[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 8 (Monday, January 13, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 1802]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-680]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Environmental Impact Statement: Allegheny and Washington 
Counties, Pennsylvania

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 proposed 
transportation improvements between State Route 60 and US Route 22, 
known locally as a Southern Beltway Transportation Project and the 
Findlay Connector, in Allegheny and Washington Counties, Pennsylvania. 
This notice supersedes the Notice of Intent published in the Federal 
Register, Volume 58, No. 154, Page 43005, on August 12, 1993, for the 
Southern Beltway, and the Notice of Intent published in the Federal 
Register, Volume 56, No. 209, Pages 55707 and 55708 on October 29, 
1991, for the Findlay Connector.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David W. Cough, District Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, 228 
Walnut Street, Room 558, Harrisburg, PA 17101-1720, Telephone: (717) 
782-3411; Daryl L. Kerns, Turnpike Liaison Engineer, Pennsylvania 
Department of Transportation, 1113 Transportation & Safety Building, 
Harrisburg, PA 17120, Telephone: (717) 787-0185; or Paul A. Edmunds, 
Acting Chief Engineer, Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, P.O. Box 
67676, Harrisburg, PA 17106-7676, Telephone: (717) 939-9551.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the 
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania Turnpike 
Commission will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a 
proposal for a limited access toll highway in Allegheny and Washington 
Counties, west of Pittsburgh, PA. The proposed improvement would extend 
from an interchange on State Route 60 west of the Pittsburgh 
International Airport (24 kilometers [15 miles] west of Pittsburgh), 
southwesterly to U.S. Route 22. The improvement corridor is about 10 
kilometers (6.2 miles) long and about 2 kilometers (1\1/4\ miles) wide. 
The proposed improvement is considered necessary to provide direct 
access from the south and west to the Pittsburgh International Airport 
area, and to provide improved access to planned development in the 
Airport area. Preliminary studies and public and agency input for the 
Southern Beltway Transportation Project and for the Findlay Connector 
have concluded that the project needs for both projects can be met with 
a single transportation project in the corridor between State Route 60 
and U.S. Route 22. These studies also indicated that the project needs 
cannot be met by Transportation System Management activities, upgrading 
existing roadways or mass transit improvements. Alternatives now under 
consideration are various alignments for a new tolled expressway and 
taking no action.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments have 
been sent to appropriate Federal, State, and Local agencies, and to 
private organizations and citizens who have previously expressed or are 
known to have interest in this proposal. A series of public meetings 
will be held in the project area during the development of the project. 
In addition, a public hearing will be held. Public notice will be given 
of the time and place of the meetings and hearings. The Draft EIS will 
be available for public and agency review and comment prior to the 
public hearing. A Scoping Meeting was held on August 18 and 19, 1993, 
in Washington, PA. Federal, state, regional, county, and municipal 
agencies attended and participated.
    To insure 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 FHWA at the address provided above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 20.205, Highway 
Planning Construction. The regulations implementing Executive Order 
12372 regarding intergovernmental consultation on Federal programs 
and activities apply to this program)
J. Stephen Guhin,
Assistant Division Administrator, Pennsylvania Division, FHWA.
[FR Doc. 97-680 Filed 1-10-97; 8:45 am]
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