Environmental Impact Statement: Douglas County, Kansas

Richard E. Backlund
Federal Highway Administration
6 September 2018

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 173 (Thursday, September 6, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 45299]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-19224]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Douglas County, Kansas

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this Notice of Intent (NOI) to advise the 
public that a supplement to the final environmental impact statement 
will be prepared to address impacts of proposed improvements to a 
section of K-10 Highway South Lawrence Trafficway, located within the 
south and west limits of the City of Lawrence, in Douglas County, 
Kansas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Federal Highway Administration--Kansas Division: Richard E. Backlund, 
Division Administrator, 6111 SW 29th Street, Suite 100, Topeka, KS 
66614-4271, telephone (785) 273-2600, or via email at: 
richard.backlund@dot.gov.
Kansas Department of Transportation: Catherine M. Patrick, State 
Transportation Engineer, Dwight D. Eisenhower State Office Building, 
700 SW Harrison Street, Topeka, KS 66603-3745, telephone (785) 296-
2799, or via email at: catherine.patrick@ks.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Kansas 
Department of Transportation (KDOT), will prepare a Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) on a proposal to improve K-10/
South Lawrence Trafficway (SLT) located in Douglas County, Kansas. The 
overall project study limits begin just north of Interstate 70 at North 
1800 Road/Farmer's Turnpike to just east of the existing K-10/23rd 
Street system interchange. The overall length is 19.0 miles and i5 
broken down as follows: The West Section begins just north of 
Interstate 70 at North 1800 Road/Farmer's/Turnpike to US-59/Iowa Street 
(approximately 8.7 miles). The East Section begins at US-59/Iowa Street 
and continues to the existing K-10/23rd Street system interchange. The 
project study area also includes East 600 Road/Lecompton Road at 
Interstate 70 (approximately 0.6 mile), and U.S. 40 from K-10 to E 600 
Road (approximately 4.1 miles).
    A previous Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was prepared in 
1990 for the overall SLT study area. The Purpose and Need stated in 
that EIS was to relieve congestion on existing 23rd Street and Iowa 
Street by diverting through and local traffic from these two existing 
streets and Clinton Parkway, thereby achieving an improved level of 
traffic service on the local street network. The goals of the current 
proposed project on the West Section are to increase capacity, enhance 
safety, and address access while balancing sensitive project 
environmental features within the project footprint. Also, the project 
will provide an efficient and cost-effective transportation facility 
for users of K-10 Highway and the surrounding state highway system.
    As an outcome of the approved 1990 EIS, two expressway lanes of the 
West Section were constructed and opened to traffic in each direction 
in 1996. The East Section was not constructed and a subsequent SEIS 
with a ``No Build'' decision was approved in 2000. A subsequent EIS, in 
conjunction with a USACE 404 Permit, was completed in 2002 and adopted 
and approved by FHWA in November 2007. The FHWA then issued a Record of 
Decision (ROD) in May 2008. Since the completion of the ROD, the East 
Section four-lane freeway was constructed and opened to traffic in 
2016.
    The current SEIS, as a supplement to the original 1990 EIS, will 
evaluate a `No Action' alternative as well as a combination of toll-
free and tolled build alternatives for the entire SLT study area. 
Roadway configuration options will be evaluated for the West Section, 
including upgrading the West Section as a four-lane freeway with 
controlled access and interchanges at West 6th Street/U.S. 40, Bob 
Billings Parkway, Clinton Parkway, an interchange between Wakarusa 
Drive and Kasold Drive, and at U.S. 59/Iowa Street. Also, there will be 
discussions about interchange alternatives at I-70/East 600 Road/
Lecompton Road and K-10/I-70/North 1800 Road.
    A formal scoping process will be initiated that involves 
appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, as well as stakeholders 
and the public. This will continue throughout the study to engage the 
local and regional community, to obtain public input and to keep the 
public informed. Coordination meetings will be held as needed with 
affected/concerned local, State, Tribal, and Federal governmental 
entities. Public hearings will be held to present the findings of the 
SEIS. The SEIS will be made available for public and agency review and 
comment prior to the public hearings.
    The FHWA and KDOT plan to prepare a combined Final SEIS/Record of 
Decision for the project. The SEIS will analyze the potential social, 
economic, and environmental impacts resulting from the proposed 
project. The following issues will be specifically analyzed as part of 
the SEIS: Impacts to the aquatic ecosystem; impacts to cultural 
resources; impacts to threatened and endangered species; impacts to 
floodplains; impacts to transportation; impacts to parks/recreation; 
environmental justice; secondary and cumulative impacts; and 
socioeconomics. This analysis will include a detailed examination of 
direct, indirect and cumulative impacts that could result from the 
construction of a selected alternative emanating from this SEIS. Other 
Federal approvals or permits that may be required include a Section 404 
Permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), a floodplain 
development permit from the state office of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency (FEMA), as well as water resource and floodplain 
permits from the Kansas Division of Water Resources.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to the proposed 
action are addressed and all significant issues defined, comments and 
suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Comments or 
questions concerning the proposed action and the SETS should be 
directed to FHWA or KDOT at the addresses provided above.

    Issued on: August 22, 2018.
Richard E. Backlund,
Division Administrator FHWA--Kansas Division.
[FR Doc. 2018-19224 Filed 9-5-18; 8:45 am]
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