[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 225 (Wednesday, November 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59130-59131]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-29602]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: City of Issaquah, King County, 
Washington

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 (EIS) will be prepared for the Southeast 
Issaquah Bypass project in the City of Issaquah, King County, 
Washington.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Gene K. Fong, Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, 
Evergreen Plaza Building, 711 South Capitol Way, Suite 501, Olympia, 
Washington 98501, telephone (360) 753-9413; Jerry W. Alb, Director, 
Environmental Services, Washington State Department of Transportation, 
310 Maple Park East, PO Box 47331, Olympia, Washington 98504-7331, 
telephone (360) 705-7480; or Ann DeFee, Project Manager, Department of 
Public Works, City of Issaquah, PO Box 1307, Issaquah, Washington 
98027, telephone (206) 557-2571.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Washington 
State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the City of Issaquah 
will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for a new bypass 
arterial approximately 2.4 km (1.5 mile) long, intending to connect I-
90 in the vicinity of the Sunset Interchange, with Issaquah-Hobart 
Road. The Southeast Issaquah Bypass would be located along an alignment 
which will be selected as part of the EIS process. It is anticipated 
the alignment will likely be similar to one of several alternative 
alignments defined in previous feasibility studies completed for the 
project.
    The bypass arterial is planned to be a two-way road that would 
provide through-lanes and turn-lane channelization at main 
intersections. The road may be urban or rural in section, or a 
combination thereof, with features such as bicycle lanes, curb, gutter, 
sidewalk, stormwater management, water quality treatment, retaining 
walls, bridges, landscaping, highway signs, lighting, and signalization 
as determined appropriate during the EIS and design studies.
    Alternatives under consideration include: a No-Action Alternative 
and at least two roadway alignment alternatives (generally within, but 
not restricted to, a previously identified corridor). The corridor 
broadens in width at the south end and may include more than two 
locations and geometric

[[Page 59131]]

configurations for the intersection with Issaquah-Hobart Road. 
Reasonable alternatives identified during the scoping process will also 
be evaluated. Analysis will focus on identifying impacts and mitigation 
measures, and providing information appropriate to choosing a preferred 
alignment alternative from among the alternatives identified through 
the scoping and public involvement process.
    The EIS will identify direct, secondary and cumulative impacts 
associated with the roadway alternatives under consideration. The EIS 
will also address other cumulative impacts, taking into consideration 
two separate but related projects which are currently in the 
preliminary design phase, and are undergoing separate environmental 
review: (1) The proposed South Sammamish Plateau Access Road (South 
SPAR) and Sunset Interchange modification project, and (2) the proposed 
North Sammamish Plateau Access Road (North SPAR).
    The South SPAR and Sunset Interchange modification project would 
connect the Sunset Interchange with a major east-west arterial in the 
southwestern portion of the Grand Ridge Development area and modify the 
existing partial interchange, which presently provides only a west 
bound off-ramp and east on-ramp, to a full interchange that provides 
for all traffic movements to and from I-90. It is sponsored by the 
Washington State Department of Transportation, City of Issaquah, King 
County, and two private developers (Grand Ridge Ltd. Partnership and 
Glacier Ridge Ltd. Partnership). It is being addressed in a separate 
project-specific EIS written in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
    The North SPAR project would connect the proposed South SPAR with 
the existing intersection of Issaquah-Pine Lake Road Southeast and 
Issaquah-Fall City Road Southeast. The North SPAR project is a King 
County-sponsored project separate from the Sunset Interchange/South 
SPAR project, with its own logical termini and independent utility. It 
will be addressed in a separate project-specific EIS written in 
accordance with the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA).
    Relevant information about various environmental issues related to 
both the Sunset Interchange/South SPAR EIS and the North SPAR EIS will 
be incorporated into the Southeast Issaquah Bypass EIS to address 
secondary and cumulative impacts.
    The purpose of the proposed Southeast Issaquah Bypass project is to 
provide arterial access to I-90 in the vicinity of the Sunset 
Interchange for Issaquah traffic and Hobart area traffic; to provide a 
bypass of the City of Issaquah Central Business District, thereby 
reducing Issaquah congestion; to support adopted City and Region 
comprehensive land use plans and their fulfillment, which today are 
suffering from violations of level of transportation concurrency 
standards; and to satisfy all of the above purposes in a multimodal 
context with improved auto, transit, bicycle, and pedestrian access to 
existing and future land uses.
    Environmental issues of concern to be addressed in the EIS include 
transportation; air quality; noise; land use and social elements; 
wetlands; biological resources (wildlife and vegetation); fisheries 
resources; water quality (surface and ground water); floodplains; 
hazardous materials; historic, archaeological and cultural resources; 
waterways and hydrological systems (surface and groundwater quantity); 
soils and topography; geologic hazards; energy; and visual impacts. 
Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will be 
sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, appropriate 
Native American tribes, and to private organizations and citizens who 
have expressed, or are known to have, an interest in this proposal. An 
agency scoping meeting will be held on December 9, 1996 from 1:30 p.m. 
to 3:30 p.m. at the City of Issaquah's Council Chambers, 135 East 
Sunset Way, Issaquah, Washington. A public scoping meeting will be held 
on December 9, 1996 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Issaquah High School 
Commons, 700 Second Avenue SE, Issaquah, Washington. The public and all 
affected agencies will be invited to attend the meetings. Public notice 
will be given of the time and place of the meetings.
    To assure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
action are addressed and all significant issues are identified, 
comments are invited from all interested parties. Comments and 
suggestions concerning this proposed action and the EIS should be 
directed to the FHWA at the address provided.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, 
Highway Research, Planning and Construction. The regulations 
implementing Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental 
consultation of federal programs and activities apply to this 
program)

    Issued on November 8, 1996.
Jose M. Miranda,
Environmental Program Manager, Olympia, WA.
[FR Doc. 96-29602 Filed 11-19-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M