountains along Hollywood, Sunset
and San Vicente Boulevards, east to the
Metro Rail stations at Hollywood/
Highland and Wilshire/Western, south
to Pico Boulevard, and west to the
Pacific Ocean. The Alternatives
Analysis will study transit extensions
from the terminus of the Metro Rail
Purple Line at the Wilshire/Western
station or the Metro Rail Red Line at the
Hollywood/Highland station to
downtown Santa Monica.
After planning the Alternatives
Analysis and selection of a Locally
Preferred Alternative (LPA), the LPA
will then be the subject of the
appropriate environmental review
under the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA). If the selected LPA
would have significant impacts, an
environmental impact statement (EIS),
combined with a California
environmental impact report (EIR)
would be initiated with a Notice of
Intent in the Federal Register and final
public scoping of the EIS/EIR. In
particular, the purpose and need for the
project, the range of alternatives to be
considered in the EIS/EIR, the
environmental and community impacts
to be evaluated, and the methodologies
to be used, would be subject to public
and interagency review and comment,
in accordance with 23 U.S.C. 139.
DATES: Written comments on the scope
of the planning Alternatives Analysis,
including the alternatives to be
considered and the impacts to be
assessed, should be sent to LACMTA at
the address below by November 1, 2007.
See ADDRESSES below for the address to
which written public comments may be
sent. Early scoping meetings to accept
public comments on the scope of the
Alternatives Analysis will be held on
the following dates:
• Thursday, October 11, 2007, from 6
p.m. to 8 p.m. Pan Pacific Recreation
Center, 7600 Beverly Boulevard, Los
Angeles, CA 90036.
• Thursday, October 16, 2007, from 6
p.m. to 8 p.m. Wilshire United
Methodist Church, 4350 Wilshire Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90010.
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• Wednesday, October 17, 2007, from
6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Beverly Hills Public
Library Auditorium, 444 North Rexford
Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210.
• Thursday, October 18, 2007, from 6
p.m. to 8 p.m. Santa Monica Public
Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa
Monica, CA 90401.
The draft purpose and need for the
project and the initial set of alternatives
proposed for study will be presented at
these meetings. The buildings and
facilities 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 Ms.
Jody Litvak, LACMTA at 213–922–1240
or Litvakj@metro.net.
Scoping materials will be available at
the meetings and are also available on
the LACMTA Web site at https://
www.metro.net/westside. Hard copies of
the scoping materials are available from
Ms. Jody Litvak, LACMTA at 213–922–
1240 or Litvakj@metro.net.
An interagency scoping meeting will
be held on Wednesday, October 10,
2007, from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the
Sheriff’s Station Briefing Room, 720 N.
San Vicente Blvd, West Hollywood, CA
90069. Representative of Native
American tribal governments and of all
Federal, State, and local agencies that
may have an interest in any aspect of
the project will be invited by phone
letter, or e-mail.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should
be sent to Mr. David Mieger, AICP,
Project Manager and Deputy Executive
Officer, Los Angeles County
Metropolitan Transportation Authority,
One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA
90012, phone 213–922–3040, e-mail
miegerd@metro.net. The locations of the
early scoping meetings are given above
under DATES.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Ray Tellis, Team Leader, Los Angeles
Metropolitan Office, Federal Transit
Administration, 888 South Figueroa
Street, Suite 1850, Los Angeles, CA
90017, phone 213–202–3950, e-mail
ray.tellis@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Early Scoping
The FTA and LACMTA invite all
interested individuals and
organizations, public agencies, and
Native American tribes to comment on
the scope of analyses, including the
purpose and need for transit
improvements in the corridor, the
alternatives to be studied, and the
impacts to be evaluated in the planning
Alternatives Analysis. Comments at this
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time should focus on the purpose and
need for transit improvements in the
