[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 98 (Wednesday, May 21, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27833-27834]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-13308]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Bellevue, King County, WA

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a 
NEPA/SEPA environmental impact statement (EIS) will be prepared for a 
proposed SR 520 Improved Access Project, located between I-405 and 
148th Avenue NE in the City of Bellevue, King County, Washington. The 
EIS will evaluate alternatives and the associated environmental impacts 
to provide additional access to and from the east on SR 520 to service 
the commercial/light industrial area south of SR 520.

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; John Okamoto, Regional Administrator, Washington State 
Department of Transportation, Northwest Region, 15700 Dayton Avenue 
North, Seattle, Washington 98133-9710, Telephone (206) 440-4691; Kim 
Becklund, Project Development Coordinator, City of Bellevue, PO Box 
90012, Bellevue, Washington 98009-9012, Telephone (425) 637-6145.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the City of 
Bellevue and the Washington State Department of Transportation, 
proposes to improve access to and from the east on SR 520 between 
Interstate 405 and west of 148th Avenue NE while maintaining adequate 
freeway traffic operations and safety and minimizing adverse impacts to 
businesses and residential neighborhoods. The project would address the 
need for improved mobility for regional vehicle trips. Level of 
service, average vehicle delay, queue length, travel speed, and traffic 
redistribution will be used as measures of effectiveness.
    The proposed project is consistent with the current City of 
Bellevue's Comprehensive Plan and the 1986 Bel-Red Overlake 
Transportation Study (BROTS) as adopted by the City of Bellevue in 
1988. Growth along the SR 520 corridor has increased traffic conjestion 
within the study area to exceed the traffic conjestion forecast in the 
BROTS. Future development in the corridor is expected to create even 
greater congestion on the transportation network.
    To address congestion and maintain an acceptable level of service, 
as much as practicable, the BROTS recommended providing additional 
access to and from SR 520 within two general areas: (1) Between I-405 
and west of 148th Avenue NE, and (2) between east of 148th Avenue NE 
and NE 51st Street. For area 2 above, access needs on SR 520 east of 
148th Avenue NE are satisfied with the interchange soon to be 
constructed at NE 40th Street.
    To meet the BROTS recommendation for area 1, in addition to the no 
action alternative, at least four alternatives relating to new access 
ramps to serve traffic to and from the east on SR 520 are under 
consideration in the vicinity of 124th Avenue NE, 130th Avenue NE, 
136th Avenue NE, and 140th Avenue NE. Other alternatives identified 
during the scoping process would also be considered.
    The EIS will evaluate alternatives based on their ability to (1) 
satisfy anticipated access needs between SR 520 and the commercial/
light-industrial area south of SR 520 while maintaining adequate 
freeway operations, and (2) minimize impacts to nearby residential and 
business neighborhoods.
    Environmental issues of concern identified to date include 
potential impacts to air quality, noise, and changes to community 
character.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, State and local agencies, affected 
Native American tribes, and private organizations and citizens who have 
previously expressed or are known to have interest in this proposal. 
Public pre-scoping open houses were held on December 3rd, 1996, and 
January 7, 1997. An agency scoping meeting will be held on June 24th, 
1997, to solicit agency input. No other scoping meetings have been 
scheduled. Comments from the public and agencies regarding the scope 
and significance of issues to be addressed and alternatives to be 
evaluated in the EIS are requested by July 24th, 1997. Following the 
circulation of the draft EIS, an open house and public hearing will be 
held to receive comments on the draft EIS. The draft EIS will be 
available for agency and public review and comment at the public 
hearing and for at least 15 days prior to the public hearing. Public 
notice will be given regarding timing of the public scoping comments 
period, the public open houses, the EIS hearings, the availability of 
the draft and final EIS's and the issue of the Record of Decision.
    To assure 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, or requests to 
be added to the mailing list, should be directed to the FHWA, the 
WSDOT, or the City of Bellevue at the corresponding address provided 
above.


[[Page 27834]]


(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 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)

    Issued on: May 9, 1997.
Jose M. Miranda,
Environmental Program Manager, Olympia, Washington.
[FR Doc. 97-13308 Filed 5-20-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M