[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 126 (Friday, June 30, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34320-34322]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-16151]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Environmental Impact Statement on the Introduction of
Transportation Improvements on the East Side of New York County, NY
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The FTA, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the New
York City Transit Authority (NYC Transit) are issuing this notice to
advise the public and all other interested parties that in accordance
with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for transportation improvements
that will improve mobility on the east side of the island of Manhattan
within the City of New York. NYC Transit will ensure that the EIS also
satisfies the requirements of the State of New York Environmental
Quality Review Act and the intent of the City of New York Environmental
Quality Act. The Draft EIS (DEIS) will include a Major Investment Study
(MIS) in accordance with the joint FTA/FHWA Metropolitan Planning
Requirements, 23 CFR part 450.
High levels of auto congestion in the study area influence the
region's ability to meet National Ambient Air Quality standards. The
MIS/DEIS process will clearly identify these and other mobility
problems in the study area and evaluate any alternative actions
generated through the scoping process. Among the alternatives that the
MIS/DEIS effort will evaluate are the No-Action and
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Transportation Systems Management (TSM) alternatives; a new subway
line; light rail transit; elevated rail transit, jitney bus services
and ferry services; special bus lanes and fixed bus guideways,
including along the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Drive; buses powered by
overhead wires; and feasible combinations of options. Scoping will be
accomplished through correspondence and meetings with interested
persons, organizations, and federal, state and local agencies, and will
culminate with centrally located afternoon and evening public meetings.
DATES: Comment Due Date: Written comments on the scope of alternatives
and impacts to be considered should be sent to James Dubbs, Assistant
Director of Government and Community Relations (718) 694-5141, NYC
Transit, 130 Livingston St., Room 3011D, Brooklyn, NY 11201 by August
7, 1995. Scoping Meetings: Public scoping meetings will be held on
Tuesday, July 26, 1995, 3 pm and 6 pm, at Metropolitan Transportation
Authority Headquarters, 347 Madison Avenue (between 44th and 45th St.),
5th floor, New York, NY 11007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Dubbs, NYC Transit Assistant
Director of Government and Community Relations at the above address,
PHONE: (718) 694-5141, FAX: (718) 488-6539; Letitia Thompson, FTA
Deputy Regional Administrator, 26 Federal Plaza, Suite 2940, NY, NY
10278, PHONE: (212) 264-8162, FAX: (212) 264-8973; or Harold Brown,
FHWA Division Administrator, Leo O'Brian Federal Building, Albany, NY
12207, PHONE: (518) 431-4127, FAX: (518) 431-4121.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
Scoping
FTA, FHWA and the NYC Transit invite interested individuals,
organizations, and federal, state and local agencies to participate in
defining the alternatives to be evaluated in the EIS and identifying
any significant social, economic, or environmental issues related to
the alternatives. An information packet describing the purpose of the
project, the proposed alternatives, the impact areas to be evaluated,
the citizen involvement program, and the preliminary project schedule
is being mailed to affected federal, state and local agencies and to
interested parties on record. Others may request the scoping materials
by contacting James Dubbs at the NYC Transit office at the address
above or by calling him at (718) 694-5141. Scoping comments may be made
verbally at either of the public scoping meetings or in writing. See
the DATES section above for locations and times. During scoping,
comments should focus on identifying specific social, economic or
environmental impacts to be evaluated and suggest alternatives which
are less costly or less environmentally damaging while achieving
similar transit objectives. Anyone wishing to be placed on a mailing
list to receive further information as the project develops should
contact James Dubbs as previously described.
Description of the Study Area and Project Need
The study area is approximately 12 miles in length extending in a
north/south direction along the east side of the Borough of Manhattan
from South Ferry in Manhattan to 164th Street in the Bronx. In the
Bronx, the study area boundaries are from St. Ann's Avenue west to the
Harlem River. In Manhattan, from 125th Street to Washington Square
North, the study area boundaries are from the East River to Fifth
Avenue. From Washington Square North (Waverly Place) to Battery Park,
the Study Area boundaries are from the East River to Broadway. The
Study Area will also include the route of the NYCT Broadway Line (N,R)
from 63rd Street to the Whitehall St. South Ferry Station. There are a
number of surface and rapid transit routes that enter the Study Area
from regions outside the Study boundaries. The Study Area boundaries
outlined herein provide a rough guide and are to be considered flexible
and dependent upon the outcome of the scoping process.
