Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement on the Durham-Orange Light Rail (LRT) Project, Durham and Orange Counties, NC, 20094-20097 [2012-7897]

Download as PDF 20094 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 64 / Tuesday, April 3, 2012 / Notices information is then provided to the FAA decision making authority to make FAA employment and/or pilot certification/ revocation determinations. Respondents: Approximately 270 subjects of investigation. Frequency: Information is collected as needed. Estimated Average Burden per Response: 5 minutes. Estimated Total Annual Burden: 23 hours. ADDRESSES: Send comments to the FAA at the following address: Ms. Kathy DePaepe, Room 126B, Federal Aviation Administration, AES–200, 6500 S. MacArthur Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73169. Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of this information collection, including (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for FAA’s performance; (b) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (c) ways for FAA to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (d) ways that the burden could be minimized without reducing the quality of the collected information. The agency will summarize and/or include your comments in the request for OMB’s clearance of this information collection. Issued in Washington, DC, on March 27, 2012. Albert R. Spence, FAA Assistant Information Collection Clearance Officer, IT Enterprises Business Services Division, AES–200. [FR Doc. 2012–7934 Filed 4–2–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–13–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Transit Administration Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement on the DurhamOrange Light Rail (LRT) Project, Durham and Orange Counties, NC Federal Transit Administration (FTA), United States Department of Transportation (USDOT). ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). AGENCY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Research Triangle Regional Public Transportation Authority, dba ‘‘Triangle Transit,’’ intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to study a proposed premium transit service corridor in Durham and Orange Counties, North Carolina. The EIS will be prepared in accordance with the mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:19 Apr 02, 2012 Jkt 226001 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA: 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) of 1969 and the regulations implementing NEPA set forth in 40 CFR Parts 1500–1508 and 23 CFR Part 771, as well as provisions set forth in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA–LU). The purpose of this Notice is to: (1) Advise the public that FTA is serving as the lead Federal agency; (2) provide information on the proposed project, purpose and need for the project, and alternatives to be considered; and (3) invite public and agency participation in the EIS process. DATES: Comment Due Date: Written or electronic comments on the scope of the EIS, including the purpose and need for transportation action in the corridor, and alternatives and impacts to be considered should be sent to the project team (see ADDRESSES below) by Monday, June 18, 2012. Scoping Meetings Dates: Scoping meetings will be held during the week of April 30, 2012 at the following times and locations. The scoping meeting locations are accessible by transit and to persons with disabilities. Confirmed times and locations will also be published in local notices and on the project Web site. Elected Officials and Partners Meeting: Tuesday, April 24, 2012; 10 a.m.–12 p.m. noon; Extraordinary Ventures Center, 200 S. Elliott Rd., Chapel Hill, NC 27514. Agency Meeting: Thursday, May 3, 2012; 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.; Durham Armory, 212 Foster St., Durham, NC 27701. Public Scoping Meetings: Wednesday May 2, 2012; 4 p.m.–7 p.m.; Extraordinary Ventures Center, 200 S. Elliott Rd., Chapel Hill, NC 27514. Thursday, May 3, 2012; 4 p.m.–7 p.m.; Durham Armory, 212 Foster St., Durham, NC 27701. ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of alternatives and impacts to be studied should be sent to the project team via one of the following methods: Mail to Durham-Orange LRT Project, P.O. Box 580, Morrisville, North Carolina 27560; fax to Durham-Orange LRT Project at 919.461.1415; or email to info@ourtransitfuture.com. Comments may also be offered at the public scoping meetings. The addresses for the public scoping meetings are included above. All meeting locations are accessible by transit and to persons with disabilities. The project team must be contacted by Wednesday, April 25, 2012 regarding special needs such as signing or translation service for languages other than Spanish. Spanish translation services will be provided at the public PO 00000 Frm 00100 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 meetings. The times and locations for the public scoping meetings will also be provided through display advertisements in local newspapers; newsletters that will be mailed to persons on the project database that have expressed an interest in the project; email notifications; media releases that will be distributed to all print and electronic media serving the corridor; and posting of information on the project Web site. The Scoping Information Booklet is available on the project Web site at https://www.ourtransitfuture.org/ index.php/projects/durham-orange/. The booklet is also available in hardcopy form by contacting the project team as indicated below. Additional scoping information or other project information may be requested by calling the project hotline at 1–800–816–7817, visiting the Web site at https://www.ourtransitfuture.org/ index.php/projects/durham-orange/, or by mailing a request to Durham-Orange LRT Project, P.O. Box 580, Morrisville, North Carolina 27560. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Brian C. Smart, Environmental Protection Specialist, Federal Transit Administration, 230 Peachtree Street NW., Suite 800, Atlanta, GA 30303, telephone (404) 865–5607. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Scoping In accordance with Section 6002 of SAFETEA–LU, FTA and Triangle Transit invite comment on the scope of the EIS, specifically on the proposed project’s purpose and need, the alternatives to be evaluated that may address the purpose and need, and the impacts of the alternatives considered. Specific suggestions related to additional alternatives are welcome and will be considered in the development of the scope of the EIS. Scoping comments may be made at the scoping meetings or in writing no later than Monday, June 18, 2012 (see DATES and ADDRESSES above). Scoping materials will be available at the meeting or in advance of the meeting by contacting the project team as indicated above. If you wish to be placed on the mailing list to receive further information as the project continues, contact the project team (see ADDRESSES above). The relationships between concurrent projects such as the NC 54/I–40 Corridor Study and other projects will be considered in the EIS. Subsequent to the completion of the Scoping Summary document and prior to initiation of the DEIS, a concluding