Environmental Impact Statement; Tarrant County, Texas |
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David L. Gibbs
Federal Highway Administration
March 2, 1998
[Federal Register: March 2, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 40)]
[Notices]
[Page 10259-10260]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02mr98-132]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Environmental Impact Statement; Tarrant County, Texas
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing a Notice of Intent (NOI) to advise the
public that the scope of the environmental impact statement (EIS) for
the proposed State Highway 199 project (S.H. 199) in Tarrant County,
Texas, will be revised. The project was initially planned to be studied
in a single EIS. A NOI was published in the March 18, 1987, Federal
Register. After preliminary environmental analysis it was determined
that the project should be separated into two project segments, each
with independent utility, logical termini, and which did not restrict
future transportation considerations. Accordingly, a second NOI was
published December 28, 1989, addressing the need to revise the scope of
the proposed project and the environmental classification. This third
NOI will further revise the scope of the proposed project and
environmental classification. This revision will result in two separate
project segments, each with independent utility, logical termini, and
which do not restrict future transportation considerations. For the
third revision one segment is from FM 1886 easterly to IH 820 and the
other from IH 820 easterly to proposed SH 121. The project for which an
EIS is being prepared extends from proposed S.H. 121 westerly to I.H.
820.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Walter C. Waidelich, District Engineer, Federal Highway Administration,
826 Federal Office Building, 300 E. 8th Street, Austin, Texas 78701,
Telephone (512) 916-5988.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The limits for the original NOI were between
the proposed S.H. 121 interchange near the Fort Worth Central Business
District (CBD) to Spur 344 in Azle. A NOI, published December 28, 1989,
was for revising the scope of the proposed project and environmental
classification. The segment from the proposed S.H. 121 interchange
northwesterly to F.M. 1886 remained an EIS. The segment from F.M. 1886
northwesterly to Azle was approved with a Finding of No Significant
Impact. However, the environmental studies in progress have found that
impacts will not be significant within the section of S.H. 199 from
I.H. 820 to F.M. 1886 and the project scope should be further revised
into two project segments. Therefore, the FHWA, in cooperation with the
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), will continue the
environmental analysis and prepare separate environmental documents for
the improvements to S.H. 199. The limits of the first project from the
proposed S.H. 121 interchange to I.H.
[[Page 10260]]
820 will be evaluated and an EIS will be prepared. The EIS process was
selected because the proposed project lies primarily within a densely
developed urban area. This area has the potential for greater social,
economic, and environmental impacts than any other section. Alternate
routes for development along with public consensus for the preferred
alignment alternative will be addressed in the EIS. This highway
portion connects the Forth Worth CBD with the Cities of River Oaks,
Samson Park, and Lake Worth in northwestern Tarrant County. It will
provide residents and businesses of these cities with improved travel
within the corridor. An Environmental Assessment will be prepared for
the second project from I.H. 820 to F.M. 1886.
The proposed facility will be a six to eight lane divided freeway
with auxiliary lanes where needed. The project will include frontage
road construction and there will be full control of access along the
length of the facility. Right of way will vary between 73 and 137
meters (240 and 450 feet). All existing at-grade crossings will be
eliminated and grade separations or interchanges will be constructed at
major thoroughfares.
S.H. 199 is currently a basic 4 lane urban expressway with limited
access control and is the principal transportation facility in
northwest Tarrant County. No other parallel freeways or principal
artery exists within the S.H. 199 corridor. Committed congestion
reduction strategies for the S.H. 199 corridor consist of the regional
Transportation Demand Management Program that includes Employee Trip
Reduction programs and area-wide ridesharing. All reasonable existing
and future alternate modes of transportation available to the corridor
will not sufficiently lower the projected 2016 traffic volume to the
desired level of service. The proposed expansion will safely and
efficiently provide for the mobility needs of the area. A project
concept conference with local officials was held April 7, 1987. In
1987, two public meetings were held to discuss alternate routes for the
proposed project. A third public meeting was held in 1988.
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 the proposed action and the EIS should be directed
to the FHWA at the address provided.
(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.)
David L. Gibbs,
Acting Division Administrator, Austin, Texas.
[FR Doc. 98-4934 Filed 2-27-98; 8:45 am]
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