Preparation of an Alternatives Analysis/Environmental Impact Statement for High-Capacity Transit Improvements in the Tempe South Corridor, 1397-1399 [08-13]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 5 / Tuesday, January 8, 2008 / Notices
exemption to ensure that the granting of
an exemption is likely to achieve an
equivalent or greater level of safety than
would be achieved without the
exemption. To evaluate the effect of
these exemptions on safety, FMCSA
considered not only the medical reports
about the applicants’ vision, but also
their driving records and experience
with the vision deficiency. To qualify
for an exemption from the vision
standard, FMCSA requires a person to
present verifiable evidence that he or
she has driven a commercial vehicle
safely with the vision deficiency for 3
years. Recent driving performance is
especially important in evaluating
future safety, according to several
research studies designed to correlate
past and future driving performance.
Results of these studies support the
principle that the best predictor of
future performance by a driver is his/her
past record of crashes and traffic
violations. Copies of the studies may be
found at docket number FMCSA–98–
3637.
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Conclusion
Based upon its evaluation of the 28
exemption applications, FMCSA
exempts Thomas E. Anderson, Garry A.
Baker, Richard D. Becotte, Timothy W.
Bickford, James E. Blazer, Terry S.
Brookshire, Jr., Wayne A. Burnett,
Theodore W. Cozat, Zibbie L. Dawsey,
Alex G. Dlugolenski, Karen Y. Duvall,
Gordon R. Fritz, John A. Graham, Jimmy
D. Gregory, Taras G. Hamilton, Larry K.
Lentz, Boleslaw Makowski, Joseph W.
Meacham, Charles M. Moore, Anthony
D. Ovitt, John R. Parsons, III, Steven S.
Reinsvold, Michael J. Richard, Glenn T.
Riley, George E. Todd, Gary S. Warren,
Bradley A. Weiser, and Eddie L.
Williams, from the vision requirement
in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10), subject to the
requirements cited above (49 CFR
391.64(b)).
In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e)
and 31315, each exemption will be valid
for 2 years unless revoked earlier by
FMCSA. The exemption will be revoked
if: (1) The person fails to comply with
the terms and conditions of the
exemption; (2) the exemption has
resulted in a lower level of safety than
was maintained before it was granted; or
(3) continuation of the exemption would
not be consistent with the goals and
objectives of 49 U.S.C. 31136 and 31315.
If the exemption is still effective at the
end of the 2-year period, the person may
apply to FMCSA for a renewal under
procedures in effect at that time.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:32 Jan 07, 2008
Jkt 214001
Issued on: December 31, 2007.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy and
Program Development.
[FR Doc. E8–106 Filed 1–7–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Preparation of an Alternatives
Analysis/Environmental Impact
Statement for High-Capacity Transit
Improvements in the Tempe South
Corridor
Federal Transit Administration,
U.S. Department of Transportation.
ACTION: Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Alternatives Analysis/Environmental
Impact Statement.
AGENCY:
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 potential bus
rapid transit (BRT), light rail transit
(LRT), modern streetcar, or commuter
rail in the Tempe South Corridor in the
Cities of Tempe and Chandler in
Maricopa County, Arizona. The
proposed study area is bounded on the
north by the Loop 202 (Red Mountain
Freeway); Loop 101 (Price Freeway) on
the east; Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) on
the south; and the Tempe Branch of the
Union Pacific Railroad on the west. 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 EIS, including the
project’s purpose and need, the
alternatives to be considered, and the
impacts to be evaluated 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
Tempe South 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
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1397
proposed project and possible
alternatives, to invite public
participation in the AA/EIS process,
including comments on the scope of the
EIS as 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
project’s purpose and need, the
alternatives to be considered, and the
impacts to be assessed, should be sent
to Valley Metro Rail, Inc. (METRO) on
or before February 13. 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:
• Tuesday, January 29, 2007 at 6 p.m.,
Corona del Sol High School, 1001 East
Knox Road, Tempe, Arizona 85284.
• Wednesday, January 30, 2007 at 6
p.m., Tempe Public Library, 3500 South
Rural Road, Tempe, Arizona 85282.