E:\FR\FM\03APN1.SGM 03APN1 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 64 / Tuesday, April 3, 2012 / Notices mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES stakeholders meeting will be held during which interested federal, state and local government agencies will collectively process all input and formally develop the final scope of the EIS. II. Purpose and Need for the Proposed Project The purpose of the proposed premium high-capacity transit investment in the Durham-Orange Corridor is to provide a transit solution that addresses the following mobility and development needs: • Need to enhance mobility: The Durham-Orange Corridor is forecast to absorb a significant share of the region’s population and employment growth, which will translate into increased travel demand. By 2035, the corridor is projected to add about 74,000 people and 81,000 jobs, which is expected to generate 255,000 additional daily trips, many of which will be made on local roadways. These trips will increase congestion during the highest AM and PM travel periods. Alternatives to the auto are needed to address the limited capacity of the roadway system to accommodate increased travel demand. • Need to expand transit options between Durham and Chapel Hill: Most bus service in the Durham-Orange Corridor is concentrated in downtown Durham and downtown Chapel Hill. Transit connecting these urban centers and serving the residential areas and retail developments between them is limited to two Triangle Transit routes and the Duke University Robertson Scholars Express Bus. Currently, these buses operate in mixed traffic along increasingly congested roadways, have limited capacity, and are not competitive with the auto for most trips. Furthermore, the Study Area does not currently offer the type of high quality premium transit service that is an attractive alternative to driving, particularly under congested conditions. • Need to serve population with high propensity for transit use: University students and employees, as well as transit-dependent populations, are a significant percentage of the population in the Durham-Orange Corridor. Expanding transit services and increasing access to each of the university campuses and medical centers, which offer pedestrian-friendly environments, limited parking, and free transit passes, will support increased mobility options for university students, employees and other patrons. Also, expanding reliable mobility options for lower income populations and transit users who may not be able to drive will enhance economic opportunities VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:19 Apr 02, 2012 Jkt 226001 through improved access to major jobs centers along the corridor. Providing a transit option that supports the mobility of these groups satisfies an important need. • Need to foster compact development: Local governments recognize the need to limit sprawl and manage growth within the Study Area. Durham City/County, Chapel Hill, and Orange County have developed plans and implementation strategies that call for more compact, walkable, higher density, mixed-use development within the corridor. However, the existing transit infrastructure throughout the corridor is not fully supportive of these land use plans and implementation strategies and cannot facilitate long-term economic development. A proposed fixed guideway transit investment can channel future growth, provide a superior transit option appropriate for high density development, and help local communities realize their future goals and objectives. III. Study Area Description Located in both Durham and Orange counties, the Durham-Orange Corridor Study Area extends approximately 17 miles, beginning in southwest Chapel Hill and encompassing the UNC campus, downtown Chapel Hill, suburban areas along NC 54, US 15–501, NC 147 (Durham Freeway), I–40, Duke University, and downtown and east Durham. IV. Alternatives Analysis and Results The Durham-Orange County Corridor Alternatives Analysis (AA) Report (available at https:// www.ourtransitfuture.org/index.php/ projects/durham-orange/d-o-mapsreports#aa) responds to Federal regulations for transit projects seeking New Starts funding (Title 49 United States Code [U.S.C.] 5309.) The DurhamOrange County Corridor AA considered a Transportation Systems Management (TSM) Alternative, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) alternatives, and a light rail alternative. The BRT and light rail routes included alignments on new location and within the right-of-way of existing roads, with a variety of station locations. All of the alternatives that were evaluated would run from the terminus at the UNC Hospitals eastwards to Fordham Boulevard, east along NC 54, north parallel to I–40 and then within the US 15–501corridor to Erwin Road. The corridor follows Erwin Road past Duke University and Medical Center and turns east parallel to NC 147 through downtown Durham and terminates at Alston Avenue in east Durham. These alternatives were PO 00000 Frm 00101 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 20095 evaluated based upon their ability to meet the project’s purpose and need statement (stated above), and considering factors such as ridership and transportation operations, land use, expansion potential, economic development potential, public and agency support, environmental impacts, technical and financial feasibility and cost. Triangle Transit conducted the AA in coordination with the jurisdictions and agencies with interests in the corridor, including Durham and Orange counties, the Town of Chapel Hill, City of Durham, Durham-Chapel HillCarrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO), and the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The AA concluded by identifying the most promising alternatives for further analysis. It identified LRT as the only mode that most fully satisfies the Purpose and Need for premium transit service in the Durham-Orange Corridor related to enhancing mobility, expanding transit options between Durham and Chapel Hill, serving populations with high propensity for transit use, and fostering compact development and economic growth. While an exclusive-running BRT Alternative has the potential to meet the project’s purpose and need and is competitive in meeting most project goals, it does not perform as well as LRT in relation to supporting local and regional economic development, planned growth management initiatives, travel time savings, and cost effectiveness of expanding ridership capacity. Local and regional stakeholders place a high level of importance on economic development potential and focusing growth within the proposed transit corridor through transit-oriented development. The LRT Alternative has a high-level of demonstrated public support and a proven record of producing local and regional economic development benefits by enhancing and focusing growth within LRT corridors. On February 8, 2012, the DCHC MPO Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) (MPO’s policy board) unanimously adopted the LRT Alternative as the preliminary locally preferred alternative (LPA). The Alternatives Analysis findings are available on the project Web site at https://www.ourtransitfuture.org/ index.php/projects/durham-orange. IV. Potential EIS Alternatives The results of the AA have led FTA and Triangle Transit to consider for inclusion in the EIS the following range of alternatives, on which FTA and Triangle Transit request public and E:\FR\FM\03APN1.SGM 03APN1 20096 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 64 / Tuesday, April 3, 2012 / Notices agency comments. The EIS will evaluate the following alternatives between the University of North Carolina (UNC) Hospitals and east Durham: A No-Build alternative; a Transportation System Management (TSM) alternative consisting of an enhanced bus network that provides a level of transit service and capacity roughly equivalent to that of a fixed-guideway transit service; and a Light Rail Transit (LRT) alternative consisting of a new fixed-guideway rail alignment and support facilities. Scoping will be accomplished through correspondence with interested persons, organizations, and federal, state, and local agencies, and through public and agency meetings. The FTA and Triangle Transit invite interested individuals, organizations, and federal, state and local agencies to participate in defining the alternatives to be evaluated and identifying any significant social, economic, and/or environmental issues related to the alternatives. mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 1. No-Build The No-Build alternative includes all highway and transit facilities identified in the fiscally constrained joint DurhamChapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)—Capital Area MPO 2035 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), with the exception of the comprehensive systemwide rail transit network, part of which is the subject of this EIS. The No-Build alternative is used as a starting point to provide a comparison of all Build alternatives in terms of costs, benefits, and impacts. 2. Transportation System Management The TSM alternative is required for inclusion in the EIS by the FTA when federal funds are sought for capital improvements. The primary purpose of the TSM alternative is to develop an enhanced and robust bus network in the Durham-Orange Corridor that provides a level of transit service and capacity roughly equivalent to that of a fixedguideway improvement. The intention is to compare the efficiency and costeffectiveness of a significant bus network in the corridor with fixedguideway improvements to determine the impact on transit ridership, travel time, and other measures. The backbone of the TSM alternative would be a new bus route operating between UNC Hospitals and east Durham, covering a distance of approximately 19 miles from Chapel Hill to Durham. Buses would operate at 10-minute headways in the peak periods and 20-minute headways in the off-peak periods. Travel time between the UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill and Alston Avenue in east Durham VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:19 Apr 02, 2012 Jkt 226001 is estimated to be 57 minutes. The highfrequency bus route would closely follow that of the LRT alternative, as described below. 3. Light Rail Transit The LRT alternative would operate light rail transit vehicles between UNC Hospitals and east Durham, covering a distance of approximately 17.1 miles. The LRT would operate at 10-minute frequencies during peak hours and 20minute frequencies during off-peak hours. LRT travel time is estimated to be 35 minutes between the UNC Hospitals Station in Chapel Hill and the Alston Avenue Station in east Durham. The alignment would be double-tracked throughout, with one track for each direction of travel. The alignment would primarily run at-grade in a dedicated right-of-way parallel to existing roadways, with elevated sections throughout to mitigate potential traffic impacts and/or impacts to environmental resources. V. Probable Effects The EIS evaluation will analyze the social, economic, and environmental impacts of the alternatives. Major issues to be evaluated include air quality, noise and vibration, aesthetics, community cohesion impacts, potential natural resource impacts, and possible disruption of neighborhoods, businesses and commercial activities. The impact areas and level of detail addressed in the EIS will be consistent with the requirements of SAFETEA–LU Section 6002 and the FTA/Federal Highway Administration environmental regulation (Environmental Impact and Related Procedures, 23 CFR Part 771 and 40 CFR Parts 1500–1508) and other environmental and related regulations. Among other factors, the EIS will evaluate the following: • Transportation service including future corridor capacity. • Transit ridership and costs. • Traffic movements and changes, and associated impacts to local facilities. • Community impacts such as land use, displacements, noise and vibration, neighborhood compatibility and aesthetics. • Resource impacts including impacts to historic and archeological resources, parklands, cultural resource impacts, environmental justice, and natural resource impacts including air quality, wetlands, water quality, wildlife, and vegetation. The proposed impact assessment and evaluation will take into account both positive and negative impacts, direct and indirect impacts, short-term (during PO 00000 Frm 00102 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 the construction period) and long-term impacts, and site-specific as well as corridor-wide and cumulative impacts. Mitigation measures will be considered for any significant environmental impacts identified. Other potential impacts may be added as a result of scoping and agency coordination efforts. VI. FTA Procedures The EIS is being prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, and implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500 to 1508) and FHWA environmental impact regulations (49 CFR Part 622, 23 CFR Part 771, and 23 CFR Part 774) and Section 6002 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act—A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA– LU) of 2005. This EIS will also comply with requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (36 CFR Part 800), Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966 (23 CFR 771.135), the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, Executive Order 12898 (Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority and Low-Income Populations), Executive Order 11990 (Protection of Wetlands), the regulation implementing Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (50 CFR Part 402), and other applicable federal laws, rules, and regulations. This EIS will also satisfy local and state environmental review requirements. Regulations implementing NEPA, as well as provisions of SAFETEA–LU, call for enhanced agency and public involvement in the EIS process. An invitation to all Federal and non-Federal agencies and Native American tribes that may have an interest in the proposed project will be extended. In the event that an agency or tribe is not invited and would like to participate, please contact Brian Smart at the contact information listed above. The public coordination and outreach efforts will include public meetings, open houses, a project Web site, stakeholder advisory and work groups, and public hearings. The project sponsor may