Federal Highway Administration August 6, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The purpose of this NOI is to update the notice issued in the Federal Register, Vol. 71, No. 112, Monday, June 12, 2006, Notices. The FHWA and WisDOT are updating this notice to advise the public that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is continuing to be prepared for proposed transportation improvements on the United States Highway (US) 51 corridor in the Madison Urban Area, Dane County, Wisconsin. The general location is between U.S. 12/18 (Madison South Beltline Highway) and Wisconsin State Highway (WIS) 19. The EIS is being prepared in conformance with 40 CFR 1500 and FHWA regulations. The NOI is being updated to reflect the current status of the environmental study, changes in contact information, and significant coordination efforts etc that have been completed since the revised NOI was issued in June 2006. The project was placed on ``Hold'' by the WisDOT in the Summer of 2010 because it was determined the type and cost of the improvements being considered met the revised definition of a WisDOT ``Major Project'' requiring approval by the Wisconsin Legislature's Transportation Projects Commission (TPC). In November 2011, the TPC approved the EIS study for the project as part of WisDOT's Majors Program, and efforts to continue with the EIS study were initiated in April 2012. The Project limits, Purpose & Need, and Range of Alternatives being evaluated have not changed