Federal Highway Administration – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions relate to the improvements on U.S. Highway 12 from I-90/94 to Terrytown Road in Sauk County, Wisconsin. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is issuing this notice to advise the public of the availability of a Partially Revised Draft Tier 1 EIS for the Placer Parkway Corridor Preservation Project, a proposed transportation corridor in western Placer and eastern Sutter Counties, California. Specifically, the action being considered and evaluated is to select and preserve a 500- to 1,000-foot-wide corridor in the project study area, within which the future four- or six-lane Placer Parkway may be constructed. Placer Parkway is intended to reduce anticipated congestion on both the local and regional transportation system and to advance economic development goals in south Sutter County and southwestern Placer County. Five corridor build alternatives and a no-build alternative are evaluated in the Draft Tier 1 EIS. Although the Parkway would be designed and construction-level impacts analyzed during Tier 2, for the purpose of the Draft Tier 1 EIS, several assumptions have been made about potential design and configuration concepts. These assumptions would be subject to further development and refinement, and specific decisions about design of the roadway would be made during the Tier 2 process. The Parkway would be a high-speed, limited access roadway. Conceptually, interchanges would be located at SR 70/99 (at one-half mile north of Riego Road or at Sankey Road), one or two locations to be determined in southern Sutter County, Fiddyment Road, Foothills Boulevard, and SR 65 at Whitney Ranch Parkway. Access would be restricted for the 7-mile segment between Pleasant Grove Road and Fiddyment Road. The Draft Tier 1 EIS assumes no interchanges in this segment. Revisions to the Draft Tier 1 EIS and Additional Analyses in the Partially Revised Draft Tier 1 EIS: The Partially Revised Draft Tier 1 EIS serves as a supplement to the Draft Tier 1 EIS issued in June 2007, to reflect additional analyses developed since the publication of the prior draft. The Partially Revised Draft Tier 1 EIS provides revisions to the Draft Tier 1 EIS, including updates to farmland classification data and greenhouse gas emissions. It also includes additional analyses of growth inducement, secondary and indirect impacts and cumulative impacts based on hypothetical future scenarios prepared for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Public Review and Comment Period: Comments regarding the Partially Revised Draft Tier 1 EIS shall be accepted beginning on January 30, 2009 and must be submitted in writing by 5 p.m. on March 15, 2009 to Placer County Transportation Planning Agency (PCTPA) via regular mail to PCTPA, Attention: Celia McAdam, Executive Director, 299 Nevada St., Auburn, California 95603, or via e-mail to pctpa@pctpa.net.

The FHWA, on behalf of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), is issuing this notice to advise the public that a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for the proposed New State Route 138 project in Los Angeles County, California.

This notice provides information regarding the FHWA's finding that Buy America waivers are appropriate for certain steel products used in Federal-aid construction projects in New Jersey, NY, Massachusetts, and Florida.

The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that we are rescinding the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for improvements that were proposed to the transportation system in Lawrence, Christian, and Greene Counties, Missouri.

Section 1604(b)(7) of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) (Pub. L. 109-59; Aug. 10, 2005), authorizes the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) to develop and publish performance goals for each express lane project accepted under the Express Lanes Demonstration Program. This notice lists the Performance Goals, Monitoring and Reporting Program requirements for the I-635 (the LBJ Freeway) project in Dallas and North Tarrant Express project in Ft. Worth in the State of Texas.

The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public and other agencies that a tiered environmental impact statement will be prepared for a proposed transportation corridor in Sandoval County and Bernalillo County, New Mexico. The objective of the tiered EIS is to evaluate right-of-way preservation for the proposed corridor.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions relate to the proposed Layton Interchange project in Davis County in the State of Utah. Those actions grant approvals for the highway project.

Section 1201 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) requires the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) to establish a Real-Time System Management Information Program that provides, in all States, the capability to monitor, in real-time, the traffic and travel conditions of the major highways of the United States and to share that data with State and local governments and with the traveling public. This proposed rule would establish minimum parameters and requirements for States to make available and share traffic and travel conditions information via real-time information programs.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is issuing this revised notice to advise the public, affected Tribal nations, and agencies that an environmental impact statement (EIS) will be prepared for a proposal to expedite construction of pontoons needed to replace the floating section of the SR 520 Evergreen Point Bridge in the event of a catastrophic failure.

