Temporary Closure of I-395 Just South of Conway Street in the City of Baltimore to Vehicular Traffic To Accommodate the Construction and Operation of the Baltimore Grand Prix

Topics:  Federal Highway Administration, Interstate 395

Victor M. Mendez
Federal Register
June 28, 2011

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 124 (Tuesday, June 28, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37875-37876]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-16113]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2011-0050]


Temporary Closure of I-395 Just South of Conway Street in the 
City of Baltimore to Vehicular Traffic To Accommodate the Construction 
and Operation of the Baltimore Grand Prix

AGENCIES: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) has requested 
FHWA approval of MDTA's proposed plan to temporarily close a portion of 
I-395 (just south of Conway Street in Baltimore City) from 
approximately 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 1, 2011, until 
approximately 6 a.m. on Tuesday, September 6, 2011. The closure is 
requested to accommodate the construction and operation of the 
Baltimore Grand Prix (BGP), which will use the streets of downtown 
Baltimore as a race course. The request is based on the provisions in 
23 CFR 658.11 which authorizes the deletion of segments of the 
federally designated routes that make up the National Network 
designated in Appendix A of 23 CFR Part 658 upon approval by the FHWA.
    The FHWA seeks comments from the general public on this request 
submitted by the MDTA for a deletion in accordance with section 
658.11(d) for the considerations discussed in this notice.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 28, 2011.

ADDRESSES: The letter of request along with justifications can be 
viewed electronically at the docket established for this notice at 
http://www.regulations.gov. Hard copies of the documents will also be 
available for viewing at the DOT address listed below.
    Mail or hand deliver comments to the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Dockets Management Facility, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, or fax comments to (202) 493-
2251. Alternatively, comments may be submitted via the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov (follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments). All comments should include the 
docket number that appears in the heading of this document. All 
comments received will be available for examination and copying at the 
above address from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. Those desiring notification of receipt of 
comments must include a self-addressed, stamped postcard or you may 
print the acknowledgment page that appears after submitting comments 
electronically. All comments received into any docket may be searched 
in electronic format by the name of the individual submitting the 
comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an 
association, business, labor union, etc.). Persons making comments may 
review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register 
published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70, Pages 19477-78), or 
you may view the statement at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John C. Nicholas, Truck Size and 
Weight Team, Office of Operations, (202) 366-2317, Mr. Bill Winne, 
Office of the Chief Counsel, (202) 366-0791, Federal Highway 
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, and 
Mr. Gregory Murrill, FHWA Division Administrator--DELMAR Division, 
(410) 962-4440. Office hours for the FHWA are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 
e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Electronic Access and Filing

    You may submit or retrieve comments online through the Federal 
eRulemaking portal at: http://www.regulations.gov. The Web site is 
available 24 hours each day, 365 days each year. Electronic submission 
and retrieval help and guidelines are available under the help section 
of the Web site.
    An electronic copy of this document may also be downloaded from the 
Office of the Federal Register's home page at: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register and the Government Printing Office's Web page at: 
http://www.gpoaccess.gov.

