Notice To Rescind Notice of Intent To Prepare Environmental Impact Statement/Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation, MD 28/MD 198 Corridor Study, Montgomery and Prince George's County, Maryland

Gregory Murrill
Federal Highway Administration
12 August 2016

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 156 (Friday, August 12, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53538-53539]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-19197]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Notice To Rescind Notice of Intent To Prepare Environmental 
Impact Statement/Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation, MD 28/MD 198 Corridor 
Study, Montgomery and Prince George's County, Maryland

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice to rescind Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement/Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Highway Administration is issuing this notice to 
advise the public that FHWA is rescinding its Notice of Intent to 
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation 
for a proposed roadway improvement project in Montgomery and Prince 
George's Counties, Maryland (Federal Register Vol. 68, No. 51827; FR 
Doc. 03-22037) is being withdrawn and an Environmental Assessment (EA), 
in lieu of an EIS, is being prepared for this proposed project.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeanette Mar, Environmental Program 
Manager, Federal Highway Administration, Maryland Division, 10 South 
Howard Street, Suite 2450, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, (410) 779-7152, 
or email: jeanette.mar@dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), 
in cooperation with the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA), is 
advising the general public that SHA conducted studies of the potential 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed roadway improvement 
project in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties, Maryland along the 
MD 28/MD 198 Corridor between MD 97

[[Page 53539]]

(Georgia Avenue) and I-95, a distance of approximately 10.6 miles.
    The purpose of the MD 28/MD 198 Corridor Improvement Study is to 
improve local traffic safety and operations for motorists, bicyclists, 
and pedestrians traveling along the MD 28/MD 198 corridor and across 
intersecting roads, while managing access; and, preserve the rural and 
suburban quality of life by addressing localized traffic issues, while 
considering local planning visions and state growth policies for 
communities along the corridor. MD 28 and MD 198 is experiencing peak 
hour congestion in areas along portions of the corridor between I-95 
and MD 97, particularly east of MD 97, in the vicinity of US 29 and 
Burtonsville commercial area, and near Sweitzer Lane. Local operational 
and capacity deficiencies are projected to result from planned and 
future development in and around the study area. The resulting 
congestion is expected to cause stop-and-go conditions along the 
roadways, especially at study-area intersections projected to 
experience failing conditions by 2040. The roadway segments between the 
intersections will experience peak-hour capacity constraints imposed 
by: Projected traffic volumes; the absence of mid-block through lanes 
on two-lane roadways; the absence of storage lanes for left turns; and 
the absence of deceleration lanes for right turns. Local area master 
plans describe objectives for the corridor roadway that include 
retaining the rural character of adjacent communities and protecting 
sensitive environmental areas. Recommended features in these plans 
include the construction of hiker-biker trails and sidewalks and the 
addition of landscaping.
    Alternatives under consideration include taking no action, 
installing on-road bicycle provisions, a shared use path and segments 
of sidewalk, and widening existing MD 28/MD 198 to a four- or six-lane 
roadway in some sections, with various options for access management 
via frontage roads or median treatments, and intersection improvements 
including additional turn lanes or installing roundabouts. The EA will 
be available for public and agency review and comment prior to a Public 
Hearing. Public notice will be given of the availability of the EA for 
review and of the time and place of this hearing. Public Informational 
Workshops were held in June 2014 and March 2015 to solicit opinions and 
ideas on proposed improvements from local citizens.
    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 determination that an 
EA is the proper environmental document should be directed to 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.)

Gregory Murrill,
Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Baltimore, 
Maryland.
[FR Doc. 2016-19197 Filed 8-11-16; 8:45 am]
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