Potential participating and
cooperating agencies will be invited by
phone or letter to an interagency
scoping meeting planned to be held on
the following date:
• Thursday, February 7, 2007 at 10
a.m., Valley Metro Rail (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 Dawn Coomer,
City of Tempe, 31 E. Fifth Street,
Tempe, AZ 85281, 480–350–8550 at
least 48 hours in advance of a meeting
in order for METRO and the City of
Tempe to make the necessary
arrangements.
Scoping materials will be available at
the meetings and through the project’s
Web site at https://
www.metrolightrail.org/tempesouth.
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:
tempesouth@metrolightrail.org. Phone:
(602) 744–5545 Fax: (602) 252–7453.
The locations of the public scoping
meetings are given above under DATES.
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 5 / Tuesday, January 8, 2008 / Notices
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:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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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 (AA) 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 Cities of Tempe and
Chandler and will be refined further
through the scoping process. In its
current state, the purpose is defined as
follows:
1. Identify an alignment and
technology for improved transit service,
to connect Downtown Tempe, Arizona
State University (ASU) and sections of
Chandler with the 20-mile CP–EV light
rail starter line.
2. Improve transit connectivity
throughout Downtown Tempe and ASU.
3. Improve transit access to
employment opportunities throughout
the study area in Tempe as well as in
the Central Phoenix/East Valley region.
4. Provide transit options to relieve
peak period congestion on north-south
arterials in the study area, as well as on
Downtown Tempe streets.
5. Address mid-day transit travel
demand and bus overcrowding.
6. Facilitate continued development
of a comprehensive and inter-connected
regional transit network that is multimodal, that offers a range of choices for
current and future transit riders, and
that attracts new transit riders to the
regional system.
7. Provide cost-effective transit
service.
8. Support economic development
and enhance connectivity among
developing transit-oriented, highdensity projects, activity centers and
attractions in the study area.
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17:32 Jan 07, 2008
Jkt 214001
Additional considerations supporting
the project’s need include:
Infill growth in the City of Tempe and
the growth in the City of Chandler have
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, level of service
(LOS) in 2030 on both the area freeways
and arterials is expected to deteriorate
substantially because of increased travel
demand, resulting in a significant
increase in delay. In Tempe, little or no
additional freeway or arterial capacity is
planned. Daily freeway congestion is
currently higher compared to the region,
and the MAG model projects this trend
to continue in the future.
Alternatives
At a minimum, the alternatives to be
considered in AA include the following:
• No-Build—Implements modified
existing and committed road and transit
improvements as defined by the
Regional Transportation Plan and
coordinated by the Cities of Tempe and
Chandler.
• Transportation System Management
(TSM)—Includes reasonable, costeffective transit service improvements
short of a major capital investment in
fixed guideway. In addition, the TSM
implements all of the projects in the NoBuild alternative.
• Build Alternatives—fixed guideway
alternatives include projects defined in
the No-Build Alternative. All Build
Alternatives begin at various locations
along the LRT Starter Line in Tempe
(scheduled to open in late 2008) and
extend south to Chandler on either:
—Tempe Branch of the Union Pacific
Railroad (UPRR).
—Mill Avenue/Kyrene Road.
—Rural Road.
—McClintock Drive.
Transit technologies under
consideration are bus rapid transit
(BRT), light rail transit (LRT), modern
streetcar, and commuter rail. All of the
technologies, except commuter rail, are
being considered for all of the proposed
alignments. Commuter rail is only being
considered on the Tempe Branch
(UPRR). Between the LRT starter line in
Tempe and a new park-and-ride facility
in the vicinity of the US 60
(Superstition Freeway), the high
capacity transit improvement would be
built in a fixed guideway along any of
the alignments being considered.
Between US 60 and a new park-and-ride
in the vicinity of the Loop 202 in
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Chandler, the following options are
being considered for the Tempe Branch
UPRR:
• Continue south to the Loop 202 in
fixed guideway using the same transit
mode as that considered in the northern
portion of the study area.
• For LRT and streetcar modes, two
additional options that connect at US 60
to BRT with limited stop service are
considered:
—BRT operating in fixed guideway
along the railroad line; or
—BRT operating in mixed traffic along
Kyrene Road.