Removal of elevated transit lines serving north/south routes along
Manhattan's east side in the 1940s and 1950s, combined with growth in
population and commercial development in that area, have resulted in
excess ridership demand on remaining transit facilities. In the 1960s,
planning and design work was conducted for a proposed subway line along
Second Avenue. Construction of the line was initiated in the 1970s.
Though some segments of the Second Avenue Subway were constructed, work
was suspended due to fiscal constraints. As a consequence, the demand
for subway service in the study area still exceeds supply.
Similar to the subway system, the local north-south arterials in
the study area and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) Drive are
overtaxed during the peak period. The high levels of auto congestion in
the study area influences the New York Metropolitan region's ability to
meet National Ambient Air Quality standards.
The purpose of the MIS/DEIS process is, in coordination with a
regional framework of transportation studies, to thoroughly examine the
long term needs and available options for improving mobility in the
north/south corridors on Manhattan's East Side and identify a preferred
investment strategy that will address the mobility needs in a cost-
effective, equitable, and publicly acceptable manner.
This MIS/DEIS effort is in its preliminary stages. While study
efforts over the past several months have included a significant amount
of data gathering, review of past work, and initial public involvement,
public involvement regarding issues and alternatives to be studied are
still being sought.
Alternatives
The alternatives proposed for evaluation include: No-Action which
involves no change to transportation services or facilities in the
corridor beyond already committed projects; the TSM alternative, which
consists of low-to-medium cost improvements to the facilities and
operations of existing transportation services; Lexington Avenue (4/5/
6) subway service improvements, which might include installing new
technology signals, higher capacity trains or stations; a north/south
subway route, which could extend along part or all of Manhattan's east
side (e.g. under Second Avenue); a commuter rail service extension
south of Grand Central Terminal; various bus strategies including fixed
busways and buses powered by overhead wires, including along the FDR
Drive; light rail service; elevated rail service; jitney services;
ferry services; and, the introduction of new stations on commuter rail
lines north of Grand Central Station and cross-town subway routes east
of Lexington Ave.
Other reasonable alternatives proposed during the scoping process
will also be considered.
Probable Effects/Potential Impacts for Analysis
FTA, FHWA and NYC Transit plan to evaluate in the MIS/DEIS all
social, economic, and environmental impacts of the proposed
alternatives. Among the primary issues are the expected increase in
transit ridership, impacts on highway and local street usage, the
capital outlays needed to construct the project, the cost of operating
and maintaining the facilities created by the project, and the
financial impacts on the funding agencies. Impacts to the markets
outside the study area will be examined as well. Environmental and
social impacts for
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analysis include land use and neighborhood impacts, traffic and parking
impacts near stations, visual impacts, impacts on cultural resources,
and noise and vibration impacts. Impacts on natural areas, rare and
endangered species, air and water quality, groundwater, and geologic
forms will also be covered. The impacts will be evaluated both for the
construction period and for the long-term period of operation. Measures
to mitigate significant adverse impacts will be considered.
FTA and FHWA Procedures
In accordance with Federal Transit Laws, the Federal Aid Highway
Act and FTA/FHWA regulations and policies, the MIS/DEIS will be
prepared in conjunction with an analysis of alternatives and initial
Conceptual Engineering. After its publication, the MIS/DEIS will be
available for public and agency review and comment, and a public
hearing will be held. On the basis of the MIS/DEIS and the comments
received, and with input from the Project Steering Committee, The
Technical Advisory Committee, and the Public Advisory Committee, the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority will select a locally preferred
alternative for a major investment strategy. The Regional
Transportation Plan and Transportation Improvement Plan will be revised
to incorporate the selected strategy. Approval will be sought from FTA
and FHWA to continue with Preliminary Engineering and to prepare a
Final EIS.
Issued on: June 26, 1995.
Thomas J. Ryan,
Regional Administrator, Federal Transit Administration.
[FR Doc. 95-16151 Filed 6-29-95; 8:45 am]
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