Emergency Temporary Closure of I-395 & I-66 in the Commonwealth of Virginia, 2648-2650 [E9-900]

Download as PDF 2648 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 10 / Thursday, January 15, 2009 / Notices jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES hourly average of 71 scheduled operations. In reaching and maintaining this level, the FAA will retire Operating Authorizations in the order in which the air carriers’ commitments to reduce service are received and will notify an air carrier if any Operating Authorization that it is voluntarily offering to relinquish could be subject to reallocation. The FAA also notes that paragraphs A.6 and A.7 of the ordering paragraphs related to minimum usage requirements and the associated reallocation principles continue to apply to all Operating Authorizations that are not surrendered to the FAA and retired. In order to receive credit for the voluntary reduction in the future, an air carrier must present its offer to reduce scheduled service at LaGuardia no later than February 2, 2009. If an air carrier wishes to offer a voluntary reduction in scheduled service at LaGuardia, an authorized representative of the carrier must contact the individual identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document. In addition, air carriers must return all voluntarily surrendered Operating Authorizations to the FAA no later than May 31, 2009. Accordingly, paragraph A.1 of the FAA’s December 27, 2006 order limiting operations at LaGuardia, as previously amended, is amended as follows: 1. The final Order governs scheduled arrivals and departures, except helicopters, at LaGuardia from 6 a.m. through 9:59 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, and from 12 noon through 9:59 p.m., Eastern Time, Sunday. Seventy-one (71) Operating Authorizations are available per hour and will be assigned by the FAA on a 30-minute basis. The FAA will permit additional, existing operations above this threshold; however, the FAA will retire Operating Authorizations that are surrendered to the FAA, withdrawn for non-use, or unassigned during each affected hour until the number of Operating Authorizations in that hour reaches seventy-one (71). Issued in Washington, DC, on January 12, 2009. Kerry B. Long, Chief Counsel, Federal Aviation Administration. [FR Doc. E9–817 Filed 1–14–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–13–P VerDate Nov<24>2008 18:58 Jan 14, 2009 Jkt 217001 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration [Summary Notice No. PE–2009–05] Petition for Exemption; Summary of Petition Received AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of petition for exemption received. SUMMARY: This notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of 14 CFR. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public’s awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA’s regulatory activities. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion or omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of the petition or its final disposition. DATE: Comments on this petition must identify the petition docket number involved and must be received on or before February 4, 2009. ADDRESSES: You may send comments identified by Docket Number FAA– 2008–1333 using any of the following methods: • Government-wide rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your comments electronically. • Mail: Send comments to the Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140, Washington, DC 20590. • Fax: Fax comments to the Docket Management Facility at 202–493–2251. • Hand Delivery: Bring comments to the Docket Management Facility in Room W12–140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Privacy: We will post all comments we receive, without change, to https:// www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. Using the search function of our docket Web site, anyone can find and read the comments received into any of our dockets, including the name of the individual sending the comment (or signing the comment for an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT’s complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477–78). Docket: To read background documents or comments received, go to PO 00000 Frm 00141 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 https://www.regulations.gov at any time or to the Docket Management Facility in Room W12–140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ralen Gao, Office of Rulemaking, ARM– 209, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 810, Washington, DC 20591, fax 202– 267–5075, telephone 202–267–3168. This notice is published pursuant to 14 CFR 11.85. Issued in Washington, DC, on December 8, 2009. Pamela Hamilton-Powell, Director, Office of Rulemaking. Petition for Exemption Docket No.: FAA–2008–1333. Petitioner: Worldwide Aeros Corp. Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 21.135. Description of Relief Sought: Worldwide Aeros Corp. (Aeros) seeks an exemption to allow Aeros to perform initial airship inflation and flight testing at an especially large hangar facility that is not part of the Aeros primary manufacturing facility. [FR Doc. E9–711 Filed 1–14–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–13–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Highway Administration [Docket No. FHWA–2009–0001] Emergency Temporary Closure of I–395 & I–66 in the Commonwealth of Virginia AGENCIES: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT. ACTION: Announcement for the Virginia Department of Transportation to temporarily close I–395 & I–66 on January 20, 2009, for safety and security purposes for the Inauguration of the President of the United States. SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 658.11 of title 23, Code of Federal Regulations, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has requested approval of a plan to temporarily close segments of the Interstate to all traffic except buses and authorized vehicles—I–395 (between the Capital Beltway and the District of Columbia (DC) line) and I–66 (between the Capital Beltway and the DC line)—on January 20, 2009, beginning at 12 a.m., for one consecutive 24-hour period because of the Presidential Inauguration. The E:\FR\FM\15JAN1.SGM 15JAN1 jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 10 / Thursday, January 15, 2009 / Notices request has been made for the purposes of safety and security in and around the District of Columbia and as a complementary piece of the DC DOT traffic management plan. The Interstate routes included in the request are part of the National Network of highways that can safely and efficiently accommodate the large vehicles authorized by provisions of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 (STAA), as amended, designated in accordance with 23 CFR Part 658 and listed in Appendix A. This regulation limits the authority of the States to restrict the access of these commercial motor vehicles to the designated National Routes, and requires the approval of the FHWA for additions, deletions, exceptions and restrictions in accordance with 23 CFR 658.11. The FHWA has decided to approve the request by the VDOT as an emergency deletion in accordance with section 658.11(e) due to the safety considerations discussed in this notice. The FHWA is requesting comments from the general public on this determination. DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 16, 2009. ADDRESSES: The letter of request along with justifications can be viewed electronically at the docket established for this rulemaking at https:// www.regulations.gov. Hard copies of the documents will also be available for viewing at the DOT address listed below. Mail or hand deliver comments to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Dockets Management Facility, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, or submit comments electronically at https:// www.regulations.gov, or fax comments to (202) 493–2251. Alternatively, comments may be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https:// www.regulations.gov (follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments). All comments should include the docket number that appears in the heading of this document. All comments received will be available for examination and copying at the above address from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Those desiring notification of receipt of comments must include a selfaddressed, stamped postcard or you may print the acknowledgment page that appears after submitting comments electronically. All comments received into any docket may be searched in electronic format by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on VerDate Nov<24>2008 18:58 Jan 14, 2009 Jkt 217001 behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). Persons making comments may review DOT’s complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70, Pages 19477–78), or you may view the statement at https:// dms.dot.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Michael P. Onder, Team Leader Truck Size and Weight and Freight Operations and Technology Team, (202) 366–2639, Raymond W. Cuprill, Office of the Chief Counsel, (202) 366–0791, Federal Highway Administration; 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, and Mr. Roberto FonsecaMartinez, FHWA Division Administrator-Virginia, (804) 775–3333. Office hours for the FHWA are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Electronic Access and Filing You may submit or retrieve comments online through the Federal eRulemaking portal at: https://www.regulations.gov. The Web site is available 24 hours each day, 365 days each year. Electronic submission and retrieval help and guidelines are available under the help section of the Web site. An electronic copy of this document may also be downloaded from Office of the Federal Register’s home page at: https://www.archives.gov/federal_register and the Government Printing Office’s Web page at: https://www.gpoaccess.gov. Background On January 20, 2009, as a result