corridor; alternatives that may be less
costly or have less environmental
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 Action: The
project purpose is to improve public
transit service and mobility in the
Westside Extension Corridor. The
project would provide the cities of Los
Angeles, West Hollywood, Beverly
Hills, and Santa Monica with improved
fixed-guideway east-west transit service
between the existing terminus of the
Metro Red Line and Metro Purple Lines
near Western Avenue in the City Los
Angeles and Ocean Avenue in the City
of Santa Monica. Possible western
extensions from the Metro Purple Line
would generally follow Wilshire
Boulevard (from the Metro Purple Line
Wilshire/Western Station). Possible
extensions from the Metro Red Line
would generally follow Santa Monica
Boulevard (from the Metro Red Line
Hollywood/Highland Station). The
overall goal of the proposed project is to
improve mobility in the Westside
Extension Corridor by extending the
benefits of the existing Metro Red/Metro
Purple Line rail and bus investments
beyond the current terminus. Mobility
problems and potential improvements
for this corridor have been well
documented in many studies, including
numerous Metro Red Line planning
studies, Southern California Association
of Governments (SCAG) planning
studies, the Mid-City/Westside Transit
Corridor Re-Evaluation/Major
Investment Study (2000), the Metro
Rapid Demonstration Project (2000), the
Mid-City/Westside Transit Corridor
Draft EIS/EIR (2001), the American
Public Transportation Association
Review of Wilshire Corridor Tunneling
(2005), and in the Southern California
Association of Governments Regional
Transportation Plan (2004). These
studies can be reviewed at the Dorothy
Peyton Gray Transportation Library
located on the 15th Floor or Metro
Headquarters, One Gateway Plaza, Los
Angeles, CA 90012. Additional
considerations supporting the project’s
need include:
• The concentration of activity
centers and destinations in the Westside
Extension Corridor;
• Increasing traffic congestion on the
highway network throughout the
Westside Extension Corridor, which has
led to public and political support for a
high-capacity transit alternative to the
automobile;
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• The ‘‘Centers Concept’’ Land Use
Policy of the City of Los Angeles which
is transit-based;
• The existing concentration of transit
supportive land uses in the Westside
Extension Corridor.
• The high population and
employment densities in the Westside
Extension Corridor.
• Local redevelopment plans that are
highly supportive of, and dependent on,
high capacity transit services in the
Westside Extension Corridor.
• The existing high ridership levels
on bus lines in the Westside Extension
Corridor.
• Significant transit dependent
population in the Westside Extension
Corridor.
• Forecasts of significant future
population and employment growth in
the Westside Extension Corridor.
• Existing and future travel demand
patterns that demonstrate a strong and
growing demand for high-capacity
transit in the Westside Extension
Corridor.
• Emerging travel patterns associated
with a job-rich study area that has led
to significant westbound congestion
during the morning rush hours and
corresponding eastbound congestion
during the evening rush hours.
• Local policy directed toward travel
demand management and transit
solutions rather than the expansion of
the street and highway network.
Alternatives
The Westside Extension Transit
Corridor Study proposes to extend
transit from the terminus of the Metro
Purple Line at the Wilshire/Western
station or the Metro Red Line at the
Hollywood/Highland station to
downtown Santa Monica. Two primary
alignments have been considered
historically:
• Wilshire Boulevard Alignment from
Wilshire/Western station via Wilshire
Boulevard to Santa Monica Boulevard
and west on Santa Monica Boulevard to
Century City, then transitioning back to
Wilshire Boulevard and proceeding
along Wilshire Boulevard near
Westwood Boulevard along Wilshire
Boulevard to downtown Santa Monica
(approximately 13 miles).
• Santa Monica Boulevard Alignment
starting from the Hollywood/Highland
Metro Red Line proceeding west on
Hollywood Boulevard and transitioning
to Santa Monica Boulevard to Century
City, then transitioning to Wilshire
Boulevard near Westwood Boulevard
and proceeding along Wilshire
Boulevard to downtown Santa Monica
(approximately 12.5 miles).
