Environmental Impact Statement: St. Clair and Madison Counties, IL

James C. Partlow
Federal Highway Administration
2 June 1994

[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 105 (Thursday, June 2, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-13338]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 2, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration

 

Environmental Impact Statement: St. Clair and Madison Counties, 
IL

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 that an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for the 
construction of a Mississippi River crossing, which would add capacity 
and divert traffic from the Poplar Street Bridge between Missouri and 
Illinois. The proposed project study area will extend from the McKinley 
Bridge on the north to Illinois Route 157, or Cherokee Street in St. 
Louis, on the south.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. James C. Partlow, Design 
Operations Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, Illinois Division, 
3250 Executive Park Drive, Springfield, Illinois 62703, Telephone: 
(217) 492-4622; Mr. Dale L. Klohr, District Engineer, Illinois 
Department of Transportation (IDOT), 1100 Eastport Plaza Drive, 
Collinsville, Illinois 62234, Telephone: (618) 346-3110.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action is to construct a new 
crossing of the Mississippi River at downtown St. Louis. The proposed 
project study area will extend from the McKinley Bridge on the north to 
Illinois Route 157, or Cherokee Street in St. Louis, on the south.
    The need for a new Mississippi River crossing is based on the 
transportation demands, safety considerations and the opportunity for 
economic enhancement in the greater downtown St. Louis and East St. 
Louis area. The Poplar Street Bridge, which presently caries 128,000 
vehicles per day, is operating over capacity in the peak periods, 
resulting in delays and congestion. By the year 2020, this condition 
will deteriorate and affect all of the other existing crossings.
    Consideration of facility type to this point has been focused on a 
freeway to freeway bridge with two possible alternates identified 
within the study area. Because this project qualifies as a major 
metropolitan transportation investment, the St. Louis Metropolitan 
Planning Organization (East-West Gateway Coordinating Council) and the 
Illinois Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway 
Administration and the Federal Transit Authority are currently applying 
major transportation analysis procedures to determine other alternate 
modes which may be considered.
    In addition to the major investment analysis, an informal scoping 
process will be undertaken as part of this project. The process will 
include meetings, review sessions as appropriate, and discussions at 
regularly scheduled meetings. Participants will include the East-West 
Gateway Coordinating Council, the Missouri Highway and Transportation 
Department and other Federal, State and local agencies. Further details 
and a scoping information packet may be obtained from one of the 
contact persons listed above.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to the proposed 
action are addressed and all significant issues identified, comments 
and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Comments or 
questions concerning this proposed action and the EIS should be 
directed to FHWA or IDOT contact persons at the addresses provided 
above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, 
Highway Research, Planning, and Construction. The regulations 
implementing Executive Order 12372 intergovernmental consultation on 
Federal programs and activities apply to this program.)

    Issued on April 28, 1994.
James C. Partlow,
Design Operations Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, Illinois 
Division, Springfield, Illinois.
[FR Doc. 94-13338 Filed 6-1-94; 8:45 am]
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