2013 Temporary Closure of I-395 Just South of Conway Street in the City of Baltimore to Vehicular Traffic To Accommodate the Construction and Operation of the Baltimore Grand Prix

Topics:  Interstate Highway System, Grand Prix of Baltimore

Victor M. Mendez
Federal Highway Administration
August 22, 2013

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 163 (Thursday, August 22, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52231-52232]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-20496]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2013-0015]


2013 Temporary Closure of I-395 Just South of Conway Street in 
the City of Baltimore to Vehicular Traffic To Accommodate the 
Construction and Operation of the Baltimore Grand Prix

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Final notice.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA has approved a request from the Maryland 
Transportation Authority (MDTA) to temporarily close a portion of I-395 
(just south of Conway Street in Baltimore City) from approximately 7 
p.m. on Wednesday, August 28, 2013, until approximately 6 a.m. on 
Tuesday, September 3, 2013. The closure is requested to accommodate the 
construction and operation of the Baltimore Grand Prix (BGP), which 
will use the streets of downtown Baltimore as a race course.
    The approval is granted in accordance with the provisions of 23 CFR 
658.11 which authorizes the deletion of segments of the federally 
designated routes that make up the National Network designated in 
Appendix A of 23 CFR Part 658. The FHWA published a Notice and Request 
for Comment on May 13, 2013, seeking comments from the general public 
on this request submitted by the MDTA for a deletion in accordance with 
23 CFR 658.11(d). No comments were received.

DATES: Effective Date(s): This Notice is effective immediately.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Crystal Jones, Office of Freight 
Management and Operations, Office of Operations, (202) 366-2976, Mr. 
Bill Winne, Office of the Chief Counsel, (202) 366-0791, Federal 
Highway Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 
20590, and Mr. Gregory Murrill, FHWA Division Administrator--DELMAR 
Division, (410) 962-4440. Office hours for the FHWA are from 8:00 a.m. 
to 4:30 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access and Filing

    You may retrieve a copy of the Notice and Request for Comment, 
comments submitted to the docket, and a copy of this final notice 
through the Federal eRulemaking portal at: http://www.regulations.gov. 
The Web site is available 24 hours each day, every day of the year. 
Electronic submission and retrieval help and guidelines are available 
under the help section of the Web site.
    An electronic copy of this document may also be downloaded from 
Office of the Federal Register's home page at: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register and the Government Printing Office's Web page at: 
http://www.gpoaccess.gov.

Background

    The MDTA submitted a request to the FHWA for approval of the 
temporary closure of I-395 just south of Conway Street in the city of 
Baltimore from the period beginning Wednesday, August 28, at 
approximately 7 p.m. through Tuesday, September 3, at around 6 a.m., 
encompassing the Labor Day holiday. This closure will be undertaken in 
support of the BGP which will use the streets of downtown Baltimore as 
a race course. The MDTA is the owner and operator of I-395 and I-95 
within the city of Baltimore.
    The FHWA is responsible for enforcing the Federal regulations 
applicable to 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, as amended, 
designated in accordance with 23 CFR Part 658 and listed in Appendix A. 
In accordance with 23 CFR 658.11, the FHWA may approve deletions or 
restrictions of the Interstate system or other National Network route 
based upon specified justification criteria in section 658.11(d)(2). 
Requests for deletions are published in the Federal Register for notice 
and comment.