Background

    The FHWA is responsible for enforcing the Federal regulations 
applicable to the National Network of highways that can safely and 
efficiently accommodate the large vehicles authorized by provisions of 
the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, as amended, 
designated in accordance with 23 CFR part 658 and listed in Appendix A. 
In accordance with section 658.11, the FHWA may approve deletions or 
restrictions of the Interstate System or other National Network route 
based upon specified justification criteria in section 658.11(d)(2). 
These deletions are then published in the Federal Register for notice 
and comment.
    The MDTA has submitted a request to the FHWA for approval of the 
temporary closure of I-395 just south of Conway Street in the city of 
Baltimore from the period beginning Thursday, September 1, 2011, at 
approximately 7 p.m. through Tuesday, September 6, 2011, at around 6 
a.m., encompassing the Labor Day holiday. The incoming request and 
supporting documents, including maps, may be viewed electronically at 
the docket established for this notice at http://www.regulations.gov. 
This closure will be undertaken in support of the BGP which will use 
the streets of downtown Baltimore as a race course. The MDTA is the 
owner and operator of I-395 and I-95 within the city of Baltimore.
    It is anticipated the BGP event will be hosted in the city of 
Baltimore for 5 consecutive years beginning in 2011. The inaugural 
event is scheduled to occur September 2 through September 4, 2011. The 
event is expected to attract 150,000 spectators over a 3-4 day period, 
not including the event organizer workforce and volunteers, the racing 
organizations and their respective personnel, or media and vendors. 
Event planners expect spectators from within a 400-mile radius of the 
city, with a large portion traveling the I-95 corridor. It is 
anticipated that the attendance for the peak day (Sunday) will reach 
70,000 people with most arriving by private vehicle.
    The construction and operation of the race course will create 
safety concerns by obstructing access from the I-395 northern terminus 
to the local street system including Howard Street, Conway Street, and 
Lee Street. However, an existing connection from I-395 to Martin Luther 
King, Jr. Boulevard will remain open throughout the event. In addition, 
access to and from I-95 into and out of the city along alternative 
access routes, including US 1, US 40, Russell Street, and Washington 
Boulevard will be maintained. The BGP and the city are developing a 
signage plan to inform and guide motorists to, through, and around the 
impacted downtown area. The statewide transportation operations system, 
the Coordinated Highways Action Response Team, will provide real-time 
traffic information to motorists through dynamic message signs and 
highway advisory radio. The MDTA states that

[[Page 37876]]

the temporary closure of this segment of I-395 to general traffic 
should have no impact on interstate commerce. I-95, the main north-
south Interstate route in the region, will remain open during the time 
period of the event. There are five additional I-95 interchanges, just 
to the north or south of I-395, with connections to the local street 
system including the arterials servicing the city's downtown area. A 
sign and supplemental traffic control systems plan is being developed 
as part of the event's Traffic Management Plan (TMP). In addition, I-
695 (Baltimore Beltway) will provide motorists traveling through the 
region the ability to bypass the impact area by circling around the 
city.
    Commercial motor vehicles of the dimensions and configurations 
described in 23 CFR 658.13 and 658.15 which serve the impacted area, 
may use the alternate routes listed above. Vehicles servicing the 
businesses bordering the impacted area will still be able to do so by 
also using the alternative routes noted above to circulate around the 
restricted area. In addition, vehicles not serving businesses in the 
restricted area but currently using I-395 and the local street system 
to reach their ultimate destinations will be able to use the I-95 
interchanges north and south of I-395 to access the alternative routes. 
A map depicting the alternative routes is available electronically at 
the docket established for this notice at http://www.regulations.gov. 
The MDTA has reviewed these alternative routes and determined the 
routes to generally be capable of safely accommodating the diverted 
traffic during the period of temporary restriction. As mentioned 
previously, a sign and supplemental traffic control system plan is also 
being developed as part of the event's TMP. Commercial vehicles as well 
as general traffic leaving the downtown area will also be able to use 
the alternative routes to reach I-95 and the rest of the Interstate 
System. The BGP and the city are working closely with businesses, 
including the hotels and restaurants located within the impact area, to 
schedule deliveries prior to the proposed I-395 closure to the extent 
feasible. The BGP is also working with affected businesses to schedule 
delivery services during the event period.
    The plan is to use a credentialing process for access through 
designated gates with access to specific loading areas. This request to 
temporarily close I-395 was prepared for the MDTA by the BGP and the 
city. In addition, the city has reached out to the Federal, State, and 
local agencies to collaborate and coordinate efforts to address the 
logistical challenges of hosting the BGP. The BGP and the city have 
worked extensively with the businesses and residential communities in 
the city that could be affected by the event. These efforts include the 
formation of Task Forces and event Sub-Committees, to guide the 
development of plans for event security, transportation management, 
public safety and more. Neighborhood meetings have been held since late 
2009 to discuss the event and pertinent access issues.
    The FHWA seeks comments on this request for temporary deletion from 
the National Network for consideration in accordance with 23 CFR 
658.11(d).

    Authority:  23 U.S.C. 127, 315 and 49 U.S.C. 31111, 31112, and 
31114; 23 CFR part 658.

    Issued on: June 22, 2011.
Victor M. Mendez,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2011-16113 Filed 6-27-11; 8:45 am]
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