For all other alternative alignments,
BRT operating in mixed traffic lanes
with limited stop service would
continue south of US 60 to Chandler
along either Kyrene Road, Mill Avenue/
Kyrene Road, Rural Road, or McClintock
Drive, depending on location of the
option being considered in the northern
segment of the study area. For the
Kyrene Road and Mill Avenue/Kyrene
Road alignments, the alignment would
continue south to a new park-and-ride
facility at the Loop 202 (Santan
Freeway) that would be built
somewhere in the vicinity between I–10
and Kyrene Road. The McClintock Drive
alignment would continue south to
Chandler Fashion Center via Chandler
Boulevard. The Rural Road alignment
has two options that could travel south
to: (1) The new park-and-ride facility at
the Loop 202; or (2) to Chandler Fashion
Center. 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 will 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
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);
E:\FR\FM\08JAN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 5 / Tuesday, January 8, 2008 / Notices
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 Tempe
and Chandler 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.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:32 Jan 07, 2008
Jkt 214001
A public and agency Coordination
Plan that includes a comprehensive
Public Involvement Program 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 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 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
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1399
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: January 2, 2008.
Leslie T. Rogers,
Regional Administrator, FTA Region IX.
[FR Doc. 08–13 Filed 1–7–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–57–M
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
Release of Waybill Data
The Surface Transportation Board has
received a request from Harkins
Cunningham on behalf of Canadian
National Railway Company (WB525—
12—12/31/2007), for permission to use
certain data from the Board’s Carload
Waybill Sample. A copy of the request
may be obtained from the Office of
Economics, Environmental Analysis,
and Administration.
The waybill sample contains
confidential railroad and shipper data;
therefore, if any parties object to these
requests, they should file their
objections with the Director of the
Board’s Office of Economics,
Environmental Analysis, and
Administration within 14 calendar days
of the date of this notice. The rules for
release of waybill data are codified at 49
CFR 1244.9.
Contact: Mac Frampton, (202) 245–
0317.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8–52 Filed 1–7–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS
[OMB Control No. 2900–0662]
Proposed Information Collection (Civil
Rights Discrimination Complaint);
Comment Request
Veterans Health
Administration, Department of Veterans
Affairs.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
E:\FR\FM\08JAN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 5 (Tuesday, January 8, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1397-1399]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 08-13]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Preparation of an Alternatives Analysis/Environmental Impact
Statement for High-Capacity Transit Improvements in the Tempe South
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 potential bus rapid transit (BRT), light rail
transit (LRT), modern streetcar, or commuter rail in the Tempe South
Corridor in the Cities of Tempe and Chandler in Maricopa County,
Arizona. The proposed study area is bounded on the north by the Loop
202 (Red Mountain Freeway); Loop 101 (Price Freeway) on the east; Loop
202 (Santan Freeway) on the south; and the Tempe Branch of the Union
Pacific Railroad on the west. 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 EIS, including the project's purpose and
need, the alternatives to be considered, and the impacts to be
evaluated 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 Tempe South 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 EIS as 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 project's purpose and need, the alternatives to be considered, and
the impacts to be assessed, should be sent to Valley Metro Rail, Inc.
(METRO) on or before February 13. 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:
Tuesday, January 29, 2007 at 6 p.m., Corona del Sol High
School, 1001 East Knox Road, Tempe, Arizona 85284.
Wednesday, January 30, 2007 at 6 p.m., Tempe Public
Library, 3500 South Rural Road, Tempe, Arizona 85282.
Potential participating and cooperating agencies will be invited by
phone or letter to an interagency scoping meeting planned to be held on
the following date:
Thursday, February 7, 2007 at 10 a.m., Valley Metro Rail
(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 Dawn Coomer, City of Tempe, 31 E. Fifth Street, Tempe, AZ
85281, 480-350-8550 at least 48 hours in advance of a meeting in order
for METRO and the City of Tempe to make the necessary arrangements.
Scoping materials will be available at the meetings and through the
project's Web site at https://www.metrolightrail.org/tempesouth. 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: tempesouth@metrolightrail.org. Phone: (602)
744-5545 Fax: (602) 252-7453. The locations of the public scoping
meetings are given above under DATES.