Notice and Request for Comment

    The FHWA published a Notice and Request for Comment on May 13, 
seeking comments from the general public on this request submitted by 
the MDTA for a deletion in accordance with 23 CFR 658.11(d). The 
comment period closed on June 12. No comments were received.
    The FHWA sought comments on this request for temporary deletion 
from the National Network in accordance with 23 CFR 658.11(d). 
Specifically, the request is for approval of the temporary closure of 
I-395 just south of Conway Street in the city of Baltimore from the 
period beginning Wednesday August 28, at approximately 7 p.m. through 
Tuesday, September 3, at around 6 a.m., encompassing the Labor Day 
holiday. This closure will be undertaken in support of the BGP which 
will use the streets of downtown Baltimore as a race course. The 2013 
event is expected to attract 160,000 spectators over a 3-4 day period, 
not including the event organizer workforce and volunteers, the racing 
organizations and their respective personnel, or media and vendors. 
Event planners expect spectators from within a 400-mile radius of the 
city, with a large portion traveling the I-95 corridor. It is 
anticipated that the attendance for the peak day (Sunday) will reach 
70,000 people with most arriving by private vehicle.
    The construction and operation of the race course will create 
safety concerns by obstructing access from the I-395 northern terminus 
to the local street system including Howard Street, Conway Street, and 
Lee Street. However, an existing connection from I-395 to Martin Luther 
King, Jr. Boulevard will remain open throughout the event. In addition, 
access to and from I-95 into and out of the city along alternative 
access routes, including US 1, US 40, Russell Street, and Washington 
Boulevard will be maintained. The BGP and the city plan to update the 
2012 signing plan to inform and guide motorists to, through, and around 
the impacted downtown area. The statewide transportation operations 
system, the Coordinated Highways Action Response Team, will provide 
real-time traffic information to motorists through dynamic message 
signs and highway advisory radio. The MDTA states that the temporary 
closure of this segment of I-395 to general traffic should have no 
impact on Interstate commerce. I-95, the main north-south Interstate 
route in the region, will remain open during the time period of the 
event. There are five additional I-95 interchanges, just to the north 
or south of I-395, with connections to the local street system 
including the arterials servicing the city's downtown area. A sign and 
supplemental traffic control systems plan was developed as part of the 
2011 event's Traffic Management Plan (TMP). In addition, I-695 
(Baltimore Beltway) will provide motorists traveling through the region 
the ability to bypass the impact area by circling around the city.
    Commercial motor vehicles of the dimensions and configurations 
described in 23 CFR 658.13 and 658.15 which serve the impacted area, 
may use the alternate routes listed above.

[[Page 52232]]

Vehicles servicing the businesses bordering the impacted area will 
still be able to do so by also using the alternative routes noted above 
to circulate around the restricted area. In addition, vehicles not 
serving businesses in the restricted area but, currently using I-395 
and the local street system to reach their ultimate destinations, will 
be able to use the I-95 interchanges north and south of I-395 to access 
the alternative routes. A map depicting the alternative routes is 
available electronically at the docket established for this notice at 
http://www.regulations.gov. The MDTA has reviewed these alternative 
routes and determined the routes to generally be capable of safely 
accommodating the diverted traffic during the period of temporary 
restriction. As mentioned previously, the sign and supplemental traffic 
control system plan is also being updated as part of the event's TMP. 
Commercial vehicles as well as general traffic leaving the downtown 
area will also be able to use the alternative routes to reach I-95 and 
the rest of the Interstate System. The BGP and the city are working 
closely with businesses, including the hotels and restaurants located 
within the impact area, to schedule deliveries prior to the proposed I-
395 closure to the extent feasible. The BGP is also working with 
affected businesses to schedule delivery services during the event 
period.
    The original plan uses a credentialing process for access through 
designated gates with access to specific loading areas. This request to 
temporarily close I-395 was prepared for the MDTA by the BGP and the 
city. In addition, the city has reached out to the Federal, State, and 
local agencies to collaborate and coordinate efforts to address the 
logistical challenges of hosting the BGP. The BGP and the city have 
worked extensively with the businesses and residential communities in 
the city that could be affected by the event. These efforts include the 
formation of Task Forces and event Sub-Committees, to guide the 
development of plans for event security, transportation management, 
public safety and more.
    The FHWA did not receive any comments in response to the Notice and 
Request for Comment. After full consideration of the MDTA request 
discussed in this final notice and determining that the request meets 
the requirements of 23 CFR 658.11(d), FHWA approves the deletion as 
proposed.

    Authority:  23 U.S.C. 127, 315 and 49 U.S.C. 31111, 31112, and 
31114; 23 CFR part 658.

    Dated: August 14, 2013.
Victor M. Mendez,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2013-20496 Filed 8-21-13; 8:45 am]
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