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 189 / Monday, October 1, 2007 / Notices
Heavy Rail Transit, the transit mode
that is currently used in the Metro Red
Line and Metro Purple Line subway
system, is being considered. It normally
follows an underground configuration
although ground-surface and aerial
configurations may also be considered
in some locations. Other transit modes,
including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and
other forms of rail transit, may also be
considered. Possible station sites along
the Wilshire Boulevard Alignment are
Wilshire/Crenshaw, Wilshire/La Brea,
Wilshire/Fairfax, Wilshire/La Cienega,
Wilshire/Beverly Dr., Century City,
Santa Monica/Westwood, Wilshire/
Westwood Village/I–405, Wilshire/
Bundy, Wilshire/26th St., Wilshire/16th
St., and Wilshire/4th St. (12 stations).
Possible station sites along the Santa
Monica Boulevard Alignment are
Sunset/Fairfax or Santa Monica/Fairfax,
Santa Monica/La Cienega or Santa
Monica/San Vicente, Santa Monica/
Beverly, Santa Monica/Rodeo, Century
City, Santa Monica/Westwood,
Wilshire/Westwood Village/I–405,
Wilshire/Bundy, Wilshire/26th St.,
Wilshire/16th St., and Wilshire/4th St.
(11 stations).
Future No-Build Alternative—The
study will consider the transportation
and environmental effects if no new
major transit investments beyond those
that have already been planned are
implemented in this corridor. This
alternative will include the highway
and transit projects in the current Metro
Long Range Transportation Plan and the
2030 Southern California Association of
Governments Regional Transportation
Plan. For purposes of the Alternatives
Analysis, the major fixed guideway
investments under study for the
Exposition Transit Corridor Phase 2 and
Crenshaw Transit Corridor projects
would not be included in the Future NoBuild Alternative. The completion of
the Metro Rapid Bus Program would be
included as well as possible additional
feeder bus networks to serve the region’s
major activity centers.
Transportation System Management
Alternative (TSM)—The study will
consider the effects of modest
improvements in the highway and
transit systems beyond those in the
Future No-Build Alternative. The TSM
Alternative would evaluate low-cost
enhancements to the Future No-Build
Alternative and would emphasize
transportation system upgrades, such as
intersection improvements, minor road
widening, traffic engineering actions,
bus route restructuring, shortened bus
headways, expanded use of articulated
buses, reserved bus lanes, expanded
park-and-ride facilities, express and
limited-stop service, signalization
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18:31 Sep 28, 2007
Jkt 214001
improvements, and timed-transfer
operations.
In addition to the alternatives
described above, other alternatives
identified through the early scoping
process will be considered for potential
inclusion in the Alternatives Analysis.
Alternative modes, vertical or horizontal
alignments, or station locations may
emerge from the early scoping process.
FTA Procedures
Early scoping is an optional element
of the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) process that is particularly
useful in situations where, as here, a
proposed action (the locally preferred
alternative) has not been identified and
alternative modes and major alignment
variations are under consideration in a
broadly-defined corridor. While NEPA
scoping normally follows issuance of a
notice of intent, which describes the
proposed action, it ‘‘may be initiated
earlier, as long as there is appropriate
public notice and enough information
available on the proposal so that the
public and relevant agencies can
participate effectively.’’ See the Council
on Environmental Quality’s ‘‘Forty Most
Asked Questions Concerning CEQ’s
National Environmental Policy Act
Regulations,’’ 46 FR 18026, 18030
(1981). In this case, the available
information is more than adequate to
permit the public and relevant agencies
to participate effectively in early
scoping and the planning Alternatives
Analysis.
LACMTA may seek New Starts
funding for the proposed project under
49 U.S.C. 5309 and will, therefore, be
subject to New Starts regulation (49
Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Part
611). The New Starts regulation requires
a planning Alternatives Analysis that
leads to the selection of a Locally
Preferred Alternative by LACMTA and
the inclusion of the locally preferred
alternative in the long-range
transportation plan adopted by the
Southern California Association of
Governments. The planning
Alternatives Analysis will examine
alignments, technologies, station
locations, costs, funding, ridership,
economic development, land use,
engineering feasibility, and
environmental factors in the corridor.
