[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 235 (Thursday, December 8, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-30198]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: December 8, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration

 

Environmental Impact Statement: Westchester County, New York

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 the City of White Plains, Westchester County, New York.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
A. J. Bauman, Regional Director, New York State Department of 
Transportation, Region 8, 4 Burnett Boulevard, Poughkeepsie, New York 
12603, telephone (914) 431-5750, or Harold J. Brown, Division 
Administrator, FHWA, New York Division, Leo O'Brien Federal Building, 
9th Floor, Clinton Avenue and North Pearl Street, Albany, New York 
12207, telephone (518) 472-3616.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with NYSDOT and the 
city of White Plains, with input from the County of Westchester will be 
preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a proposal to 
construct a section of a four lane arterial with turning lanes at major 
intersection in the City of White Plains, Westchester County, New York, 
to be known as the Grove Street Extension. This half mile project 
provides a new connection under the railroad an over the Bronx River 
from Grove Street and Lexington Avenue on the east side of the Bronx 
River to the Central Avenue/Tarrytown Road intersection on the west 
side.
    The Grove Street Extension is a proposal to provide a new access 
from the north and west of the City into the Central Business District 
and is closely associated with the on-going Urban Renewal efforts. The 
nature of the proposed improvements also embodies the goals of the 
Department's Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act in its 
multimodal attributes. The Department's goals in this project are to 
improve traffic operations into and out of the City, to improve the 
accessibility to the Transportation Center, and to integrate and 
improve the maneuverability of bicycles and pedestrians within the 
project environs. The project has had continuous exposure to the public 
and advisory agencies for almost two decades: From its initial 
inception as the Northern Arterial, through commencement of the project 
scoping in the early 1980's, to the present proposal of the Grove 
Street Extension. Studies for a combined arterial plan, including the 
``Feeder Route'' and Northern Arterial, were conducted during the 
1960's with a corridor public hearing held for both on June 24, 1969. A 
draft Environmental Impact Statement was circulated for the Norther 
Arterial in 1972. The extensive social and environmental impacts, as 
well as the cost to construct the ``Feeder Route'' made its realization 
impractical. Through an evolutionary process, the need to continue to 
pursue both improvements to existing facilities and to provide an 
additional Bronx River crossing led to two projects.
    The first Route 119 improvements were completed in 1987 and 
provided most of the suggested ``Feeder Route'' improvements from south 
of I-287 to the river crossings at Main Street and Hamilton Avenue. The 
second project involves the development of the grove Street Extension. 
This project is a reduced version of the original Northern Arterial 
proposal.
    Although the NYSDOT has defined a ``preferred'' alternative through 
the earlier project development process, alignment variations, 
transportation demand management and transportation systems management 
strategies and the no-build option are other alternatives under 
consideration. Future design studies will evaluate these alternatives 
further under the project scoping and preliminary engineering 
processes. Design studies will consider variations in horizontal and 
vertical alignment and typical sections, the need for grade separation 
of crossing roads, and limited but necessary modifications to the Bronx 
River, Bronx River Parkway and bikeway.
    Once again, letters describing the proposed action and soliciting 
comments will be sent the appropriate Federal, State, and local 
agencies, and to private organizations and citizens who have previously 
expressed interest in this proposal. Scoping meetings will be held with 
involved Federal, State, and local agencies if necessary. A public 
information meeting will be held after additional study.
    The EIS will be made available for public and agency review and 
comment followed by a public hearing.
    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 this proposed action and the EIS should be 
directed to the NYSDOT or the FHWA at the addresses provided above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, 
Highway Planning and Construction. The regulations implementing 
Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental consultation on 
Federal programs and activities apply to this program.)
Harold J. Brown,
Division Administrator, New York Division.
[FR Doc. 94-30198 Filed 12-7-94; 8:45 am]
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