[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 130 (Friday, July 5, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35299-35300]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-17132]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Bellevue, King County, WA

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Revised Notice of Intent (ref. 12-1-94, FR Vol. 59, No.230)

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SUMMARY: The Federal Highway Administration is issuing this notice to 
advise the public that the purpose and scope of the Environmental 
Impact Statement proposed in the notice published in the Federal 
Register of December 1, 1994, has been substantially modified. The 
original NOI stated that an environmental impact statement (EIS) would 
be prepared for a proposed modification to a freeway interchange in 
King County, Washington, and that the modification would include 
realignment of the NE 8th St./I-405 interchange and implementation of a 
one-way couplet along NE 8th and NE 10th Streets.'' The scope of the 
proposes EIS will be expanded to include other alternatives that would 
add or modify access points on I-405 from NE 4th Street to NE 10th 
Street and improve traffic circulation between I-405 and downtown 
Bellevue.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Gene K. Fong, Federal Highway Administration, Evergreen Plaza Building, 
711 South Capital Way, Suite 501, Olympia, Washington 98501, Telephone: 
(360) 753-9554; Robert D. Aye, Acting Region Administrator, Washington 
State Department of Transportation, Northwest Region, 15700 Dayton 
Avenue North, Seattle, Washington 98133-9710, Telephone: (206) 440-
4691; Hank Howard, City of Bellevue Transportation Department, P.O. Box 
90012, Bellevue Washington 98009-9012, Telephone: (202) 455-6867.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Washington 
State Department of Transportation and the City of Bellevue, 
Washington, will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) on a 
proposal to modify I-405 access to and from downtown Bellevue. The 
proposed improvements are considered necessary to accommodate the 
existing and projected traffic demand between downtown Bellevue and I-
405, to relieve existing traffic congestion at the I-405/NE 8th Street 
freeway interchange, and to support improved high-occupancy-vehicle 
(HOV) access and usage.
    Three build alternatives and a no-action alternative are presently 
under consideration. One build alternative would modify the interchange 
to provide I-405 access to NE 10th Street and to modify I-405 access 
from NE 8th Street. This alternative would include new ramps connecting 
NE 10th Street with I-405 and modifications to the existing ramps 
connecting NE 8th Street to I-405. It would also convert NE 8th and NE 
10th Streets from I-405 to Bellevue Way to a one-way couplet system 
(both streets have two-way traffic at present) and provide for 
additional lanes at the intersection of NE 8th Street and 116th Avenue. 
This alternative was the only build alternative under consideration 
when the original Notice of Intent was issued. The second build 
alternative would widen the NE 8th Street/I-405 overpass, modify the 
existing southbound I-405 off-ramp at NE 8th Street, and construct a 
new HOV/transit interchange at NE 6th Street/I-405. NE 8th Street and 
the I-405 overpass would be widened from west of 112th Avenue to east 
of 116th Avenue to include an additional eastbound lane and provide for 
dual left turn lanes at the NE 8th Street/116th Avenue intersection. 
The existing southbound I-405 off-ramp to westbound NE 8th Street would 
also be modified to divert traffic to NE 10th Street. In conjunction 
with this ramp modification, 112th Avenue would be widened from NE 8th 
Street to NE 10th Street. The alternative would construct new ramps to 
the proposed I-405 inside HOV lanes at NE 6th Street and remove the 
existing HOV restrictions at NE 4th Street and I-405. The third build 
alternative would construct a new two-way viaduct over I-405 connecting 
NE 8th Street to NE 10th Street, provide I-405 access to and from NE 
10th Street, and modify an existing I-405 on-ramp at NE 8th Street. The 
new two-way viaduct, with one lane in each direction, would connect NE 
8th Street east of 116th Avenue to NE 10th Street at 112th Avenue. The 
existing southbound to westbound I-405 off-ramp at NE 8th Street would 
be relocated to NE 10th St. A new on-ramp would be constructed on NE 
10th Street to provide new access to southbound I-405. In addition, NE 
10th Street would be widened between 112th and 110th Avenue. The 
existing westbound to southbound I-405 on-ramp at NE 8th would be 
modified to accommodate these changes.
    This EIS is being prepared because City of Bellevue officials 
believe that the project could have significant impacts related to land 
use and development and to visual quality. Although air quality is an 
issue of concern, no significant air quality impact are

[[Page 35300]]

anticipated from project implementation.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, State and local agencies, affected 
tribes, and private organizations and citizens who have previously 
expressed or are known to have interest in this proposal. An open house 
and new public scoping meeting was held on June 27th, 1996 to provide 
information and seek public input on the proposed alternatives. An open 
house and public hearing will be held to receive comments on the draft 
EIS after it is circulated. The draft EIS will be available for public 
and agency review and comment prior to the public hearing. Public 
notice will be given of the time and place of the open house and 
hearing and the availability of the draft EIS.
    To assure 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, or requests to 
be added to the mailing list should be directed to the FHWA at the 
address 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.)

    Issued on: June 26, 1996.
Jose M. Miranda,
Environmental Program Manager Olympia, Washington.
[FR Doc. 96-17132 Filed 7-3-96; 8:45 am]
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