identify a locally preferred alternative in the DEIS when made available for public and agency comments. Public hearings on the DEIS will be held. On the basis of the DEIS and the public and agency comments received, the Project Sponsor will identify the locally preferred alternative in the FEIS. The FEIS will serve as the basis for federal and state environmental findings and E:\FR\FM\03APN1.SGM 03APN1 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 64 / Tuesday, April 3, 2012 / Notices determinations needed to conclude the environmental review process. (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, Highway Planning and Construction. The regulations implementing Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental consultation on Federal programs and activities apply to this program.) Issued on: March 27, 2012. Yvette G. Taylor, Regional Administrator. BILLING CODE P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Transit Administration Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Georgia Multi-Modal Passenger Terminal Federal Transit Administration (FTA), United States Department of Transportation (USDOT). AGENCY: Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). ACTION: The FTA and the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed transit terminal project in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia. The EIS will be prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA: 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) of 1969 and the regulations implementing NEPA set forth in 40 CFR Parts 1500–1508 and 23 CFR Part 771, as well as provision of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act—A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA–LU). The purpose of this Notice is to: • Advise the public of FTA serving as the lead Federal agency; • Provide information on the proposed project, purpose and need for the project, and alternatives to be considered; and • Invite public and agency participation in the EIS process. The EIS will examine alternatives to provide a facility to serve as a destination and transfer point for a variety of regional and local transportation services in Downtown Atlanta. mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: The date, time, and location for the public scoping meetings are as follows: VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:51 Apr 02, 2012 Jkt 226001 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Georgia Railroad Freight Depot, The Freight Room, 65 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SE., Atlanta, GA 30303. May 1, 2012 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Georgia State University Student Center, Court Salon, 44 Gilmer Street, Atlanta, GA 30302. May 3, 2012 [FR Doc. 2012–7897 Filed 4–2–12; 8:45 am] DATES: April 24, 2012 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Antioch Baptist Church North, 540 Cameron M. Alexander Blvd. NW., Atlanta, Georgia, 30318. ADDRESSES: Written comments on the project should be sent to: Jonathan Cox, Georgia Department of Transportation, One Georgia Center, 600 West Peachtree Street NW., Atlanta, Georgia 30308. Telephone: (404) 631– 1197. Email: jocox@dot.ga.gov. Brian Smart, Federal Transit Administration, 230 Peachtree Street NW., Suite 800, Atlanta, GA 30327. Telephone: 404–865–5607. Email: brian.smart@dot.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with Section 6002 of SAFETEA–LU, FTA and GDOT invite comment on the scope of the EIS, specifically on the project’s purpose and need, the alternatives to be evaluated that may address the purpose and need, and the potential impacts of the alternatives considered. 1. Scoping On April 24, 2012, May 1, 2012, and May 3, 2012, public scoping meetings will be held to solicit public comments on the scope of the EIS. Oral and written comments will be accepted from the public at the scoping meeting. If special services such as translation, including sign language, are needed, please contact Jonathan Cox at the number listed above. A notice of the public scoping briefing will be published in local newspapers and on the project Web site (www.georgiap3.com/mmpt). The notice will also identify the closing date of the public comment period on the scope of the EIS. 2. Description of the Project Area The historic hub of Atlanta’s freight railroads lies just west of the Five Points intersection in Downtown Atlanta. While some lines remain active, others have been converted to passenger use by the Metropolitan Atlanta Regional Transportation Authority (MARTA) or are abandoned. Portions of Atlanta’s PO 00000 Frm 00103 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 20097 massive rail yards were decked over for large-scale public and private developments, including CNN Center, the Georgia World Congress Center, Philips Arena, and the Georgia Dome. In-between Five Points and the CNN Center, a portion of the former rail yards serve as parking or vacant land. The street grid crosses these parcels on viaduct such that the parking and vacant land is 20 feet or so below ground elevation. This area of parking and vacant land is commonly referred to as the ‘‘Gulch.’’ The EIS will focus on an area bounded by Centennial Olympic Park Drive to the west, Trinity Avenue to the south, Peachtree Street to the east, and Marietta Street to the north. Many blocks in this area are surface or structured parking or vacant buildings or lots. A few parcels contain office or commercial uses. 3. Purpose and Need The Atlanta region lacks a transportation hub that provides a central facility and transfer point for its variety of existing and future inter-city, regional and local modal services. At the same time, the Gulch creates a large void in the downtown that physically and psychologically isolates surrounding destinations and districts from one another. The purpose of the Georgia Multimodal Passenger Terminal is to establish a multimodal hub to enhance regional mobility and connectivity among existing and proposed transit systems; to establish new connections between downtown neighborhoods; and to provide the opportunity to fill the Gulch, which will create an activity center and link existing and planned residential, employment and entertainment destinations in and near Downtown Atlanta. The EIS will evaluate alternatives that address the following project goals: (1) Provide a facility to serve as a destination and transfer point for a variety of regional and local transportation services; (2) Improve passenger and freight connectivity in and within downtown Atlanta; and (3) Attract new or renewed investment in a transit-centered environment. 4. Alternatives FTA and GDOT will consider all reasonable alternatives to provide a multi-modal passenger terminal, and potentially related development that meet the purpose and need defined above. The alternatives considered will include at least a No Build Alternative E:\FR\FM\03APN1.SGM 03APN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 3, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20094-20097]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-7897]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement on the 
Durham-Orange Light Rail (LRT) Project, Durham and Orange Counties, NC