The New Starts regulation also requires
the submission of certain projectjustification information in support of a
request to initiate preliminary
engineering, and this information is
normally developed during the
Alternatives Analysis. At the conclusion
of the Alternatives Analysis, a locally
preferred alternative—the ‘‘proposed
action’’—will be determined, as well as
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the appropriate NEPA process—an
environmental assessment or
environmental impact statement—to be
undertaken for the proposed action. If
preparation of an environmental impact
statement is warranted, a notice of
intent will be published in the Federal
Register and the scoping of the EIS/EIR
will be completed by soliciting and
considering comments on the purpose
and need for the proposed action, the
range of alternatives to be considered in
the EIS/EIR, and the potentially
significant environmental and
community impacts to be evaluated in
the EIS/EIR. In conjunction with this
final scoping of the EIS/EIR and
consistent with provisions of 23 U.S.C.
139, invitations will be extended to
other Federal and non-Federal agencies
that may have an interest in this matter
to be participating agencies. A plan for
coordinating public and agency
participation in the environmental
review process and for commenting on
the issues under consideration at
various milestones of the process will be
prepared and posted on the on the
LACMTA Web site at https://
www.metro.net/westside.
Issued on September 26, 2007.
Leslie T. Rogers,
Regional Administrator, Region IX, Federal
Transit Administration.
[FR Doc. E7–19363 Filed 9–28–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–57–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration
[Docket: PHMSA–1998–4957]
Request for Public Comments and
Office of Management and Budget
Approval of an Existing Information
Collection (2137–0618); Correction
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration
(PHMSA), U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice; correction.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: PHMSA published a notice in
the Federal Register on September 11,
2007, requesting comments on an
information collection for underwater
periodic inspections. The notice
contains an incorrect annual cost
estimate.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Roger Little at (202) 366–4569, or by
e-mail at roger.little@dot.gov.
In the Federal Register of September
11, 2007, 72 FR 51901, on page 51902,
in the first column, correct ‘‘Estimated
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 189 (Monday, October 1, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55854-55856]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-19363]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Early Scoping Notice for an Alternatives Analysis of Proposed
Transit Improvements in the Westside Extension Transit Corridor of Los
Angeles, CA
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Early Scoping Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Los Angeles
County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) issue this early
scoping notice to advise other agencies and the public that they intend
to explore, in the context of the Council on Environmental Quality's
early scoping process, alternative means of improving transit capacity
and service in the Westside Extension Transit Corridor of Los Angeles,
California. The early scoping process is part of a planning
Alternatives Analysis (AA) required by 49 United States Code (U.S.C.)
5309, that will lead to the selection of a Locally Preferred
Alternative by the LACMTA Board and Southern California Association of
Governments (SCAG). Early scoping meetings have been planned and are
announced below.
The Westside Extension Transit Corridor is east-west oriented and
includes portions of five jurisdictions: the cities of Los Angeles,
West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, as well as portions of
unincorporated County of Los Angeles. The study area generally extends
north to the base of the Santa Monica Mountains along Hollywood, Sunset
and San Vicente Boulevards, east to the Metro Rail stations at
Hollywood/Highland and Wilshire/Western, south to Pico Boulevard, and
west to the Pacific Ocean. The Alternatives Analysis will study transit
extensions from the terminus of the Metro Rail Purple Line at the
Wilshire/Western station or the Metro Rail Red Line at the Hollywood/
Highland station to downtown Santa Monica.
