Tier 2 Environmental Impact Statement: Morgan, Johnson and Marion Counties, Indiana

Richard J. Marquis
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
October 15, 2014

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 199 (Wednesday, October 15, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61926-61927]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-24453]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Tier 2 Environmental Impact Statement: Morgan, Johnson and Marion 
Counties, Indiana

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public about the 
resumption of environmental activities leading to a Tier 2 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Section 6 of I-
69, located in Morgan, Johnson and Marion Counties, Indiana, of the 
Evansville-to-Indianapolis Interstate 69 (I-69) highway. This Notice of 
Intent (NOI) updates the NOI published in the April 29, 2004 Federal 
Register. The purpose of this NOI is to advise that pursuant to the 
March 24, 2004 Tier 1 Record of Decision (ROD) for this project, a 
range of alternatives

[[Page 61927]]

will be evaluated which may include alternatives outside of the 
corridor selected in the Tier 1 ROD. All alternatives evaluated will 
connect Section 5 of I-69 in Martinsville with I-465 in Indianapolis.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Allen, Planning and 
Environmental Specialist, Federal Highway Administration, Indiana 
Division, 575 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, Room 254, Indianapolis, Indiana 
46204, Telephone (317) 226-7344 or Laura Hilden, Director of 
Environmental Services, Indiana Department of Transportation, 100 North 
Senate Avenue, Room N642, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Indiana 
Department of Transportation (INDOT), began in 2004 to prepare a Tier 2 
EIS on a proposal to build Section 6 of the Evansville-to-Indianapolis 
I-69 highway. Section 6 is located in Morgan, Johnson and Marion 
Counties, Indiana. The NOI for these activities was published in the 
Federal Register on April 29, 2004. The proposed action described in 
that NOI involved the construction of an interstate highway generally 
following State Route (SR) 37 from SR 39 south of Martinsville and 
proceeding north for approximately 25.9 miles to Interstate 465 in 
Indianapolis.
    I-69 (formerly known as Corridor 18) is a strategic, high priority 
highway serving the east-central United States. I-69 is planned to be a 
continuous north-south corridor linking Canada, the United States and 
Mexico. FHWA has identified 32 separate sections of independent utility 
(SIUs) for the national I-69 corridor. The Evansville-to-Indianapolis 
section of I-69 has been designated by FHWA as SIU 3.
    The FHWA approved the ROD on the Tier 1 Final EIS for the I-69 SIU 
3 on March 24, 2004. The purpose of the Tier 1 study was to resolve: 
(1) whether or not to complete I-69 in Southwestern Indiana; and if so, 
(2) the selection of a corridor for I-69 between Evansville and 
Indianapolis. The Tier 1 ROD identified six (6) Sections of Independent 
Utility that would be advanced to Tier 2 studies.
    Tier 2 NEPA studies have concluded in Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. 
Sections 1 through 3 (connecting Evansville, Oakland City, Washington, 
and Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center) are completed and open to 
traffic. Section 4 (connecting Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center and 
Bloomington) is under construction, and is expected to be open to 
traffic in 2015. Section 5 (connecting Bloomington and Martinsville) is 
under construction and major construction activities associated with 
Section 5 are anticipated to be complete by the end of 2016.
    The 2004 NOI for Section 6 stated that alternatives generally will 
be located within the corridor approved in the Tier 1 ROD. However, the 
Tier 1 ROD permitted alternatives outside the selected corridor to be 
considered when necessary to avoid significant impacts within the 
corridor while still connecting the Tier 2 termini designated in the 
Tier 1 ROD. Due to the potential for increased impacts and/or changed 
conditions, the resumed Tier 2 studies in Section 6 may consider 
alternatives outside the selected Tier 1 corridor. All alternatives 
considered will connect Section 5 of I-69 in Martinsville with I-465 in 
Indianapolis.
    Scoping coordination occurred with appropriate state and federal 
resource agencies at the outset of Tier 2 studies in Section 6. 
Opportunities also were afforded the public to participate in the 
scoping process. These scoping activities resulted in the 
identification of preliminary alternatives within the Section 6 
corridor between Martinsville and Indianapolis. When Section 6 studies 
resume, these preliminary alternatives will remain under consideration 
for the study.
    With the resumption of Section 6 studies, the appropriate federal 
and state resource agencies will be included in additional scoping 
activities. These scoping activities will identify additional 
alternatives connecting Section 5 in Martinsville with I-465 in 
Indianapolis. These alternatives may be outside the Tier 1 corridor for 
much or most of their length. The public will also have opportunities 
to comment during this scoping process and other stages throughout the 
development of the proposed project. A date for a scoping meeting for 
regulatory agencies to address Section 6 will be established at a later 
date. A public scoping meeting for this Tier 2 section will also be 
scheduled at a later date.
    Interchange location and preliminary design, access to abutting 
properties, and location of grade separations with intersecting roads 
will be determined in this Tier 2 EIS.
    The range of alternatives appropriate for the Section 6 Tier 2 EIS 
will be determined in consultation with resource agencies. 
Consideration of the No Build alternative will be included as a 
baseline for analysis, in accordance with applicable regulations.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
action is addressed and any significant impacts are identified, 
comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties.
    Comments or questions concerning this proposed action and this Tier 
2 EIS should be directed to the FHWA or the INDOT at the address 
provided above.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, 
Highway Planning and Construction. The regulations implementing 
Executive Order 12732 regarding intergovernmental consultation on 
Federal programs and activities apply to this program.

    Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315; 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on: October 7, 2014.
Richard J. Marquis,
Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Indianapolis, 
Indiana.
[FR Doc. 2014-24453 Filed 10-14-14; 8:45 am]
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