[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 70 (Friday, April 11, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17903-17904]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-9304]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement; Tuscaloosa County, AL

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 a proposed highway 
project in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Joe D. Wilkerson, Division 
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, 500 Eastern Boulevard, 
Suite 200, Montgomery, Alabama 36117, Telephone: (334) 223-7370, or Mr. 
Jimmy Butts, Director, State of Alabama Department of Transportation, 
1409 Coliseum Boulevard, Montgomery, Alabama 36130, Telephone (334) 
242-6311.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the State of 
Alabama Department of Transportation, will prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement for a proposed bypass of the cities of Northport and 
Tuscaloosa, approximately 29 km (18 miles) in length, beginning at U.S. 
Highway 82 west and extending north and east around Northport and 
Tuscaloosa. The proposed limited access multi-lane facility provides a 
much-needed new crossing of the Black Warrior River that runs generally 
east and west through the metropolitan area. There are presently two 
routes serving the Northport/Tuscaloosa area that cross the Black 
Warrior River. Both of these facilities have become severely congested 
creating the need for additional river crossings. The area has 
experienced steady growth, and an additional highway corridor will 
better serve this rapidly-developing area as well as provide through 
traffic with an option to bypass the existing overburdened highway 
network.
    A Notice of Intent was previously published on September 17, 1992, 
to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for this project. Early 
coordination letters describing the proposed action and soliciting 
comments were sent to appropriate Federal, State, local agencies, and 
to private organizations and citizens who had expressed or were known 
to have an interest in the proposal. A scoping meeting, four public 
involvement meetings, and public hearings were held to describe the 
project and solicit public/private input. After these meetings, 
hearings, and consideration of comments, the location of a river 
crossing was selected and a FONSI approved on January 14, 1994, for a 
separate project within the overall limits of the bypass for 
construction of a bridge across the river. Funding to begin bridge 
construction was provided in the Intermodal Surface Transportation 
Efficiency Act of 1991.
    A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (FHWA-AL-EIS-94-01-D) for 
the bypass, which also included discussion of the river crossing 
project, was approved on June 1, 1994. After circulation of the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement and holding a corridor public hearing, 
comments and objections to the alignment north of the river were raised 
by residents of a subdivision near the proposed location. In order to 
ensure that there was full public knowledge of the proposed project and 
to clarify apparent confusion by some citizens, an additional Notice of 
Intent was published in 1996 to prepare a Supplemental Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement for the entire route. The Supplemental 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement was prepared on the entire route 
and subsequently approved on June 10, 1996. This document was 
circulated, and a corridor public hearing was held. Once again, 
objections were raised, and many of the comments concerning the 
outdated data indicated the need to prepare a new Environmental Impact 
Statement, based on current issues and conditions rather than trying to 
utilize information from the previous Environmental Impact Statement 
and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, and to 
private organizations and citizens who have previously expressed or are 
known to have an interest in this proposal. A scoping meeting and 
public involvement meeting will be held in the project area. In 
addition, a public hearing will be held. Public notices will be given 
of the time and place of meetings and hearing. The Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement will be available for public and agency review and 
comment prior to the public hearing.
    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 Environmental Impact 
Statement should be directed to

[[Page 17904]]

the FHWA at the address provided above.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 20.205, Highway Planning and 
Construction.

    Issued on: April 1, 1997.
Joe D. Wilkerson,
Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Montgomery, 
Alabama.
[FR Doc. 97-9304 Filed 4-10-97; 8:45 am]
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