Rescinding the Notice of Intent for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Renee Sigel
Federal Highway Administration
July 10, 2014

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 132 (Thursday, July 10, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 39457]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-16136]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Rescinding the Notice of Intent for an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS): Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Rescind Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS.

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SUMMARY: This notice rescinds the Notice of Intent for preparing an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed highway in 
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The project study area includes PA 23 
Sub corridor in Earl Township, East Earl Township, East Lamepeter 
Township, Manheim Township, Upper Leacock Township, and New Holland 
Borough, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The original Notice of Intent 
for this EIS process was published in the Federal Register on September 
22, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Walston, Transportation Planning 
Specialist, Federal Highway Administration, Pennsylvania Division, 228 
Walnut Street, Room 508, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17101-1720, 
Telephone: (717) 221-2290 (email: Christopher.Walston@dot.gov), or Mark 
Malhenzie, Senior Project Manager, District 8 Highway Design Unit, 
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, 2140 Herr Street, 
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17101-1720, Telephone: 717-783-5080 (email: 
mmalhenzie@pa.gov.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 
cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation 
(PennDOT) and the Lancaster County Planning Commission initiated an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) with a Notice of Intent, September 
22, 1999, to identify and evaluate alternatives to address 
transportation problems within the PA 23 Sub corridor. The proposed 
project would involve improvements to transportation conditions in the 
PA 23 Sub corridor from the PA 23/U.S. Route 30 interchange on the west 
to U.S. route 322 on the east. Notices of Intent concerning this 
proposal were previously published in the Federal Register on February 
27, 1987, to advise the public that an EIS would be prepared to 
identify and evaluate alternatives to provide a viable means of 
relieving traffic congestion on PA 23 and U.S. Route 30 in Lancaster 
County. Public concerns redirected the scope of the project and a 
revised Notice of Intent was published on June 16, 1988. The intent of 
the second Notice was to advise the public that separate EIS's would be 
prepared to identify and evaluate alternatives to relieve traffic 
congestion on PA 23 and U.S. Route 30 independently.
    In 1997, the Lancaster County Transportation Coordinating Committee 
(Lancaster County MPO) was the lead agency for the PA 23 Corridor Major 
Investment Study (MIS), consistent with the requirements of the 
Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. The PA 23 
Corridor Study MIS gathered various types of data which resulted in the 
identification of transportation needs and led to the development of 
alternatives. Typical areas of concern identified by various members of 
the public and resource agencies during the MIS studies included, but 
were not limited to, the following: socioeconomic and land use impacts; 
the unique social sub-groups; effects on cultural, and natural 
resources; agricultural preservation; roadway safety; business-
industry; tourism; and economic stability.
    The PA 23 Corridor Study MIS demonstrated present and future 
transportation problems in the PA 23 Sub corridor from U.S. Route 30 to 
the U.S. route 322 intersection east of New Holland, a distance of 
approximately 21.5 km (13.4 miles). Transportation needs in the PA 23 
Sub corridor included congestion, decreasing levels of service, traffic 
diversion from PA 23 to local roads, and a mix of motorized and non-
motorized means of travel. Improvements to the corridor were considered 
necessary to provide for the existing and projected transportation 
demands.
    A range of transportation alternatives, including No-Build, 
Transportation Systems Management (TSM), Traffic Control Measures 
(TCM), and Travel Demand Management (TDM), Transit Widening and 
Relocation alternatives were developed consistently with land use 
strategies to address the identified transportation needs. The 
developments of alternatives were based on traffic demands, engineering 
requirements, environmental and socioeconomic constraints, the 
country's growth management plan, and public input. Public involvement 
and inter-agency coordination were maintained throughout the 
development of the EIS.
    Due to funding constraints the Notice of Intent is rescinded.

    Issued on: June 30, 2014.
Renee Sigel,
Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014-16136 Filed 7-9-14; 8:45 am]
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