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), United States Department 
of Transportation (USDOT).

ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS).

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

SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Research 
Triangle Regional Public Transportation Authority, dba ``Triangle 
Transit,'' intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to 
study a proposed premium transit service corridor in Durham and Orange 
Counties, North Carolina. The EIS will be prepared in accordance with 
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA: 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) of 
1969 and the regulations implementing NEPA set forth in 40 CFR Parts 
1500-1508 and 23 CFR Part 771, as well as provisions set forth in the 
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A 
Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The purpose of this Notice is to: (1) 
Advise the public that FTA is serving as the lead Federal agency; (2) 
provide information on the proposed project, purpose and need for the 
project, and alternatives to be considered; and (3) invite public and 
agency participation in the EIS process.

DATES: Comment Due Date: Written or electronic comments on the scope of 
the EIS, including the purpose and need for transportation action in 
the corridor, and alternatives and impacts to be considered should be 
sent to the project team (see ADDRESSES below) by Monday, June 18, 
2012.
    Scoping Meetings Dates: Scoping meetings will be held during the 
week of April 30, 2012 at the following times and locations. The 
scoping meeting locations are accessible by transit and to persons with 
disabilities. Confirmed times and locations will also be published in 
local notices and on the project Web site.
    Elected Officials and Partners Meeting: Tuesday, April 24, 2012; 10 
a.m.-12 p.m. noon; Extraordinary Ventures Center, 200 S. Elliott Rd., 
Chapel Hill, NC 27514.
    Agency Meeting: Thursday, May 3, 2012; 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.; Durham 
Armory, 212 Foster St., Durham, NC 27701.
    Public Scoping Meetings: Wednesday May 2, 2012; 4 p.m.-7 p.m.; 
Extraordinary Ventures Center, 200 S. Elliott Rd., Chapel Hill, NC 
27514. Thursday, May 3, 2012; 4 p.m.-7 p.m.; Durham Armory, 212 Foster 
St., Durham, NC 27701.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of alternatives and impacts to 
be studied should be sent to the project team via one of the following 
methods: Mail to Durham-Orange LRT Project, P.O. Box 580, Morrisville, 
North Carolina 27560; fax to Durham-Orange LRT Project at 919.461.1415; 
or email to info@ourtransitfuture.com. Comments may also be offered at 
the public scoping meetings. The addresses for the public scoping 
meetings are included above. All meeting locations are accessible by 
transit and to persons with disabilities. The project team must be 
contacted by Wednesday, April 25, 2012 regarding special needs such as 
signing or translation service for languages other than Spanish. 
Spanish translation services will be provided at the public meetings. 
The times and locations for the public scoping meetings will also be 
provided through display advertisements in local newspapers; 
newsletters that will be mailed to persons on the project database that 
have expressed an interest in the project; email notifications; media 
releases that will be distributed to all print and electronic media 
serving the corridor; and posting of information on the project Web 
site.
    The Scoping Information Booklet is available on the project Web 
site at https://www.ourtransitfuture.org/index.php/projects/durham-orange/. The booklet is also available in hardcopy form by contacting 
the project team as indicated below.
    Additional scoping information or other project information may be 
requested by calling the project hotline at 1-800-816-7817, visiting 
the Web site at https://www.ourtransitfuture.org/index.php/projects/durham-orange/, or by mailing a request to Durham-Orange LRT Project, 
P.O. Box 580, Morrisville, North Carolina 27560.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Brian C. Smart, Environmental 
Protection Specialist, Federal Transit Administration, 230 Peachtree 
Street NW., Suite 800, Atlanta, GA 30303, telephone (404) 865-5607.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Scoping

