Federal Highway Administration 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FHWA, as the Federal Lead Agency, and the ADOT, as the Local Project Sponsor, are issuing this notice to advise the public of our intention to prepare a Tier 1 EIS for the Sonoran Corridor between I-19 and I-10 south of the Tucson International Airport in Pima County, Arizona. The Tier 1 EIS will assess the potential social, economic, and natural environmental impacts of a transportation facility in the designated Sonoran Corridor across a reasonable range of corridor alternatives, including a ``No Build'' alternative. The Tier 1 EIS will be prepared in accordance with regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and provisions of Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act).

This notice announces actions taken by FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final within the meaning of Section 1308 of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act. The actions relate to the conversion of existing Elkhorn Avenue, Moraine Avenue, and Riverside Drive roadways from two-way to a 0.9 mile one-way loop through downtown Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. These improvements consist of ``Phase 1'' of the proposed action analyzed in the 2016 Environmental Assessment for the Downtown Estes Loop Project. Phase 1 includes pavement rehabilitation on Elkhorn and Moraine Avenues, realignment and reconstruction of Riverside Drive and reconstruction of the Ivy Street Bridge. Those actions grant approvals for the project.

This notice announces a meeting of the Emergency Route Working Group (ERWG). The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that notice of such meetings be published in the Federal Register.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA that are final. The action relates to the Federal Way Link Extension Project, King County, WA. Project sponsor: Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (Sound Transit). Project description: The project alternative, selected by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Federal Lead Agency, in its March 6, 2017, Record of Decision, would extend the Sound Transit Link light rail system by 7.8 miles from Angle Lake Station in SeaTac south through Des Moines and Kent, terminating in Federal Way. The route would travel along the west side of Interstate 5 and would include stations at Kent/Des Moines near Highline College, South 272nd Street, and the Federal Way Transit Center. The action by FHWA, a Cooperating Agency on this project, is the March 9, 2017, approval of a NEPA Record of Decision for the FHWA approvals required for this project. The FTA, the Federal Lead Agency, issued a Notice of Limitation on Claims for their actions on this project on March 22, 2017.

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 actions relate to a proposed highway project that would widen approximately four miles of Interstate 64 from approximately Exit 200 to approximately Exit 205. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

The FHWA is announcing the extension of the deadline for nomination applications for the Motorcyclist Advisory Council (MAC) until April 15, 2017.

FHWA, on behalf of TxDOT, is issuing this notice to advise the public that an EIS will be prepared for a proposed transportation project to construct State Highway (SH) 190, from Interstate Highway (IH) 30 to IH 20, within southeast Dallas County.

The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) established the permanent Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program that allows a State to assume FHWA's environmental responsibilities for review, consultation, and compliance for Federal highway projects. When a State assumes these Federal responsibilities, the State becomes solely liable for carrying out the responsibilities it has assumed, in lieu of FHWA. This program mandates annual audits during each of the first 4 years of State participation to ensure compliance by each State participating in the Program. This notice announces and solicits comments on the first audit report for the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT).

The FHWA, on behalf of Caltrans, is issuing this notice to announce actions taken by Caltrans, that are final within the meaning of Section 1308 of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act. The actions relate to a proposed highway project, State Route 79, from South of Domenigoni Parkway to Gilman Springs Road (post mile R15.78 to post mile R33.80, in the Cities of Hemet and San Jacinto and unincorporated Riverside County, in the County of Riverside, State of California. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was published in the Federal Register Vol. 80 No. 184, Sept. 23, 2015 for a proposed freeway corridor improvement project on Interstate (I)-39/90/94 from the United States Highway (US) 12/18 interchange to the I-39/Wisconsin State Highway (WIS) 78 interchange in Dane and Columbia counties in south-central Wisconsin. The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that FHWA and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) will no longer prepare a Tier 1 EIS in this corridor due to recent and on-going reprioritization of major transportation projects.