of the presidential inauguration activities, the number of participants and spectators on their way to the District of Columbia is expected to reach 2–4 million, overwhelming both the roadway and transit networks in the northern Virginia region and creating a safety hazard for commercial traffic to traverse these routes during that time. Additionally, preliminary data indicates that approximately 10,000 or more motor coaches within a 1,000 mile radius of DC are expected to travel to the District and about half of these are expected to come from Virginia. FHWA has already approved of DC’s plan to close the I–395 and I–66 bridges into DC on Inauguration Day to all but buses and authorized vehicles. The VDOT has submitted a request to FHWA for approval of a plan to temporarily close segments of the Interstate to all traffic except buses and authorized vehicles—I–395 (between the Capital Beltway and the District of Columbia (DC) line) and I–66 (between PO 00000 Frm 00142 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 2649 the Capital Beltway and the DC line)— on January 20, 2009, for one consecutive 24-hour period because of the Presidential Inauguration. Temporary closure of these segments to general purpose traffic means that the motor coaches can be moved in and out with maximum safety while providing the possibility of expedited departures in the event of an emergency. Temporary closure of these segments of Interstate to general purpose traffic also facilitates the movement of emergency vehicles into and out of the area, thereby enhancing safety. The FHWA is responsible for enforcing the Federal regulations applicable to the National Network of highways that can safely and efficiently accommodate the large vehicles authorized by provisions of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 (STAA), as amended, designated in accordance with 23 CFR Part 658 and listed in Appendix A. In accordance section 658.11 (Additions, deletions, exceptions, and restrictions), the FHWA may approve deletions or restrictions of the Interstate system or other National Network route based upon specified justification criteria in section 658.11(d)(2). The FHWA is also authorized to delete any route from the National Network on an emergency basis based on safety considerations pursuant to section 658.11(e). These emergency deletions are published in the Federal Register for notice and comment. The FHWA has decided to approve the VDOT request as a deletion from the National Network on an emergency basis for safety considerations in accordance with 23 CFR 658.11(e). As a result, I–395 (between the Capital Beltway and the District of Columbia line) is deleted from the National Network on January 20, 2009, beginning at 12 a.m., for one consecutive 24-hour period. This approval is consistent with the FHWA’s decision to grant a similar approval to a request from the DC DOT and published in the Federal Register on January 7, 2009 (74 FR 760). The expected large increase in traffic on these routes due to the presidential inauguration activities is expected to create a safety hazard for commercial traffic traversing these routes on that day. Virginia’s request to temporarily close I–66 eastbound and I–395 northbound between the Beltway and the DC line is in accord with the DC plan to manage traffic. As there are insufficient parking and junction points at either I–395 or I– 66 at the DC line, restrictions must be in place prior to this junction. By restricting these corridors inside the E:\FR\FM\15JAN1.SGM 15JAN1 2650 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 10 / Thursday, January 15, 2009 / Notices Beltway, passengers can transfer from personal vehicles to buses at predetermined locations along the I–95 corridor and along the I–66 corridor outside the capital beltway and congestion inside the beltway will be minimized. Should a weather event, incident, or the need to evacuate arise, management of the situation will be easier with only buses on these facilities. The temporary closure should have no impact on Interstate commerce. I–95, which is the main north-south Interstate route in the region, is signed around the Washington Beltway (I–495) so that Interstate traffic need not enter the District at all. Commercial vehicles can also use Route 301 to circumvent Washington when traveling between Virginia and Maryland. Commercial motor vehicles, of the dimensions and configurations described in 23 CFR 658.13 and 658.15, serving the area can utilize the routes listed above in response to 23 CFR 658.11(d)(2)(ii). Vehicles serving the District of Columbia will be unable to do so because the local and National Highway System (NHS) street network will also be closed during the inauguration. Therefore, the closure of the I–395 and I–66 segments of the Interstate will have no material effect on such traffic. Entities requiring deliveries within and adjacent to the area of closed local and NHS streets will be encouraged to receive deliveries before or after January 20th. To assist in facilitating