    In accordance with Section 6002 of SAFETEA-LU, FTA and Triangle 
Transit invite comment on the scope of the EIS, specifically on the 
proposed project's purpose and need, the alternatives to be evaluated 
that may address the purpose and need, and the impacts of the 
alternatives considered. Specific suggestions related to additional 
alternatives are welcome and will be considered in the development of 
the scope of the EIS. Scoping comments may be made at the scoping 
meetings or in writing no later than Monday, June 18, 2012 (see DATES 
and ADDRESSES above).
    Scoping materials will be available at the meeting or in advance of 
the meeting by contacting the project team as indicated above. If you 
wish to be placed on the mailing list to receive further information as 
the project continues, contact the project team (see ADDRESSES above).
    The relationships between concurrent projects such as the NC 54/I-
40 Corridor Study and other projects will be considered in the EIS.
    Subsequent to the completion of the Scoping Summary document and 
prior to initiation of the DEIS, a concluding

[[Page 20095]]

stakeholders meeting will be held during which interested federal, 
state and local government agencies will collectively process all input 
and formally develop the final scope of the EIS.

II. Purpose and Need for the Proposed Project

    The purpose of the proposed premium high-capacity transit 
investment in the Durham-Orange Corridor is to provide a transit 
solution that addresses the following mobility and development needs:
     Need to enhance mobility: The Durham-Orange Corridor is 
forecast to absorb a significant share of the region's population and 
employment growth, which will translate into increased travel demand. 
By 2035, the corridor is projected to add about 74,000 people and 
81,000 jobs, which is expected to generate 255,000 additional daily 
trips, many of which will be made on local roadways. These trips will 
increase congestion during the highest AM and PM travel periods. 
Alternatives to the auto are needed to address the limited capacity of 
the roadway system to accommodate increased travel demand.
     Need to expand transit options between Durham and Chapel 
Hill: Most bus service in the Durham-Orange Corridor is concentrated in 
downtown Durham and downtown Chapel Hill. Transit connecting these 
urban centers and serving the residential areas and retail developments 
between them is limited to two Triangle Transit routes and the Duke 
University Robertson Scholars Express Bus. Currently, these buses 
operate in mixed traffic along increasingly congested roadways, have 
limited capacity, and are not competitive with the auto for most trips. 
Furthermore, the Study Area does not currently offer the type of high 
quality premium transit service that is an attractive alternative to 
driving, particularly under congested conditions.
     Need to serve population with high propensity for transit 
use: University students and employees, as well as transit-dependent 
populations, are a significant percentage of the population in the 
Durham-Orange Corridor. Expanding transit services and increasing 
access to each of the university campuses and medical centers, which 
offer pedestrian-friendly environments, limited parking, and free 
transit passes, will support increased mobility options for university 
students, employees and other patrons. Also, expanding reliable 
mobility options for lower income populations and transit users who may 
not be able to drive will enhance economic opportunities through 
improved access to major jobs centers along the corridor. Providing a 
transit option that supports the mobility of these groups satisfies an 
important need.
     Need to foster compact development: Local governments 
recognize the need to limit sprawl and manage growth within the Study 
Area. Durham City/County, Chapel Hill, and Orange County have developed 
plans and implementation strategies that call for more compact, 
walkable, higher density, mixed-use development within the corridor. 
However, the existing transit infrastructure throughout the corridor is 
not fully supportive of these land use plans and implementation 
strategies and cannot facilitate long-term economic development. A 
proposed fixed guideway transit investment can channel future growth, 
provide a superior transit option appropriate for high density 
development, and help local communities realize their future goals and 
objectives.

