[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 27 (Monday, February 10, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6038-6039]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-3144]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Allegheny, Beaver, and Butler 
Counties, PA

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

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 a proposed 
transportation improvement in the vicinity of northern Allegheny County 
and southern Beaver and Butler Counties in southwestern Pennsylvania 
locally known as the Crows Run Transportation Study.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David W. Cough, P.E., District Engineer, Federal Highway 
Administration, 228 Walnut Street, Room 558, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 
17101-1720. Telephone: (717) 782-3410 or Henry Nutbrown, P.E., District 
Engineer, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, 45 Thomas Run 
Road, Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, 15017. Telephone: (412) 429-5084.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the 
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), will prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a west-east transportation 
improvement within the study area of Traffic Route 65 (western 
terminus) to Traffic Route 19 and Interstate 79 (eastern terminus). The 
proposed study area includes Conway Borough, New Sewickley Township and 
Economy Borough in Beaver County, Cranberry and Jackson Townships in 
Butler County and Marshall Township in Allegheny County. The 
approximate length of the project is nine miles.
    The purpose of the transportation improvement is to improve west-
east access from the Ohio River Valley to the Pennsylvania Turnpike and 
Interstates 279 and 79. The project needs, which have been identified, 
are to develop a transportation improvement to: alleviate congestion, 
to address projected increases in traffic volumes, to provide an 
improved west-east connector between major north-south routes, to 
improve vertical and horizontal geometry, to accommodate truck traffic, 
and to improve safety.
    Alternatives that will be considered in the EIS include: (1) The 
No-Build; (2) Congestion Management Strategies (CMS), (3) Upgrade of 
existing roadways within the study area and (4) CMS and Upgrades. 
Through preliminary engineering and environmental studies, new 
alignment alternatives such as a new four lane facility north or south 
of Freedom Road were dismissed as these alternatives do not meet the 
project need and potentially have significant environmental impacts. 
The EIS will discuss the findings of these preliminary studies.
    The following environmental areas will be investigated for 
inclusion in the EIS: Project Need; Traffic; Safety; Air Quality; Noise 
and Vibration; Socioeconomic and Land Use; Environmental Justice; 
Community Cohesion, Facilities and Services; Property Acquisition and 
Displacements; Historic and Archaeological Sites; Residual and 
Hazardous Waste Sites; Soils and Geology; Floodplains; Surface and 
Ground Water; Aquatic Environment; Wetlands; Threatened and Endangered 
Species; Vegetation and Wildlife; Agricultural Lands; Aesthetics; 
Construction Impacts; Energy and Section 4(f) resources.
    A Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) has been formed to solicit 
information from the community and to present the environmental 
process, project scoping and environmental studies to community 
representatives for distribution. The CAC is also responsible for 
advising PennDOT of the community's concerns and to evaluate the 
information presented and decisions to be made.
    Periodic meetings are scheduled with state and federal 
environmental agencies through Agency Coordination Meetings (ACM) to 
present project information on scoping and the project development 
process. ACM will also be used to receive comments and direction from 
the agencies on the development of the project alternatives, the 
assessment of impacts and the identification of mitigation measures.
    Public meetings have been and will continue to be held throughout 
the development of the EIS for the general public and agencies. Public 
notices of the time and place of these meetings and the public hearing 
will be published in area newspapers. A project Mailing List and 
Project Newsletter have been established to inform the public of 
project milestones. The draft EIS will be available for public and 
agency review and comment prior to the public

[[Page 6039]]

hearing. No formal scoping meeting is planned at this time.
    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 and 
questions concerning the proposed action should be directed to the FHWA 
or PennDOT at the addresses 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: January 29, 1997.
J. Stephen Guhin,
Assistant Division Administrator, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
[FR Doc. 97-3144 Filed 2-7-97; 8:45 am]
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