interstate commerce the VDOT has already begun an extensive coordination effort with the District of Columbia, the State of Maryland and local jurisdictions such as the counties of Fairfax and Arlington to minimize traffic disruptions. Requests have been made for adjacent jurisdictions to cooperate in routing traffic around the closure and warn interstate traffic of the closure by signs, and other means to get the message out to the trucking industry and the rest of the traveling public. jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES Authority: 23 U.S.C. 127, 315 and 49 U.S.C. 31111, 31112, and 31114; 23 CFR Part 658. Issued on: January 12, 2009. Thomas J. Madison, Jr., Federal Highway Administrator. [FR Doc. E9–900 Filed 1–13–09; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 4910–22–P VerDate Nov<24>2008 18:58 Jan 14, 2009 Jkt 217001 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Sunshine Act Meetings; Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board of Directors AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT. TIME AND DATE: February 12, 2009, 12 noon to 3 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. PLACE: This meeting will take place telephonically. Any interested person may call Mr. Avelino Gutierrez at (505) 827–4565 to receive the toll free number and pass code needed to participate in this meeting by telephone. STATUS: Open to the public. MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: The Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board of Directors (the Board) will continue its work in developing and implementing the Unified Carrier Registration Plan and Agreement; and, to that end, it may consider matters properly before the Board. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Avelino Gutierrez, Chair, Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board of Directors at (505) 827–4565. Dated: January 13, 2009. Larry W. Minor, Associate Administrator for Policy and Program Development. [FR Doc. E9–987 Filed 1–13–09; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Office of the Secretary Notice of Call for Redemption of 13–1/ 4 Percent Treasury Bonds of 2009–14 Department of the Treasury. Notice. AGENCY: ACTION: SUMMARY: As of January 15, 2009, the Secretary of the Treasury gives public notice that all outstanding 13–1/4 percent Treasury Bonds of 2009–14 (CUSIP No. 912810 DJ 4) dated May 15, 1984, due May 15, 2014, are called for redemption at par on May 15, 2009, on which date interest on such bonds will cease. DATES: Treasury calls such bonds for redemption on May 15, 2009. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Definitives Section, Customer Service Branch 3, Office of Retail Securities, Bureau of the Public Debt, (304) 480– 7711. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Bonds Held in Registered Form. Owners of such bonds held in registered PO 00000 Frm 00143 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 form should mail bonds for redemption directly to: Bureau of the Public Debt, Definitives Section, Customer Service Branch 3, P.O. Box 426, Parkersburg, WV 26106–0426. Owners of such bonds will find further information regarding how owners must present and surrender such bonds for redemption under this call, in Department of the Treasury Circular No. 300 dated March 4, 1973, as amended (31 CFR part 306); by contacting the Definitives Section, Customer Service Branch 3, Office of Retail Securities, Bureau of the Public Debt, telephone number (304) 480–7711; and by going to the Bureau of the Public Debt’s Web site, https:// www.treasurydirect.gov. 2. Bonds Held in Book-Entry Form. Treasury automatically will make redemption payments for such bonds held in book-entry form, whether on the books of the Federal Reserve Banks or in Treasury Direct accounts, on May 15, 2009. Kenneth E. Carfine, Fiscal Assistant Secretary. [FR Doc. E9–788 Filed 1–14–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4810–40–P DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Internal Revenue Service Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Form 4810 AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. SUMMARY: The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104–13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning Form 4810, Request for Prompt Assessment Under Internal Revenue Code Section 6501(d). DATES: Written comments should be received on or before March 16, 2009 to be assured of consideration. ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to R. Joseph Durbala, Internal Revenue Service, Room 6129, 1111 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20224. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or copies of the form and instructions E:\FR\FM\15JAN1.SGM 15JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 10 (Thursday, January 15, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2648-2650]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-900]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2009-0001]


