Environmental Impact Statement: Strafford County, New Hampshire

Cynthia Vigue
Federal Highway Administration
15 April 2019

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 72 (Monday, April 15, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 15279]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-07400]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Strafford County, New Hampshire

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that we 
are rescinding the Notice of Intent (NOI) for a highway project that 
was proposed to improve access to and from the Spaulding Turnpike (NH 
Route 16) to the tri-city areas of Dover, Somersworth and Rochester 
(Exit 10) in New Hampshire. The NOI was published in the Federal 
Register on June 5, 1995, with the intent to publish a Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement. This rescission is based on a lack of 
available funding and project support within the New Hampshire State 
Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP) for the project, as originally 
proposed.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jamie Sikora, New Hampshire 
Division, Federal Highway Administration, 53 Pleasant Street, Suite 
2200, Concord, New Hampshire 03301, Telephone: (603) 410-4870.

SUPPLEMETARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the New 
Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT), is rescinding the NOI 
for a proposal to improve access to and from the Spaulding Turnpike (NH 
Route 16) to the tri-city areas of Dover, Somersworth and Rochester 
(Exit 10) in New Hampshire. The NOI is being rescinded in large part 
due to funding constraints, which led to a reduction of scope to focus 
on the upgrade of NH Route 108 between the Cities of Dover and 
Rochester through the City of Somersworth. The current proposed actions 
would improve the capacity along NH Rte. 108 and incorporate community 
multi transportation needs (bicycle, pedestrian and public transit) 
within this section of these seacoast communities. NHDOT has recently 
solicited and engaged a consultant to complete design and environmental 
services to address the upgrade along NH Rte. 108. Through this 
process, NHDOT will enter into an expanded public outreach to solicit 
community input on the smaller scope ``Complete Street Improvements'' 
project through the Department's Project Development process. Given the 
reduction in scope and the associated potential impacts of the proposed 
action, FHWA intends to prepare a lower-level NEPA document to 
determine if the project has the potential to significantly affect the 
quality of the human environment. If, at a future time, FHWA determines 
that the proposed action is likely to have a significant impact on the 
environment, a new NOI to prepare an EIS will be published.

    Issued on: April 9, 2019.
Cynthia Vigue,
Assistant Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, 
Concord, New Hampshire.
[FR Doc. 2019-07400 Filed 4-12-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-22-P