[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 17 (Monday, January 27, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3939-3940]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1914]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration


Major Investment Study/Environmental Impact Statement: Coryell & 
Lampasas Counties, Texas

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 a 
Major Investment Study/Environmental Impact Statement (MIS/EIS) will be 
prepared for a proposed highway project in the City of Copperas Cove 
and Coryell and Lampasas Counties, Texas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Lubin Quinones, P.E., 826 Federal Office Building, 300 E. 8th 
Street, Austin, Texas 78701 and Mr. Doug Huneycutt, P.E., Project 
Manager, Texas Department of Transportation, 100 South Lop Drive, Waco, 
Texas 76705.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Texas 
Department of Transportation (TxDOT), will prepare a draft MIS/EIS 
pursuant to a proposed roadway project intended to relieve traffic 
congestion on U.S. 190 within the City of Copperas Cove and adjacent 
portions of Coryell and Lampasas Counties. Improvements initially 
considered included upgrading the existing facility, constructing a 
reliever route on new or existing locations, and/or improving 
alternative transportation modes in the community. Through input 
derived from previous studies, TxDOT, the consulting study team, the 
MIS Policy Work Group, and the public, 19 preliminary build 
alternatives on new and existing locations were analyzed in addition to 
existing U.S. 190 and alternative transportation mode improvements. The 
preliminary build alternatives included three alignments located north 
of U.S. 190 and 16 alignments south of U.S. 190. These alternatives 
were analyzed in two phases--(1) Fatal Flaw and (2) Qualitative 
Comparison/Ranking--using three basic criteria: engineering 
considerations, mobility considerations, and environmental 
considerations. From the 19 preliminary alternatives, three primary 
build alternatives south of U.S. 190 emerged as the best potential 
alternative alignments. In the MIS/EIS document, the three primary 
build alternatives and the no-build alternative will be analyzed in a 
more rigorous, quantitative fashion. The locations of the primary build 
alternative are described below.
    The primary reliever route alternatives to be considered in the 
MIS/EIS lay within an eight kilometer (5 mile) long corridor located to 
the south of existing U.S. 190. The corridor's eastern terminus is 
located east of Copperas Cove in Coryell County and west of Rattlesnake 
Hill; the corridor then proceeds southwest over Sevenmile Mountain and 
terminates at U.S. 190 just west of Copperas Cove in Lampasas County 
and immediately west of the U.S. 190/F.M. 2657 intersection. The 
principal variations of the three alignments within the corridor are in 
the segment between Sevenmile Mountain and the proposed western 
terminus near F.M. 2657. Heading west, the northernmost alternative 
comes off of Sevenmile Mountain, passes just north of the ``saddle'' 
extension of the mountain, and crosses the South Industrial Park. The 
middle alternative comes off of Sevenmile Mountain, bisects the 
``saddle'' and crosses the South Industrial Park. The southernmost 
alternative comes off Sevenmile Mountain, and passes immediately south 
of both the ``saddle'' and South Industrial Park.
    At the present stage of the MIS/EIS process, no preferred 
alternative has been selected. Over the course of conducting previous 
studies in the city and region, the City of Copperas Cove and TxDOT 
have given considerable attention to the concept of a reliever roadway 
around the city to allow through traffic to bypass the frequently 
congested commercial district on U.S. 190. TxDOT has performed 
preliminary investigations of a new location, four lane divided freeway 
with full control of access. The facility would have ramps and frontage 
roads where warranted and grade separations at FM roads and other major 
intersecting routes.
    Major considerations in the proposal's ongoing studies include 
costs of rights-of-way, the numbers and types of relocations necessary, 
engineering constraints and limitations due to rough topography, and 
potential environmental impacts involving land use, socioeconomic 
conditions, air quality, noise, traffic, ecological/cultural resources, 
and hazardous material sites. A coordination environmental assessment 
was prepared and has been circulated to appropriate Federal, State, and 
local agencies and to private organizations and citizens who have 
expressed interest in the proposal. Public meetings have been held on 
March 7, 1996, and July 18, 1996, and one more is scheduled. One public 
hearing will be held after the draft MIS/EIS has been completed and 
made available to the agencies and public. Other public involvement 
opportunities include a MIS Policy Work Group composed of local 
officials and key citizens; a hot line (1-800-742-1060) which will be 
maintained for 19 months to receive public input; a MIS newsletter sent 
six times on a quarterly basis to update the public on MIS/EIS progress 
and the dates, times, and locations of public meetings and hearings; 
and six news releases to be prepared at appropriate times during the 
MIS/EIS process to inform the public about MIS/EIS status and relevant 
dates, time, and locations of public meetings and hearings. In 
addition, at appropriate times over the course of the MIS/EIS process, 
presentations will be made to the Copperas Cove City Council, Coryell 
and Lampasas Commissioners Courts, Fort Hood's Directorate of Public 
Works, the Killeen-Temple Urban Transportation Study Board of Directors 
and the Central Texas Council of Governments, which serves as the 
region's Metropolitan Planning Organization.
    To ensure 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 MIS/EIS should be 
directed to the FHWA or TxDOT at the address provided above.

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


[[Page 3940]]


    Issued on: January 2, 1997.
C.D. Reagan,
Division Administrator, Austin, Texas.
[FR Doc. 97-1914 Filed 1-24-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M