Pursuant to section 658.11(e) of title 23, Code of Federal Regulations, the Washington, DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) has requested approval of a plan to temporarily close segments of the Interstate to all traffic except motor coaches and busesI-395 (from the 14th Street Bridge to New York Avenue), I-695 (from the 3rd Street Tunnel to the 11th Street Bridges), and I-295 (from I-695 to DC-295) on January 20, 2009, beginning at 12 a.m., for one consecutive 24-hour period, because of the Presidential Inauguration. I-395 would be closed to general purpose traffic at New York Avenue up to the 14th Street Bridge. I-695 would be closed to general purpose traffic at the 11th Street Bridges. I-295 would be closed to general purpose traffic at Pennsylvania Avenue. The request has been made for the purposes of safety and security in and around the Capitol Building as well as for the critically needed space to park a portion of the expected 10,000 buses bringing people into the Washington area on January 20th. 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 DDOT 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. Under title 23 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 658.11 (Additions, deletions, exceptions, and restrictions), the FHWA can grant the closing 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 is issuing this notice to advise the public of the availability of the Final Section 4(f) Evaluation for the proposed roadway improvements proposed in conjunction with the consolidation of the Department of Homeland Security Headquarters at St. Elizabeths in Southeast Washington, DC in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 303.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is issuing this notice to advise the public that the Notice of Intent published on November 7, 2002, at 67 FR 67893, to prepare a Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed North Second Street Connector in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, is being rescinded.

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 the proposed I-405, SR 169 to I-90, Renton to Bellevue Project (the Project) located in Renton, Newcastle, Bellevue and King County in the State of Washington. These actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the Project.

The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval to renew two information collections, which are summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. We published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day public comment period on this information collection on October 30, 2008. 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 USACE that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C.139(l)(1). The actions relate to a proposed highway project, I-15 Corridor, from the South Payson Interchange in Utah County, to the 12300 South Interchange in Salt Lake County, State of Utah. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

This notice clarifies the role of the DVD contained in the back cover of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Detroit River International Crossing Study (DRIC). The back cover of the FEIS contains a DVD that is not part of the FEIS and should be disregarded. It has no role in FHWA's NEPA process; and has not and will not be used in FHWA's decision-making process. This action is pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., as amended and the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508).

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions relate to the proposed Mountain View Corridor project in Salt Lake and Utah Counties in the State of Utah. Those actions grant approvals for the project. The project includes both highway and transit components. FHWA has approval authority over the highway components of the project.

This notice announces the availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Section 4(f) Evaluation for the Detroit River International Crossing Study (DRIC). This action is pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., as amended and the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508). The FEIS identifies the Preferred Alternative for a new border crossing between Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario; describes the environmental impacts of the proposed project and proposed mitigation; and addresses comments received on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Section 4(f) Evaluation issued in February 2008.

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 Texas. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the projects.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is issuing this revised notice to advise the public that FHWA will not be preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed relocation of railroad lines in Knox County, Indiana and Lawrence County, Illinois. A ``Notice of Intent'' to prepare an EIS was published in the Federal Register on March 16, 2007.

The FHWA is revising its regulations to address safety concerns raised by the firefighting community regarding high-visibility safety apparel. Due to imminent safety implications to firefighters, the FHWA has determined that there is good cause under the Administrative Procedure Act to dispense with notice and opportunity for comment as it would be contrary to the public interest. Therefore, we are issuing an Interim Final Rule, effective immediately, pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act, and revising FHWA regulations accordingly.

The FHWA is soliciting comments concerning the creation of a regulation establishing National Tunnel Inspection Standards (NTIS). The FHWA is considering the establishment of NTIS by adding Subpart E to 23 CFR Part 650. The NTIS would set minimum tunnel inspection standards that apply to all Federal-aid highway tunnels on public roads. The FHWA anticipates that NTIS could be modeled after the existing National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) regulation, found at 23 CFR Part 650, Subpart C, as applicable. The NTIS likely would include requirements for inspection procedures for structural, mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and ventilation systems, and other major elements specific to tunnels such as tunnel finishes; the qualification and training of inspectors; and a National Tunnel Inventory.

The FHWA is re-opening the comment period for the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) and request for comments, which was published on October 8, 2008, at 73 FR 58908. That NPRM proposes to amend existing regulations to clarify that fair market value must be negotiated for and received under a concession agreement, and to amend the design-build regulations to allow contracting agencies to incorporate unsuccessful proposers' ideas into a contract upon payment of a stipend. The original comment period closed on November 7, 2008. The extension is based on the FHWA's desire to receive the fullest and most comprehensive comments possible from the broadest group of stakeholders. During the comment period, the FHWA received requests for additional time to analyze and submit comments regarding the rulemaking. The FHWA recognizes that those interested in commenting on this important program may not have had the opportunity to provide comments and that the comment period should be reopened. Therefore, the comment period is being reopened until November 21, 2008, which will provide those interested in commenting additional time to discuss, evaluate, and submit responses to the docket.

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 the proposed South Stockton Six-Lane Project on State Route 99 beginning at the Arch Road Interchange at post mile 15.0 to the State Route 4 (Crosstown Freeway) Interchange at post mile 18.6 located in the eastern edge of the city of Stockton, in San Joaquin County, State of California. Those actions grant approvals for the project.