III. Study Area Description

    Located in both Durham and Orange counties, the Durham-Orange 
Corridor Study Area extends approximately 17 miles, beginning in 
southwest Chapel Hill and encompassing the UNC campus, downtown Chapel 
Hill, suburban areas along NC 54, US 15-501, NC 147 (Durham Freeway), 
I-40, Duke University, and downtown and east Durham.

IV. Alternatives Analysis and Results

    The Durham-Orange County Corridor Alternatives Analysis (AA) Report 
(available at https://www.ourtransitfuture.org/index.php/projects/durham-orange/d-o-maps-reports#aa) responds to Federal regulations for 
transit projects seeking New Starts funding (Title 49 United States 
Code [U.S.C.] 5309.) The Durham-Orange County Corridor AA considered a 
Transportation Systems Management (TSM) Alternative, Bus Rapid Transit 
(BRT) alternatives, and a light rail alternative. The BRT and light 
rail routes included alignments on new location and within the right-
of-way of existing roads, with a variety of station locations. All of 
the alternatives that were evaluated would run from the terminus at the 
UNC Hospitals eastwards to Fordham Boulevard, east along NC 54, north 
parallel to I-40 and then within the US 15-501corridor to Erwin Road. 
The corridor follows Erwin Road past Duke University and Medical Center 
and turns east parallel to NC 147 through downtown Durham and 
terminates at Alston Avenue in east Durham. These alternatives were 
evaluated based upon their ability to meet the project's purpose and 
need statement (stated above), and considering factors such as 
ridership and transportation operations, land use, expansion potential, 
economic development potential, public and agency support, 
environmental impacts, technical and financial feasibility and cost. 
Triangle Transit conducted the AA in coordination with the 
jurisdictions and agencies with interests in the corridor, including 
Durham and Orange counties, the Town of Chapel Hill, City of Durham, 
Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC 
MPO), and the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
    The AA concluded by identifying the most promising alternatives for 
further analysis. It identified LRT as the only mode that most fully 
satisfies the Purpose and Need for premium transit service in the 
Durham-Orange Corridor related to enhancing mobility, expanding transit 
options between Durham and Chapel Hill, serving populations with high 
propensity for transit use, and fostering compact development and 
economic growth. While an exclusive-running BRT Alternative has the 
potential to meet the project's purpose and need and is competitive in 
meeting most project goals, it does not perform as well as LRT in 
relation to supporting local and regional economic development, planned 
growth management initiatives, travel time savings, and cost 
effectiveness of expanding ridership capacity. Local and regional 
stakeholders place a high level of importance on economic development 
potential and focusing growth within the proposed transit corridor 
through transit-oriented development. The LRT Alternative has a high-
level of demonstrated public support and a proven record of producing 
local and regional economic development benefits by enhancing and 
focusing growth within LRT corridors. On February 8, 2012, the DCHC MPO 
Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) (MPO's policy board) 
unanimously adopted the LRT Alternative as the preliminary locally 
preferred alternative (LPA). The Alternatives Analysis findings are 
available on the project Web site at https://www.ourtransitfuture.org/index.php/projects/durham-orange.

IV. Potential EIS Alternatives

    The results of the AA have led FTA and Triangle Transit to consider 
for inclusion in the EIS the following range of alternatives, on which 
FTA and Triangle Transit request public and

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agency comments. The EIS will evaluate the following alternatives 
between the University of North Carolina (UNC) Hospitals and east 
Durham: A No-Build alternative; a Transportation System Management 
(TSM) alternative consisting of an enhanced bus network that provides a 
level of transit service and capacity roughly equivalent to that of a 
fixed-guideway transit service; and a Light Rail Transit (LRT) 
alternative consisting of a new fixed-guideway rail alignment and 
support facilities. Scoping will be accomplished through correspondence 
with interested persons, organizations, and federal, state, and local 
agencies, and through public and agency meetings. The FTA and Triangle 
Transit invite interested individuals, organizations, and federal, 
state and local agencies to participate in defining the alternatives to 
be evaluated and identifying any significant social, economic, and/or 
environmental issues related to the alternatives.

1. No-Build

    The No-Build alternative includes all highway and transit 
facilities identified in the fiscally constrained joint Durham-Chapel 
Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)--Capital Area 
MPO 2035 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), with the exception of 
the comprehensive system-wide rail transit network, part of which is 
the subject of this EIS. The No-Build alternative is used as a starting 
point to provide a comparison of all Build alternatives in terms of 
costs, benefits, and impacts.