[[Page 1398]]
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 (AA) 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 Cities of Tempe and Chandler and will be
refined further through the scoping process. In its current state, the
purpose is defined as follows:
1. Identify an alignment and technology for improved transit
service, to connect Downtown Tempe, Arizona State University (ASU) and
sections of Chandler with the 20-mile CP-EV light rail starter line.
2. Improve transit connectivity throughout Downtown Tempe and ASU.
3. Improve transit access to employment opportunities throughout
the study area in Tempe as well as in the Central Phoenix/East Valley
region.
4. Provide transit options to relieve peak period congestion on
north-south arterials in the study area, as well as on Downtown Tempe
streets.
5. Address mid-day transit travel demand and bus overcrowding.
6. Facilitate continued development of a comprehensive and inter-
connected regional transit network that is multi-modal, that offers a
range of choices for current and future transit riders, and that
attracts new transit riders to the regional system.
7. Provide cost-effective transit service.
8. Support economic development and enhance connectivity among
developing transit-oriented, high-density projects, activity centers
and attractions in the study area.
Additional considerations supporting the project's need include:
Infill growth in the City of Tempe and the growth in the City of
Chandler have 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, level of service (LOS) in 2030 on both the area
freeways and arterials is expected to deteriorate substantially because
of increased travel demand, resulting in a significant increase in
delay. In Tempe, little or no additional freeway or arterial capacity
is planned. Daily freeway congestion is currently higher compared to
the region, and the MAG model projects this trend to continue in the
future.
Alternatives
At a minimum, the alternatives to be considered in AA include the
following:
No-Build--Implements modified existing and committed road
and transit improvements as defined by the Regional Transportation Plan
and coordinated by the Cities of Tempe and Chandler.
Transportation System Management (TSM)--Includes
reasonable, cost-effective transit service improvements short of a
major capital investment in fixed guideway. In addition, the TSM
implements all of the projects in the No-Build alternative.
Build Alternatives--fixed guideway alternatives include
projects defined in the No-Build Alternative. All Build Alternatives
begin at various locations along the LRT Starter Line in Tempe
(scheduled to open in late 2008) and extend south to Chandler on
either:
--Tempe Branch of the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR).
--Mill Avenue/Kyrene Road.
--Rural Road.
--McClintock Drive.
Transit technologies under consideration are bus rapid transit
(BRT), light rail transit (LRT), modern streetcar, and commuter rail.
All of the technologies, except commuter rail, are being considered for
all of the proposed alignments. Commuter rail is only being considered
on the Tempe Branch (UPRR). Between the LRT starter line in Tempe and a
new park-and-ride facility in the vicinity of the US 60 (Superstition
Freeway), the high capacity transit improvement would be built in a
fixed guideway along any of the alignments being considered. Between US
60 and a new park-and-ride in the vicinity of the Loop 202 in Chandler,
the following options are being considered for the Tempe Branch UPRR:
Continue south to the Loop 202 in fixed guideway using the
same transit mode as that considered in the northern portion of the
study area.
For LRT and streetcar modes, two additional options that
connect at US 60 to BRT with limited stop service are considered:
--BRT operating in fixed guideway along the railroad line; or
--BRT operating in mixed traffic along Kyrene Road.
For all other alternative alignments, BRT operating in mixed
traffic lanes with limited stop service would continue south of US 60
to Chandler along either Kyrene Road, Mill Avenue/Kyrene Road, Rural
Road, or McClintock Drive, depending on location of the option being
considered in the northern segment of the study area. For the Kyrene
Road and Mill Avenue/Kyrene Road alignments, the alignment would
continue south to a new park-and-ride facility at the Loop 202 (Santan
Freeway) that would be built somewhere in the vicinity between I-10 and
Kyrene Road. The McClintock Drive alignment would continue south to
Chandler Fashion Center via Chandler Boulevard. The Rural Road
alignment has two options that could travel south to: (1) The new park-
and-ride facility at the Loop 202; or (2) to Chandler Fashion Center.
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 will
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 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);
[[Page 1399]]
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 Tempe and Chandler
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 public and agency Coordination Plan that includes a comprehensive
Public Involvement Program 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 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 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: January 2, 2008.
Leslie T. Rogers,
Regional Administrator, FTA Region IX.
[FR Doc. 08-13 Filed 1-7-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-M
