Environmental Impact Statement; Suffolk County, New York

Jonathan D. McDade
Federal Highway Administration
October 7, 2014

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 194 (Tuesday, October 7, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 60574]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-23881]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement; Suffolk County, New York

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Revised notice of intent (NOI).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that the 
NOI to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed 
construction project for the reconstruction of NY 112 from the Long 
Island Expressway, I-495 North Service Road to NY 25 in Suffolk County, 
New York is being rescinded. On December 19, 2002, the FHWA issued an 
NOI to advise the public that an EIS would be prepared for a proposed 
construction project for the Reconstruction of NY Route 112, from I-495 
to Skips Road (Mill Road Connector), Suffolk County, New York (67 FR 
77823).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: New York State Department of 
Transportation, State Building, 250 Veterans Memorial Highway, 
Hauppauge, New York 11788, Telephone: (631) 952-6632; or Jonathan D. 
McDade, Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, New 
York Division, Leo W. O'Brien Federal Building, Suite 719, 11A Clinton 
Avenue, Albany, New York 12207, Telephone: (518) 431-4127.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the New York 
State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) intended to prepare an EIS 
on the proposal to improve safety and traffic flow on NY 112 from I-495 
to Skips Road. The scope of the project was to move the public through 
this area of the NY 112 corridor as safely and efficiently as possible. 
It is proposed to terminate the EIS for the following reasons:
     NYSDOT has delayed this project due to competing 
priorities and the inability to make a financial commitment to the 2012 
estimated construction cost of $76M excluding the costs of right-of-
way, construction inspection, and design.
     NYSDOT has implemented a system-wide preservation first 
strategy that will continue to impact the implementation of larger 
capital intensive projects such as the proposed reconstruction of NY112
     NYSDOT's adoption of both Smart Growth and Complete 
Streets makes the consideration of a significant capacity expansion of 
NY112 problematic in this area
     Since the original public hearing, the dedication of the 
450 acre Overton Preserve (adjacent to NY 112) further precludes any 
substantial widening of NY 112 at the northerly end the project
     Studies performed to date indicate that a lower cost 
roadway section, not as wide as initially proposed, with resultant 
reduced environmental impact would produce an acceptable Level of 
Service throughout the corridor
     Reportable accidents have declined and continue to 
demonstrate a downward trend, further supporting the termination of the 
proposal to construct a four lane roadway section with continuous left 
turn lane or raised median as proposed in the draft EIS.
    Termination of this EIS will enable NYSDOT to undertake smaller 
scoped transportation projects in the existing NY 112 corridor to 
address current transportation needs.

Jonathan D. McDade,
Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Albany, New 
York.
[FR Doc. 2014-23881 Filed 10-6-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P