Notice of Intent for an FHWA EIS Project; Environmental Impact Statement: Cherokee County, Texas

Topics:  United States Numbered Highways

Michael T. Leary
Federal Highway Administration
23 September 2019

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 184 (Monday, September 23, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49784-49785]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-19947]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[4910-22-P]


Notice of Intent for an FHWA EIS Project; Environmental Impact 
Statement: Cherokee County, Texas

AGENCY: Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Federal Highway 
Administration (FHWA), Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Federal notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS).

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the publishing authority, FHWA, on behalf of 
TxDOT, is issuing this notice to advise the public that an EIS will be 
prepared for a proposed transportation project to construct a US 69 
relief route around the City of Jacksonville in Cherokee County, Texas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carson Hollis, P.E., Advanced Project 
Development, TxDOT Tyler District, 2709 West Front Street, Tyler, 
Texas, 75702, telephone: 903-510-9157, email: Carson.Hollis@txdot.gov. 
TxDOT's normal business hours are 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (central time), 
Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The environmental review, consultation, and 
other NOIactions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for 
this project are being, or have been, carried-out by TxDOT pursuant to 
23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated December 16, 
2014, and executed by FHWA and TxDOT.
    TxDOT will prepare an EIS for a proposed US 69 Relief Route around 
the west side of the city of Jacksonville, TX. There is no existing 
facility; therefore, the project is proposed on new location. The 
proposed project is anticipated to be between 10-13 miles long 
depending on the alignment selected, beginning at existing US 69 just 
south of Loop 456

[[Page 49785]]

and terminating at existing US 69 north of Jacksonville.
    The EIS will evaluate a range of build alternatives and a no-build 
alterative. Possible build alternatives include up to four alignments 
currently under development based on the 1000-foot recommended 
corridors identified in the 2018 US 69 Jacksonville Relief Route Study 
Feasibility Study. These alternatives generally consider alignments 
along the center, west, and east limits of the corridor with variations 
at interchanges, but may extend outside the corridor for a portion of 
the alignment to avoid key environmental features. The northernmost 
corridor connects with existing US 69 approximately 1.3 miles north of 
CR 3908, travels on the west side of Jacksonville, and reconnects with 
existing US 69 at the existing TX 456 Loop. The southernmost corridor 
connects with existing US 69 at CR 3908 and joins the previously 
described corridor north of US 175.
    TxDOT will issue a single Final Environmental Impact Statement and 
Record of Decision document pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 139(n)(2), unless 
TxDOT determines statutory criteria or practicability considerations 
preclude issuance of a combined document. In accordance with 23 U.S.C. 
139, cooperating agencies, participating agencies, and the public will 
be given an opportunity for continued input on project development. A 
public scoping meeting is planned for November 2019 in Jacksonville, 
TX. An agency scoping meeting will also be held with participating and 
cooperating agencies. The agency and public scoping meetings will 
provide an opportunity for the participating/cooperating agencies and 
public to review and comment on the draft coordination plan and 
schedule, the project purpose and need, the range of alternatives, and 
methodologies and level of detail for analyzing alternatives. In 
addition to the agency and public scoping meetings, a public hearing 
will be held. Public notice will be given of the time and place of the 
meetings and hearing.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, 
Highway Planning and Construction.)

    Issued on: September 9, 2019.
Michael T. Leary,
Director, Planning and Program Development, Federal Highway 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2019-19947 Filed 9-20-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-RY-P