Environmental Impact Statement; Maricopa County, AZ

Kenneth H. Davis
Federal Highway Administration
January 6, 2010

[Federal Register: January 6, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 3)]
[Notices]               
[Page 883-884]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06ja10-59]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

 
Environmental Impact Statement; Maricopa County, AZ

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an 
Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared for a proposed highway 
project in Maricopa County, Arizona.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth Davis, Senior Engineering 
Manager for Operations, Federal Highway Administration, 4000 N. Central 
Avenue, Suite 1500, Phoenix, Arizona 85012-1906, Telephone (602) 382-
8970, Fax: (602) 382-8998, e-mail: Ken.davis@dot.gov; or Mary Frye, 
Environmental Coordinator, Federal Highway Administration, Arizona 
Division, 4000 N. Central Avenue, Suite 1500, Phoenix, Arizona 85012-
1906, Telephone (602) 382-8979, Fax: (602) 382-8998, e-mail: 
Mary.frye@dotgov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Arizona 
Department of Transportation (ADOT), will prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) on proposed operational improvements to the 
Interstate 17 (I-17) corridor in Maricopa County, Arizona. The proposed 
improvements for I-17 would occur along a 21-mile stretch of highway 
through metropolitan Phoenix from the I-17 merge with Interstate 10 
near Sky Harbor Airport and extend north to the I-17 interchange with 
State Route 101L. The proposed project evaluation will include, but 
will not be limited to, potential impacts to residential and commercial 
development, cultural resources, threatened and endangered species, 
jurisdictional waters of the U.S., air and noise quality, hazardous 
materials, and secondary and cumulative impacts.
    Improvements to the corridor are considered necessary to address 
current traffic volumes that exceed the existing roadway capacity 
resulting in heavy congestion and to accommodate the projected traffic 
demand associated with regional growth. The proposed I-17

[[Page 884]]

improvements, which would increase capacity and improve operational 
efficiency, were identified as important elements of the Maricopa 
Association of Government's Regional Transportation Plan Freeway 
Program. A full range of reasonable alternatives will be considered 
including: (1) Taking no action; (2) using alternate travel modes; (3) 
making transportation system management improvements; and (4) widening 
the existing freeway to provide additional general travel and High 
Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes.
    The EIS will conform to the environmental review process 
established in Section 6002 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, 
Efficient Transportation Equity Act: a Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). 
The Section 6002 environmental review process requires the following 
activities: the identification and invitation of cooperating and 
participating agencies; the establishment of a coordination plan; and 
opportunities for additional agency and public comment on the project's 
purpose and need, alternatives and methodologies for determining 
impacts. Additionally, a public hearing following the release of the 
draft ElS will also be provided. Public notice advertisements and 
direct mailings will notify interested parties of the time and place of 
public meetings and the public hearing.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, including 
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Arizona Game and Fish Department, Federal Aviation Administration, City 
of Phoenix, Maricopa County, and Maricopa Association of Governments. 
Letters will also be sent to interested parties including the Central 
City Village Planning Committee, Estrella Village Planning Committee, 
Encanto Village Planning Committee, Maryvale Village Planning 
Committee, Alhambra Village Planning Committee, North Mountain Village 
Planning Committee, Deer Valley Village Planning Committee, and 
appropriate Phoenix neighborhood associations.
    To insure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
action is addressed and all significant issues are identified, comments 
and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Comments or 
questions concerning this proposed action and the ElS should be 
directed to the FHWA at the address provided above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 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.)

    Issued on: December 28, 2009.
Kenneth H. Davis,
Senior Engineering Manager for Operations, Federal Highway 
Administration, Arizona Division Office, Phoenix, Arizona.
[FR Doc. E9-31291 Filed 1-5-10; 8:45 am]

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