2. Transportation System Management

    The TSM alternative is required for inclusion in the EIS by the FTA 
when federal funds are sought for capital improvements. The primary 
purpose of the TSM alternative is to develop an enhanced and robust bus 
network in the Durham-Orange Corridor that provides a level of transit 
service and capacity roughly equivalent to that of a fixed-guideway 
improvement. The intention is to compare the efficiency and cost-
effectiveness of a significant bus network in the corridor with fixed-
guideway improvements to determine the impact on transit ridership, 
travel time, and other measures. The backbone of the TSM alternative 
would be a new bus route operating between UNC Hospitals and east 
Durham, covering a distance of approximately 19 miles from Chapel Hill 
to Durham. Buses would operate at 10-minute headways in the peak 
periods and 20-minute headways in the off-peak periods. Travel time 
between the UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill and Alston Avenue in east 
Durham is estimated to be 57 minutes. The high-frequency bus route 
would closely follow that of the LRT alternative, as described below.

3. Light Rail Transit

    The LRT alternative would operate light rail transit vehicles 
between UNC Hospitals and east Durham, covering a distance of 
approximately 17.1 miles. The LRT would operate at 10-minute 
frequencies during peak hours and 20-minute frequencies during off-peak 
hours. LRT travel time is estimated to be 35 minutes between the UNC 
Hospitals Station in Chapel Hill and the Alston Avenue Station in east 
Durham. The alignment would be double-tracked throughout, with one 
track for each direction of travel. The alignment would primarily run 
at-grade in a dedicated right-of-way parallel to existing roadways, 
with elevated sections throughout to mitigate potential traffic impacts 
and/or impacts to environmental resources.

V. Probable Effects

    The EIS evaluation will analyze the social, economic, and 
environmental impacts of the alternatives. Major issues to be evaluated 
include air quality, noise and vibration, aesthetics, community 
cohesion impacts, potential natural resource impacts, and possible 
disruption of neighborhoods, businesses and commercial activities. The 
impact areas and level of detail addressed in the EIS will be 
consistent with the requirements of SAFETEA-LU Section 6002 and the 
FTA/Federal Highway Administration environmental regulation 
(Environmental Impact and Related Procedures, 23 CFR Part 771 and 40 
CFR Parts 1500-1508) and other environmental and related regulations. 
Among other factors, the EIS will evaluate the following:
     Transportation service including future corridor capacity.
     Transit ridership and costs.
     Traffic movements and changes, and associated impacts to 
local facilities.
     Community impacts such as land use, displacements, noise 
and vibration, neighborhood compatibility and aesthetics.
     Resource impacts including impacts to historic and 
archeological resources, parklands, cultural resource impacts, 
environmental justice, and natural resource impacts including air 
quality, wetlands, water quality, wildlife, and vegetation.
    The proposed impact assessment and evaluation will take into 
account both positive and negative impacts, direct and indirect 
impacts, short-term (during the construction period) and long-term 
impacts, and site-specific as well as corridor-wide and cumulative 
impacts. Mitigation measures will be considered for any significant 
environmental impacts identified. Other potential impacts may be added 
as a result of scoping and agency coordination efforts.

VI. FTA Procedures

    The EIS is being prepared in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, and implemented by 
the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR Parts 
1500 to 1508) and FHWA environmental impact regulations (49 CFR Part 
622, 23 CFR Part 771, and 23 CFR Part 774) and Section 6002 of the 
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act--A 
Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) of 2005. This EIS will also comply with 
requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act 
of 1966, as amended (36 CFR Part 800), Section 4(f) of the U.S. 
Department of Transportation Act of 1966 (23 CFR 771.135), the 1990 
Clean Air Act Amendments, Executive Order 12898 (Federal Actions to 
Address Environmental Justice in Minority and Low-Income Populations), 
Executive Order 11990 (Protection of Wetlands), the regulation 
implementing Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (50 CFR Part 402), 
and other applicable federal laws, rules, and regulations. This EIS 
will also satisfy local and state environmental review requirements.
    Regulations implementing NEPA, as well as provisions of SAFETEA-LU, 
call for enhanced agency and public involvement in the EIS process. An 
invitation to all Federal and non-Federal agencies and Native American 
tribes that may have an interest in the proposed project will be 
extended. In the event that an agency or tribe is not invited and would 
like to participate, please contact Brian Smart at the contact 
information listed above. The public coordination and outreach efforts 
will include public meetings, open houses, a project Web site, 
stakeholder advisory and work groups, and public hearings.
    The project sponsor may identify a locally preferred alternative in 
the DEIS when made available for public and agency comments. Public 
hearings on the DEIS will be held. On the basis of the DEIS and the 
public and agency comments received, the Project Sponsor will identify 
the locally preferred alternative in the FEIS. The FEIS will serve as 
the basis for federal and state environmental findings and

[[Page 20097]]

determinations needed to conclude the environmental review process.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, 
Highway Planning and Construction. The regulations implementing 
Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental consultation on 
Federal programs and activities apply to this program.)

    Issued on: March 27, 2012.
Yvette G. Taylor,
Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2012-7897 Filed 4-2-12; 8:45 am]
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