Federal Highway Administration 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Section 1114 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) (Pub. L. 109-59; 119 Stat. 1144) continued the highway bridge program to enable States to improve the condition of their highway bridges over waterways, other topographical barriers, other highways, and railroads. Section 1114(f) amends 23 U.S.C. 144 by adding subsection (r), requiring the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) to publish in the Federal Register a report describing construction materials used in new Federal-aid bridge construction and bridge rehabilitation projects.

The FHWA has forwarded the information collection request described in this notice to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to renew an information collection. We published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day public comment period on this information collection on May 18, 2006. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA and other Federal Agencies that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions relate to proposed highway and transit projects within the area known as the Eastern Corridor, which is a 165 square mile area in the Cincinnati metropolitan area that extends from the Cincinnati Central Business District and riverfront redevelopment area in Hamilton County, easterly to east of the I-275 outerbelt corridor in Clermont County, near the communities of Milford, Batavia, and Amelia, in the State of Ohio. The Federal actions, taken as a result of a tiered environmental review process under the National Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C. 4321-4351 (NEPA), and implementing regulations on tiering, 40 CFR 1502.20, 40 CFR 1508.28, and 23 CFR Part 771, determined certain issues relating to the proposed projects. Those Tier 1 decisions will be used by Federal agencies in subsequent proceedings, including decisions whether to grant licenses, permits, and approvals for highway and transit projects. Tier 1 decisions also may be relied upon by State and local agencies in proceedings on the proposed projects.

The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for a proposed highway project in Jefferson and St. Clair Counties, Alabama.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(1)(1). The actions relate to various proposed highway projects in the State of Texas. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the projects.

This proposal would modify the procedures for granting approvals under 23 U.S.C. 138 and 49 U.S.C. 303 (hereafter referred to as ``Section 4(f)'' \1\) in several ways. First, this proposal clarifies the factors to be considered and the standards to be applied when determining if an alternative for avoiding the use of Section 4(f) property is feasible and prudent. Second, this NPRM proposes to clarify the factors to be considered when selecting a project alternative in situations where all alternatives use Section 4(f) property and no feasible and prudent avoidance alternative exists. Third, this proposal would establish procedures for determining that the use of a Section 4(f) property has de minimis impacts. Fourth, the proposal updates the regulation to recognize statutory and common-sense exceptions for uses that advance Section 4(f)'s preservationist goals; as well as the option of conducting certain Section 4(f) evaluations on a programmatic basis. Fifth, this proposal would move the Section 4(f) regulations out of the agencies' National Environmental Policy Act regulations (23 CFR part 771, ``Environmental Impact and Related Procedures''), into a separate part of 23 CFR, with a reorganized structure that is easier to use.

This notice announces actions taken by FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions relate to a proposed highway project, Improvements to the U.S. Route 6/Route 10 Interchange in Providence County in the State of Rhode Island. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for a proposed highway project in Hamilton County, Ohio and Kenton County, Kentucky. This Notice of Intent is a follow-up to a notice published in the Federal Register on June 1, 2000 which advised the public that a Major Investment Study for the I-75 Corridor (completed in 2004) served as the formal scoping process for the preparation of one or more Environmental Assessments or EISs.

The FHWA has forwarded the information collection request described in this notice to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve a revision of a currently approved information collection. We published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day public comment period on this information collection on May 4, 2006. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(1)(1). The actions relate to a proposed highway project, Interstate 495 (i.e., Capital Beltway), I-95/ I-395/I-495 Interchange to the American Legion Bridge, in the County of Fairfax, State of Virginia. Those actions grant approvals for the project.

Pursuant to section 1404 (h) of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), the Secretary of Transportation is establishing a Safe Routes to School Task Force to study and develop a strategy for advancing safe routes to school programs nationwide. The FHWA Office of Safety will serve as sponsor of the Task Force for the Secretary. The purpose of this notice is to invite interested parties to submit comments to the FHWA on the strategy or issues that should be discussed by the Task Force, and the organizations and participants to be considered for representation on the Task Force.

The FHWA has forwarded the information collection request described in this notice to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval of a new information collection. We published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day public comment period on this information collection on November 21st, 2005. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new information collection, which is summarized below under Supplementary Information. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for a proposed combined highway and transit project on I-285 in Cobb, Fulton, and DeKalb Counties, Georgia.

This notice announces the availability of proposed guidance on the application of section 6002 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) (Pub. L. 109-59, 119 Stat. 1144) to projects funded by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), or both. Section 6002 of SAFETEA-LU adds requirements and refinements to the environmental review process for highway and public transportation capital projects. The proposed guidance describes how FTA and FHWA propose to implement the new requirements within the environmental review process required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other Federal laws. The FTA and FHWA request public comments on this proposed guidance.

The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new information collection, which is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. We are required to public this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA, USACE, and other Federal agencies that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions relate to a proposed highway project, the Intercounty Connector, I-270 to US 1 in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in the State of Maryland. Those actions grant licenses, permits and approvals for the project.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions relate to various proposed highway projects in the State of South Carolina. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the projects.

The FHWA is extending the comment period for a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) and request for comments, which was published on April 25, 2006, at 71 FR 23877. The original comment period is set to close on June 26, 2006. The extension is based on concern expressed by the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD) that the June 26 closing date does not provide sufficient time for discussion of the issues in committee and a subsequent comprehensive response to the docket. The FHWA recognizes that others interested in commenting may have similar time constraints and agrees that the comment period should be extended. Therefore, the closing date for comments is changed to July 21, 2006, which will provide the NCUTCD and others interested in commenting additional time to discuss, evaluate, and submit responses to the docket.

The FHWA and the FTA are jointly issuing this document which proposes the revision of regulations governing the development of metropolitan transportation plans and programs for urbanized areas, State transportation plans and programs and the regulations for Congestion Management Systems and invites public comment. This proposed revision results from the recent passage of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: a Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) (Pub. L. 109-59, August 10, 2005), which also incorporates changes initiated in its predecessor legislation, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) (Pub. L. 105-178, June 9, 1998) and generally would make the regulations consistent with current statutory requirements. Interested parties are invited to send comments regarding all facets of this proposal.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). These actions relate to a proposed highway project, State Route 46 Corridor Improvement Project between Kilo Posts 51.8 to 90.6 (Post Miles 32.2 to 56.3) in San Luis Obispo County, State of California. These actions grant approvals for the project.

The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new information collection, which is summarized below under Supplementary Information. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The FHWA is republishing this notice to advise the public that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for the proposed highway project along U.S. Highway (Highway) 101 in Humboldt County, in the Cities of Eureka and Arcata, and the unincorporated area between the two cities, California. The original Notice of Intent (NOI) was published in the Federal Register on August 31, 2001, (Volume 66, Number 170, Pages 46061 & 46062). The NOI is being republished due to project changes of adding roadway rehabilitation work and new alternatives to the proposed project.

The FHWA proposes to revise its regulations for design-build contracting as mandated by section 1503 of the ``Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users'' (SAFETEA-LU). The primary revision would involve a statutory requirement that FHWA not preclude State transportation departments or local transportation agencies from issuing request-for-proposal documents, awarding contracts, and issuing notices-to-proceed for preliminary design work prior to the conclusion of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. The FHWA also proposes to revise certain provisions in 23 CFR part 636 to facilitate the use of public-private partnerships.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions relate to a proposed highway project that relocates SR-73 from near Mitchell Road northwest of the City of Wilmington, to near Airborne Road east of the City of Wilmington, in Clinton County, Ohio. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.