[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 41 (Thursday, February 29, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7848-7850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-4691]



=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Environmental Impact Statement for the Metrorail Extension to 
Largo Town Center, Prince Georges County, Maryland

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Maryland Mass 
Transit Administration (MTA), in cooperation with Prince George's 
County and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), 
intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a 
Metrorail Extension from the Addison Road Metrorail Station to Largo 

[[Page 7849]]
Town Center in Prince George's County, Maryland. The EIS, which will be 
performed concurrently with Preliminary Engineering (PE), is being 
prepared in conformance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA), the Maryland Environmental Policy Act (MEPA), and relevant 
local regulations and ordinances of Prince George's County. Other key 
supporting agencies include the Metropolitan Washington Council of 
Governments (MWCOG), and the Maryland-National Capital Park and 
Planning Commission (M-NCPPC).
    The EIS will evaluate transportation improvements in the corridor 
between the Addison Road Metrorail Station and Largo Town Center in 
Prince George's County. Transportation alternatives proposed for 
consideration in the project area include: (1) The No-Build option, 
under which the existing and programmed bus, rail, and roadway 
improvements in the study area would be assumed to be implemented; (2) 
a Transportation Systems Management (TSM) alternative which consists of 
increased coverage of the bus service network; and (3) the Metrorail 
Extension from the Addison Road Metrorail Station to Largo Town Center, 
a three mile (4.8 kilometer), two station addition to the region's rail 
transit system. Options to mitigate adverse impacts and to support 
local land use will be considered.
    Scoping Process--The Scoping Meeting will be held on: Wednesday, 
March 27, 1996, 6:00-9:00 p.m., Thomas G. Pullen Arts Magnet School, 
700 Brightseat Road, Landover, Maryland.
    A sign language interpreter will be available for the hearing 
impaired. A TDD number is also available: (410) 539-3497. The building 
is accessible to persons with disabilities.
    The purpose of the Public Scoping Meeting is to provide interested 
individuals with an introduction to and an overview of the EIS and PE 
processes, and to offer the opportunity for comments on the significant 
issues and impacts to be addressed in the EIS. Comments may be 
submitted orally or in writing at the Scoping Meeting or mailed to Mr. 
Harvey Flechner, Project Manager, Maryland Mass Transit Administration, 
William Donald Schaefer Tower, 6 Saint Paul Street, Baltimore, Maryland 
21202-1614 during the Scoping comment period which ends Monday, April 
15, 1996. The MTA will address comments received during the Scoping 
period during the preparation of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS).
    The Scoping Meeting will begin with an ``open house'' where 
attendees will be able to view graphics and discuss the project with 
project representatives. A presentation on the project will be given at 
7:30 p.m., followed by additional opportunity for questions and 
answers. Scoping materials will be available at the meeting or in 
advance of the meeting by contacting Mr. Harvey Flechner at (410) 767-
3786 or the Deputy Project Manager, Mr. Andy Smith at (410) 767-3597.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Alfred Lebeau, Transportation Program Specialist, Federal Transit 
Administration, Region III, (215) 656-6900.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Scoping

    FTA and the MTA 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. 
Scoping comments may be made at the Public Scoping Meeting or in 
writing; See ``Scoping Process'' section above for locations and times. 
During Scoping, comments should focus on identifying specific social, 
economic or environmental impacts to be evaluated and suggesting 
alternatives which are more cost effective or have less environmental 
impacts while achieving similar transit objectives.

