Environmental Impact Statement: Lafayette Parish, Louisiana

Charles Bolinger
Federal Highway Administration
21 June 2016

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 119 (Tuesday, June 21, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40392-40393]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14583]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Lafayette Parish, Louisiana

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 a 
supplement to a final environmental impact statement will be prepared 
for a proposed highway project in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joshua Cunningham, Project Delivery 
Team Leader, Federal Highway Administration, 5304 Flanders Drive, Suite 
A, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808, Telephone: (225) 757-7600.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Louisiana 
Department of Transportation and Development, and the Lafayette 
Consolidated Government, will prepare a supplement to the final 
environmental impact statement (EIS) on a proposal to upgrade route 
U.S. 90/U.S. 167 in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana. The original EIS for 
the improvements (FHWA-LA-EIS-00-01-F) was approved on January 8, 2003. 
The proposed improvements to U.S. 90/U.S. 167 provide a six-lane fully 
controlled access freeway from just south of the Lafayette Regional 
Airport north to the southern terminus of Interstate 49 at the 
Interstate 10/Interstate 49 Interchange, generally along the existing 
U.S. 90/U.S. 167 corridor (Evangeline Thruway) with a portion on new 
alignment, in urban Lafayette, for a distance of approximately 5.5 
miles. Improvements

[[Page 40393]]

to the corridor are considered necessary to provide for existing and 
projected traffic demand and system linkage.
    A Reevaluation of the 2003 Record of Decision (ROD) had recently 
been initiated and was anticipated to include follow-up to the 21 
Commitments in the ROD. In consideration of input from the community, 
various refinements to the approved alternative are being evaluated. 
Preparation of a supplement to the EIS has been determined to be the 
appropriate documentation of the potential refinements.
    Considerations include (1) constructing the approved alternative as 
described in the ROD and (2) incorporation of refinements to the 
approved alternative. Updated information on the effects of the 
approved alternative will be incorporated into and studied with any 
refinements.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies and will be 
posted on the project Web site for public comment. Public involvement 
activities have been on-going, including two public meetings recently 
held. Additional public involvement activities, including a public 
meeting, will be held in Lafayette between June 2016 and the conclusion 
of this study. In addition, a public hearing will be held. Public 
notice will be given of the time and place of the meeting and hearing. 
The draft supplemental EIS will be available for public and agency 
review and comment prior to the public hearing. No formal scoping 
meeting will be held.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to this 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 the FHWA at the address provided above. (Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, Highway Research, Planning, 
and Construction. The regulations implementing Executive Order 12372 
regarding intergovernmental consultation on Federal programs and 
activities apply to this program.)

    Issued on: June 14, 2016.
Charles Bolinger,
Division Administrator, Baton Rouge.
[FR Doc. 2016-14583 Filed 6-20-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-22-P