After planning the Alternatives Analysis and selection of a Locally
Preferred Alternative (LPA), the LPA will then be the subject of the
appropriate environmental review under the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA). If the selected LPA would have significant impacts,
an environmental impact statement (EIS), combined with a California
environmental impact report (EIR) would be initiated with a Notice of
Intent in the Federal Register and final public scoping of the EIS/EIR.
In particular, the purpose and need for the project, the range of
alternatives to be considered in the EIS/EIR, the environmental and
community impacts to be evaluated, and the methodologies to be used,
would be subject to public and interagency review and comment, in
accordance with 23 U.S.C. 139.
DATES: Written comments on the scope of the planning Alternatives
Analysis, including the alternatives to be considered and the impacts
to be assessed, should be sent to LACMTA at the address below by
November 1, 2007. See ADDRESSES below for the address to which written
public comments may be sent. Early scoping meetings to accept public
comments on the scope of the Alternatives Analysis will be held on the
following dates:
Thursday, October 11, 2007, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Pan
Pacific Recreation Center, 7600 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA
90036.
Thursday, October 16, 2007, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wilshire
United Methodist Church, 4350 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010.
[[Page 55855]]
Wednesday, October 17, 2007, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Beverly
Hills Public Library Auditorium, 444 North Rexford Drive, Beverly
Hills, CA 90210.
Thursday, October 18, 2007, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Santa
Monica Public Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401.
The draft purpose and need for the project and the initial set of
alternatives proposed for study will be presented at these meetings.
The buildings and facilities 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 Ms. Jody Litvak, LACMTA at 213-922-
1240 or Litvakj@metro.net.
Scoping materials will be available at the meetings and are also
available on the LACMTA Web site at https://www.metro.net/westside. Hard
copies of the scoping materials are available from Ms. Jody Litvak,
LACMTA at 213-922-1240 or Litvakj@metro.net.
An interagency scoping meeting will be held on Wednesday, October
10, 2007, from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Sheriff's Station Briefing
Room, 720 N. San Vicente Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069. Representative
of Native American tribal governments and of all Federal, State, and
local agencies that may have an interest in any aspect of the project
will be invited by phone letter, or e-mail.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Mr. David Mieger, AICP,
Project Manager and Deputy Executive Officer, Los Angeles County
Metropolitan Transportation Authority, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles,
CA 90012, phone 213-922-3040, e-mail miegerd@metro.net. The locations
of the early scoping meetings are given above under DATES.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ray Tellis, Team Leader, Los
Angeles Metropolitan Office, Federal Transit Administration, 888 South
Figueroa Street, Suite 1850, Los Angeles, CA 90017, phone 213-202-3950,
e-mail ray.tellis@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Early Scoping
The FTA and LACMTA invite all interested individuals and
organizations, public agencies, and Native American tribes to comment
on the scope of analyses, including the purpose and need for transit
improvements in the corridor, the alternatives to be studied, and the
impacts to be evaluated in the planning Alternatives Analysis. Comments
at this time should focus on the purpose and need for transit
improvements in the corridor; alternatives that may be less costly or
have less environmental 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 Action: The project purpose is to improve
public transit service and mobility in the Westside Extension Corridor.