Emergency Temporary Closure of I-395 & I-66 in the Commonwealth 
of Virginia

AGENCIES: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Announcement for the Virginia Department of Transportation to 
temporarily close I-395 & I-66 on January 20, 2009, for safety and 
security purposes for the Inauguration of the President of the United 
States.

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

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 658.11 of title 23, Code of Federal 
Regulations, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has 
requested approval of a plan to temporarily close segments of the 
Interstate to all traffic except buses and authorized vehicles--I-395 
(between the Capital Beltway and the District of Columbia (DC) line) 
and I-66 (between the Capital Beltway and the DC line)--on January 20, 
2009, beginning at 12 a.m., for one consecutive 24-hour period because 
of the Presidential Inauguration. The

[[Page 2649]]

request has been made for the purposes of safety and security in and 
around the District of Columbia and as a complementary piece of the DC 
DOT traffic management plan.
    The Interstate routes included in the request are part of the 
National Network of highways that can safely and efficiently 
accommodate the large vehicles authorized by provisions of the Surface 
Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 (STAA), as amended, designated in 
accordance with 23 CFR Part 658 and listed in Appendix A. This 
regulation limits the authority of the States to restrict the access of 
these commercial motor vehicles to the designated National Routes, and 
requires the approval of the FHWA for additions, deletions, exceptions 
and restrictions in accordance with 23 CFR 658.11.
    The FHWA has decided to approve the request by the VDOT as an 
emergency deletion in accordance with section 658.11(e) due to the 
safety considerations discussed in this notice. The FHWA is requesting 
comments from the general public on this determination.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 16, 2009.

ADDRESSES: The letter of request along with justifications can be 
viewed electronically at the docket established for this rulemaking at 
https://www.regulations.gov. Hard copies of the documents will also be 
available for viewing at the DOT address listed below.
    Mail or hand deliver comments to the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Dockets Management Facility, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, or submit comments 
electronically at https://www.regulations.gov, or fax comments to (202) 
493-2251. Alternatively, comments may be submitted via the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov (follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments). All comments should include the 
docket number that appears in the heading of this document. All 
comments received will be available for examination and copying at the 
above address from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. Those desiring notification of receipt of 
comments must include a self-addressed, stamped postcard or you may 
print the acknowledgment page that appears after submitting comments 
electronically. All comments received into any docket may be searched 
in electronic format by the name of the individual submitting the 
comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an 
association, business, labor union, etc.). Persons making comments may 
review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register 
published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70, Pages 19477-78), or 
you may view the statement at https://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Michael P. Onder, Team Leader 
Truck Size and Weight and Freight Operations and Technology Team, (202) 
366-2639, Raymond W. Cuprill, Office of the Chief Counsel, (202) 366-
0791, Federal Highway Administration; 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 
Washington, DC 20590, and Mr. Roberto Fonseca-Martinez, FHWA Division 
Administrator-Virginia, (804) 775-3333. Office hours for the FHWA are 
from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access and Filing

    You may submit or retrieve comments online through the Federal 
eRulemaking portal at: https://www.regulations.gov. The Web site is 
available 24 hours each day, 365 days each year. Electronic submission 
and retrieval help and guidelines are available under the help section 
of the Web site.
    An electronic copy of this document may also be downloaded from 
Office of the Federal Register's home page at: https://www.archives.gov/
federal_register and the Government Printing Office's Web page at: 
https://www.gpoaccess.gov.