The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an environmental impact statement will not be prepared for a proposed transportation project in Alton and Godfrey, Illinois in an area bounded roughly by IL Route 3 on the south; Seminary Road on the east; Seiler Road on the north and US 67 on the west.

The FHWA is announcing the extension of the deadline for nomination applications for the Motorcyclist Advisory Council (MAC) until March 23, 2017.

This notice announces actions taken by TxDOT and Federal agencies that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried-out by TxDOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated December 16, 2014 and executed by FHWA and TxDOT. The actions relate to a proposed highway project, State Highway 99 (Grand Parkway) Segment B, from SH 288 to IH 45 South, in Brazoria and Galveston Counties in the State of Texas. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project. Under MAP-21 section 1319, TxDOT has issued a separate Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Record of Decision (ROD) for this action.

The FHWA, on behalf of Caltrans, is issuing this notice to announce actions taken by Caltrans, that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions relate to a proposed highway project, on State Route 29, in the County of Lake, State of California. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

In accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2017, from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled ``Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,'' published in the Federal Register on January 24, 2017, the Department delays the effective dates of the following regulations until March 21, 2017: National Performance Management Measures; Assessing Pavement Condition for the National Highway Performance program and Bridge Condition for the National Highway Performance Program, RIN 2125-AF53; and National Performance Management measures; Assessing Performance of the National Highway System, Freight Movement on the Interstate System, and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program, RIN 2125-AF54.

The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that the Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS for the proposed Lone Star Rail transportation project to construct and operate a regional passenger rail service system along the IH-35 corridor connecting the greater Austin and San Antonio metropolitan areas is rescinded. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will no longer prepare an EIS for the Lone Star Rail Project.

The purpose of this final rule is to establish measures for State departments of transportation (State DOT) to use to carry out the National Highway Performance Program (NHPP) and to assess the condition of the following: Pavements on the National Highway System (NHS) (excluding the Interstate System), bridges carrying the NHS which includes on- and off-ramps connected to the NHS, and pavements on the Interstate System. The NHPP is a core Federal-aid highway program that provides support for the condition and performance of the NHS and the construction of new facilities on the NHS. The NHPP also ensures that investments of Federal-aid funds in highway construction are directed to support progress toward the achievement of performance targets established in a State's asset management plan for the NHS. This final rule establishes regulations for the new performance aspects of the NHPP that address measures, targets, and reporting. The FHWA is in the process of creating a new public Web site to help communicate the national performance story. The Web site will likely include infographics, tables, charts, and descriptions of the performance data that State DOTs report to FHWA. The FHWA issues this final rule based on sec. 1203 of MAP-21, which identifies national transportation goals and requires the Secretary to promulgate rules to establish performance measures and standards in specified Federal-aid highway program areas.

The FHWA, on behalf of Caltrans, is issuing this notice to announce actions taken by Caltrans, USFWS and USACE, that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions relate to a proposed highway project, United States (US) 101/State Route (SR) 84 interchange in the City of Redwood City, along 1.9 miles on US 101 and 0.4 mile on SR 84 in the County of San Mateo, State of California. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The action relates to a the proposed construction of a new highway between Huntley Road and Illinois Route 62 and a new bridge crossing over the Fox River in Kane County. The Federal action, taken as a result of an Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact under the National Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C. 4321-4351 (NEPA) and 23 CFR part 771 determined certain issues relating to the proposed project. This decision will be used by Federal agencies in subsequent proceedings, including decisions whether to grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the proposed highway project. The decision also may be relied upon by State and local agencies in proceedings on the proposed project.

The FHWA announces the establishment of the Motorcyclist Advisory Council (MAC) for a 2-year period. The MAC will coordinate with and advise the FHWA Administrator on infrastructure issues of concern to motorcyclists, including: (1) Barrier design; (2) road design, construction, and maintenance practices; and (3) the architecture and implementation of intelligent transportation system technologies. The FHWA seeks member nominations for the MAC.