The project would provide the cities of Los Angeles, West Hollywood,
Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica with improved fixed-guideway east-west
transit service between the existing terminus of the Metro Red Line and
Metro Purple Lines near Western Avenue in the City Los Angeles and
Ocean Avenue in the City of Santa Monica. Possible western extensions
from the Metro Purple Line would generally follow Wilshire Boulevard
(from the Metro Purple Line Wilshire/Western Station). Possible
extensions from the Metro Red Line would generally follow Santa Monica
Boulevard (from the Metro Red Line Hollywood/Highland Station). The
overall goal of the proposed project is to improve mobility in the
Westside Extension Corridor by extending the benefits of the existing
Metro Red/Metro Purple Line rail and bus investments beyond the current
terminus. Mobility problems and potential improvements for this
corridor have been well documented in many studies, including numerous
Metro Red Line planning studies, Southern California Association of
Governments (SCAG) planning studies, the Mid-City/Westside Transit
Corridor Re-Evaluation/Major Investment Study (2000), the Metro Rapid
Demonstration Project (2000), the Mid-City/Westside Transit Corridor
Draft EIS/EIR (2001), the American Public Transportation Association
Review of Wilshire Corridor Tunneling (2005), and in the Southern
California Association of Governments Regional Transportation Plan
(2004). These studies can be reviewed at the Dorothy Peyton Gray
Transportation Library located on the 15th Floor or Metro Headquarters,
One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Additional considerations
supporting the project's need include:
The concentration of activity centers and destinations in
the Westside Extension Corridor;
Increasing traffic congestion on the highway network
throughout the Westside Extension Corridor, which has led to public and
political support for a high-capacity transit alternative to the
automobile;
The ``Centers Concept'' Land Use Policy of the City of Los
Angeles which is transit-based;
The existing concentration of transit supportive land uses
in the Westside Extension Corridor.
The high population and employment densities in the
Westside Extension Corridor.
Local redevelopment plans that are highly supportive of,
and dependent on, high capacity transit services in the Westside
Extension Corridor.
The existing high ridership levels on bus lines in the
Westside Extension Corridor.
Significant transit dependent population in the Westside
Extension Corridor.
Forecasts of significant future population and employment
growth in the Westside Extension Corridor.
Existing and future travel demand patterns that
demonstrate a strong and growing demand for high-capacity transit in
the Westside Extension Corridor.
Emerging travel patterns associated with a job-rich study
area that has led to significant westbound congestion during the
morning rush hours and corresponding eastbound congestion during the
evening rush hours.
Local policy directed toward travel demand management and
transit solutions rather than the expansion of the street and highway
network.
Alternatives
The Westside Extension Transit Corridor Study proposes to extend
transit from the terminus of the Metro Purple Line at the Wilshire/
Western station or the Metro Red Line at the Hollywood/Highland station
to downtown Santa Monica. Two primary alignments have been considered
historically:
Wilshire Boulevard Alignment from Wilshire/Western station
via Wilshire Boulevard to Santa Monica Boulevard and west on Santa
Monica Boulevard to Century City, then transitioning back to Wilshire
Boulevard and proceeding along Wilshire Boulevard near Westwood
Boulevard along Wilshire Boulevard to downtown Santa Monica
(approximately 13 miles).
Santa Monica Boulevard Alignment starting from the
Hollywood/Highland Metro Red Line proceeding west on Hollywood
Boulevard and transitioning to Santa Monica Boulevard to Century City,
then transitioning to Wilshire Boulevard near Westwood Boulevard and
proceeding along Wilshire Boulevard to downtown Santa Monica
(approximately 12.5 miles).
[[Page 55856]]
Heavy Rail Transit, the transit mode that is currently used in the
Metro Red Line and Metro Purple Line subway system, is being
considered. It normally follows an underground configuration although
ground-surface and aerial configurations may also be considered in some
locations. Other transit modes, including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and
other forms of rail transit, may also be considered. Possible station
sites along the Wilshire Boulevard Alignment are Wilshire/Crenshaw,
Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax, Wilshire/La Cienega, Wilshire/
Beverly Dr., Century City, Santa Monica/Westwood, Wilshire/Westwood
Village/I-405, Wilshire/Bundy, Wilshire/26th St., Wilshire/16th St.,
and Wilshire/4th St. (12 stations). Possible station sites along the
Santa Monica Boulevard Alignment are Sunset/Fairfax or Santa Monica/
Fairfax, Santa Monica/La Cienega or Santa Monica/San Vicente, Santa
Monica/Beverly, Santa Monica/Rodeo, Century City, Santa Monica/
Westwood, Wilshire/Westwood Village/I-405, Wilshire/Bundy, Wilshire/
26th St., Wilshire/16th St., and Wilshire/4th St. (11 stations).