Background

    On January 20, 2009, as a result of the presidential inauguration 
activities, the number of participants and spectators on their way to 
the District of Columbia is expected to reach 2-4 million, overwhelming 
both the roadway and transit networks in the northern Virginia region 
and creating a safety hazard for commercial traffic to traverse these 
routes during that time. Additionally, preliminary data indicates that 
approximately 10,000 or more motor coaches within a 1,000 mile radius 
of DC are expected to travel to the District and about half of these 
are expected to come from Virginia. FHWA has already approved of DC's 
plan to close the I-395 and I-66 bridges into DC on Inauguration Day to 
all but buses and authorized vehicles.
    The VDOT has submitted a request to FHWA for approval of a plan to 
temporarily close segments of the Interstate to all traffic except 
buses and authorized vehicles--I-395 (between the Capital Beltway and 
the District of Columbia (DC) line) and I-66 (between the Capital 
Beltway and the DC line)--on January 20, 2009, for one consecutive 24-
hour period because of the Presidential Inauguration. Temporary closure 
of these segments to general purpose traffic means that the motor 
coaches can be moved in and out with maximum safety while providing the 
possibility of expedited departures in the event of an emergency. 
Temporary closure of these segments of Interstate to general purpose 
traffic also facilitates the movement of emergency vehicles into and 
out of the area, thereby enhancing safety.
    The FHWA is responsible for enforcing the Federal regulations 
applicable to the National Network of highways that can safely and 
efficiently accommodate the large vehicles authorized by provisions of 
the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 (STAA), as amended, 
designated in accordance with 23 CFR Part 658 and listed in Appendix A. 
In accordance section 658.11 (Additions, deletions, exceptions, and 
restrictions), the FHWA may approve deletions or restrictions of the 
Interstate system or other National Network route based upon specified 
justification criteria in section 658.11(d)(2). The FHWA is also 
authorized to delete any route from the National Network on an 
emergency basis based on safety considerations pursuant to section 
658.11(e). These emergency deletions are published in the Federal 
Register for notice and comment.
    The FHWA has decided to approve the VDOT request as a deletion from 
the National Network on an emergency basis for safety considerations in 
accordance with 23 CFR 658.11(e). As a result, I-395 (between the 
Capital Beltway and the District of Columbia line) is deleted from the 
National Network on January 20, 2009, beginning at 12 a.m., for one 
consecutive 24-hour period. This approval is consistent with the FHWA's 
decision to grant a similar approval to a request from the DC DOT and 
published in the Federal Register on January 7, 2009 (74 FR 760). The 
expected large increase in traffic on these routes due to the 
presidential inauguration activities is expected to create a safety 
hazard for commercial traffic traversing these routes on that day.
    Virginia's request to temporarily close I-66 eastbound and I-395 
northbound between the Beltway and the DC line is in accord with the DC 
plan to manage traffic. As there are insufficient parking and junction 
points at either I-395 or I-66 at the DC line, restrictions must be in 
place prior to this junction. By restricting these corridors inside the

[[Page 2650]]

Beltway, passengers can transfer from personal vehicles to buses at 
pre-determined locations along the I-95 corridor and along the I-66 
corridor outside the capital beltway and congestion inside the beltway 
will be minimized. Should a weather event, incident, or the need to 
evacuate arise, management of the situation will be easier with only 
buses on these facilities.
    The temporary closure should have no impact on Interstate commerce. 
I-95, which is the main north-south Interstate route in the region, is 
signed around the Washington Beltway (I-495) so that Interstate traffic 
need not enter the District at all. Commercial vehicles can also use 
Route 301 to circumvent Washington when traveling between Virginia and 
Maryland.
    Commercial motor vehicles, of the dimensions and configurations 
described in 23 CFR 658.13 and 658.15, serving the area can utilize the 
routes listed above in response to 23 CFR 658.11(d)(2)(ii). Vehicles 
serving the District of Columbia will be unable to do so because the 
local and National Highway System (NHS) street network will also be 
closed during the inauguration. Therefore, the closure of the I-395 and 
I-66 segments of the Interstate will have no material effect on such 
traffic. Entities requiring deliveries within and adjacent to the area 
of closed local and NHS streets will be encouraged to receive 
deliveries before or after January 20th.
    To assist in facilitating interstate commerce the VDOT has already 
begun an extensive coordination effort with the District of Columbia, 
the State of Maryland and local jurisdictions such as the counties of 
Fairfax and Arlington to minimize traffic disruptions. Requests have 
been made for adjacent jurisdictions to cooperate in routing traffic 
around the closure and warn interstate traffic of the closure by signs, 
and other means to get the message out to the trucking industry and the 
rest of the traveling public.

    Authority: 23 U.S.C. 127, 315 and 49 U.S.C. 31111, 31112, and 
31114; 23 CFR Part 658.

    Issued on: January 12, 2009.
Thomas J. Madison, Jr.,
Federal Highway Administrator.
 [FR Doc. E9-900 Filed 1-13-09; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P
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