II. Background

    In 1990, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), in 
cooperation with Prince George's County, the Maryland-National Capital 
Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), the City of Bowie, the 
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), and the 
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) began work on 
the Addison Road to Bowie Corridor Alternatives Analysis/Preliminary 
Environmental Impact Study (AA/PEIS), which followed the Federal 
Transit Administration's (FTA) technical guidelines for an Alternatives 
Analysis/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (AA/DEIS). Planning work 
was performed to provide preliminary cost and impact information for 
evaluating a set of alternatives designed to address the transportation 
needs in the corridor. The alternatives included bus, light rail, and 
Metrorail extending from the present terminus of the Washington 
Metrorail Blue Line at Addison Road to Largo and Bowie. Major aspects 
of this study involved: (a) Screening a variety of alignment options; 
(b) identifying a list of alternatives for further evaluation; (c) 
detailing an analysis of the transportation, environmental and 
financial effects of the alternatives; and (d) documenting the results.
    An extensive public involvement program, including public meetings, 
newsletters, and a score of meetings with interested groups was central 
to the development, refinement, and evaluation of the alternatives. 
Federal and State resource agencies were also consulted during the 
study. In addition, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service participated in a field visit to review wetlands 
and related environmental issues. As a result of this coordination, the 
alignment of several alternatives was shifted to avoid and/or minimize 
potential impacts.
    The 1993 Addison Road to Bowie Corridor AA/PEIS planning process 
led to the selection of the Metrorail Extension to Largo Town Center as 
the preferred alternative in meeting the transportation needs of the 
corridor, in conformance with the Major Investment Study (MIS) 
requirements. The Metrorail Extension to Largo Town Center was also 
approved as part of the National Capital Region's Transportation 
Improvement Program (TIP), for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), 
and Preliminary Engineering (PE), as well as included in the Region's 
Constrained Long Range Plan (CLRP) for construction, and in the 
Maryland Department of Transportation's Statewide Transportation 
Improvement Program (STIP).
    In 1991, the U.S. Congress passed the Intermodal Surface 
Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) which authorized $5 million for 
the preparation of the federal Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and 
Preliminary Engineering for the Metrorail Extension to Largo. The FTA 
has granted the MTA approval to incur costs for EIS and PE work without 
prejudice to possible future federal funds up to $5 million. Based on 
the decision to include the Metrorail Extension to Largo in the 
regional CLRP, the MTA is proceeding to the EIS and Preliminary 
Engineering phase of the project. Preparation of the federal EIS will 
include circulation of a Draft EIS (DEIS) for review and public 
comment.

III. Description of Study Area and Project Need

    The study area and corridor are wholly within Prince George's 
County, beginning at the existing Addison Road Metrorail Station. The 
study area is also bounded by Sheriff Road on the north, 

[[Page 7850]]
Central Avenue (MD 214) on the south, and Landover Road on the east. 
Rail transit service to and from Washington DC to the study corridor is 
available on the Metrorail Blue Line, provided by the Washington 
Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Existing traffic is 
primarily carried by Central Avenue (MD 214) and I-95/I-495 (the 
Capital Beltway) with high traffic volumes and poor level-of-service at 
many of the signalized intersections along Central Avenue and along 
major portions of the Capital Beltway.
    The proposed Metrorail Extension will provide rail transit service 
to the rapidly developing areas in the Largo Town Center. The proposed 
extension will also support economic development while contributing to 
higher transit use to and from Washington, DC employment centers. This 
increased transit ridership will improve cross-county public 
transportation and help achieve regional clean air goals.

IV. Alternatives

    Transportation alternatives proposed for consideration in the 
project area include: (1) The No-Build option, under which the existing 
and programmed bus, rail, and roadway improvements in the study area 
would be assumed to be implemented; (2) a Transportation Systems 
Management (TSM) alternative which consists of increased coverage of 
the bus service network; and (3) the Metrorail Extension from the 
Addison Road Metrorail Station to Largo Town Center, a three mile (4.8 
kilometer), two station addition to the region's rail transit system. 
Options to mitigate adverse impacts and to support local land use will 
be considered.

V. Probable Effects

    The FTA and MTA plan to evaluate in the EIS significant social, 
economic and environmental impacts of the alternatives under 
consideration. Among the primary issues are the expected increase in 
transit ridership, the expected increase in mobility for the corridor's 
transit dependent, the support of the region's air quality goals, 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. The environmental and social 
impacts proposed for analysis include: Land use and economic activity, 
displacements and relocations, neighborhoods, visual conditions, 
traffic, air quality, noise and vibration, ecosystems, water resources, 
hazardous waste disposal/neutralization, parklands, soils/geology/
topography, historic, cultural and archaeological resources, and energy 
impacts. These impacts will be evaluated both for the construction 
period and for the long-term operation of each alternative.

VI. FTA Procedures

    In accordance with federal transportation planning regulations (23 
CFR Part 450), the draft EIS will be prepared to include an evaluation 
of the social, economic and environmental impacts of the alternatives. 
The DEIS will be performed concurrently with Preliminary Engineering. 
On the basis of the public and agency comments received on the DEIS, 
the MTA Administrator in concert with the Secretary of the Maryland 
Department of Transportation (MDOT) and in consultation with Prince 
George's County, MWCOG, WMATA, M-NCPPC, and other affected agencies, 
will select a preferred alternative. Then MTA, as lead agency, will 
continue with further Preliminary Engineering and preparation of the 
Final EIS. Opportunity for additional public comment will be provided 
throughout all phases of project development.

    Issued on: February 23, 1996.
Sheldon A. Kinbar,
Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-4691 Filed 2-28-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P