Future No-Build Alternative--The study will consider the
transportation and environmental effects if no new major transit
investments beyond those that have already been planned are implemented
in this corridor. This alternative will include the highway and transit
projects in the current Metro Long Range Transportation Plan and the
2030 Southern California Association of Governments Regional
Transportation Plan. For purposes of the Alternatives Analysis, the
major fixed guideway investments under study for the Exposition Transit
Corridor Phase 2 and Crenshaw Transit Corridor projects would not be
included in the Future No-Build Alternative. The completion of the
Metro Rapid Bus Program would be included as well as possible
additional feeder bus networks to serve the region's major activity
centers.
Transportation System Management Alternative (TSM)--The study will
consider the effects of modest improvements in the highway and transit
systems beyond those in the Future No-Build Alternative. The TSM
Alternative would evaluate low-cost enhancements to the Future No-Build
Alternative and would emphasize transportation system upgrades, such as
intersection improvements, minor road widening, traffic engineering
actions, bus route restructuring, shortened bus headways, expanded use
of articulated buses, reserved bus lanes, expanded park-and-ride
facilities, express and limited-stop service, signalization
improvements, and timed-transfer operations.
In addition to the alternatives described above, other alternatives
identified through the early scoping process will be considered for
potential inclusion in the Alternatives Analysis. Alternative modes,
vertical or horizontal alignments, or station locations may emerge from
the early scoping process.
FTA Procedures
Early scoping is an optional element of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) process that is particularly useful in situations
where, as here, a proposed action (the locally preferred alternative)
has not been identified and alternative modes and major alignment
variations are under consideration in a broadly-defined corridor. While
NEPA scoping normally follows issuance of a notice of intent, which
describes the proposed action, it ``may be initiated earlier, as long
as there is appropriate public notice and enough information available
on the proposal so that the public and relevant agencies can
participate effectively.'' See the Council on Environmental Quality's
``Forty Most Asked Questions Concerning CEQ's National Environmental
Policy Act Regulations,'' 46 FR 18026, 18030 (1981). In this case, the
available information is more than adequate to permit the public and
relevant agencies to participate effectively in early scoping and the
planning Alternatives Analysis.
LACMTA may seek New Starts funding for the proposed project under
49 U.S.C. 5309 and will, therefore, be subject to New Starts regulation
(49 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Part 611). The New Starts
regulation requires a planning Alternatives Analysis that leads to the
selection of a Locally Preferred Alternative by LACMTA and the
inclusion of the locally preferred alternative in the long-range
transportation plan adopted by the Southern California Association of
Governments. The planning Alternatives Analysis will examine
alignments, technologies, station locations, costs, funding, ridership,
economic development, land use, engineering feasibility, and
environmental factors in the corridor. 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 during the Alternatives Analysis. At
the conclusion of the Alternatives Analysis, a locally preferred
alternative--the ``proposed action''--will be determined, as well as
the appropriate NEPA process--an environmental assessment or
environmental impact statement--to be undertaken for the proposed
action. If preparation of an environmental impact statement is
warranted, a notice of intent will be published in the Federal Register
and the scoping of the EIS/EIR will be completed by soliciting and
considering comments on the purpose and need for the proposed action,
the range of alternatives to be considered in the EIS/EIR, and the
potentially significant environmental and community impacts to be
evaluated in the EIS/EIR. In conjunction with this final scoping of the
EIS/EIR and consistent with provisions of 23 U.S.C. 139, invitations
will be extended to other Federal and non-Federal agencies that may
have an interest in this matter to be participating agencies. A plan
for coordinating public and agency participation in the environmental
review process and for commenting on the issues under consideration at
various milestones of the process will be prepared and posted on the on
the LACMTA Web site at https://www.metro.net/westside.
Issued on September 26, 2007.
Leslie T. Rogers,
Regional Administrator, Region IX, Federal Transit Administration.
[FR Doc. E7-19363 Filed 9-28-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P
