[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 233 (Thursday, December 4, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64246-64247]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-31803]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Environmental Impact Statement on the Norfolk-Virginia Beach
Light Rail Transit Project in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach, Virginia
Corridor
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS).
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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Tidewater
Transportation District Commission (TRT), in cooperation with the
Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and the Hampton
Roads Metropolitan Planning Organization, intend to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), for the Norfolk-Virginia Beach
Light Rail Transit Project in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach, Virginia
corridor. The EIS is being prepared in conformance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and will also satisfy the requirements
of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA). The EIS will evaluate the
following transportation alternatives: a No-Build alternative, a
Transportation Systems Management (TSM) alternative, and the light rail
transit alignment. The Tidewater Transportation District Commission
will be the lead agency for the preparation of the EIS.
SCOPING PROCESS: The purpose of the Public Scoping Meeting is to
provide interested individuals with an introduction to and an overview
of the EIS process and the opportunity for comments on the significant
issues and impacts to be addressed in the EIS. Comments may be
submitted orally at the Scoping Meeting or in Writing to Ms. Jayne
Whitney, Project Director, Tidewater Transportation District
Commission, 1500 Monticello Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia 23510 during the
Scoping comment period for the preparation of the Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (DEIS) which ends on Thursday, January 22, 1998.
The Scoping Meeting will begin with an ``open house'' where
attendees will be able to view graphics and discuss the project with
the project representatives. A presentation on the project will be
given at 6:00 P.M., followed by an additional opportunity for questions
and answers. Scoping material will be available at the meeting or in
advance of the meeting by contacting Ms. Janette Crumley at (757) 640-
6295 or Ms. Delores Gee at (757) 640-6251. A sign language interpreter
will be available for the hearing impaired. A TDD number (757) 640-6255
is also available. The buildings are accessible to people with
disabilities. Scoping meetings will be held on:
1. Tuesday, December 9, 1997, 4 p.m.-7 p.m., Tidewater
Transportation District Commission Headquarters, 1500 Monticello
Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia 23510.
2. Thursday, December 11, 1997, 4 p.m.-7 p.m., ODU/NSU Virginia
Beach Higher Education Center, 3300 South Building, 397 Little Neck
Road, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23452.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Alfred Lebeau, Transportation
Program Specialist, Federal Transit Administration, Region III, (215)
656-7100.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Scoping
The FTA and TRT invite interested individuals, organizations, and
federal, state and local agencies to participate in defining the
alternatives to be evaluated in the EIS and identifying any significant
social, economic, or environmental impacts to be evaluated, and
suggesting alternatives that are less costly or have less environmental
impacts while achieving similar transit objectives. During Scoping
comments should focus on the alternatives under consideration and not
on a preference for a particular alternative. Individual preference for
a particular alternative should be communicated during the draft EIS
comment period. Scoping comments may be made at the Public Scoping
Meeting or in writing within 45 days after publication of this notice.
See the ``Scoping Process'' section above for locations and times.
II. Description of Study and Project Need
The proposed project consists of an 18.25 mile light rail transit
system between Downtown Norfolk and the Virginia Beach Pavilion
Convention Center generally following the Norfolk Southern Railroad
right-of-way. A combination of single and double track light rail
transit construction is being studied. The study includes a proposal
for 13 stations, many of which will provide both bus and park-and-ride
access.
The Norfolk-Virginia Beach corridor has been and continues to be an
area of significant growth for the region. One hundred thousand people
commute into the City of Norfolk and 30,000 into Virginia Beach every
day from outside those communities. Virginia Beach Boulevard and Route
44/I-264 are at or over capacity at many locations at this time with
traffic forecast to grow by another 87 percent on Route 44 by the Year
2015. Both of these roadways have been expanded to the limits of the
existing, available right-of-way.
The study corridor shows population concentrations along the
Virginia Beach to Norfolk corridor that would potentially support
further justification for expanded transit service. Population
densities, particularly of minority, elderly or low-income individuals
often rely on transit for their transportation needs. Regional
employment also has continued to grow. Norfolk continues to be the
major employment center in the
[[Page 64247]]
region with two major employment destinations: the Naval Base Norfolk
and Norfolk's Central Business District. The emergence of new activity
centers along the corridor within the last fifteen years has created
new commuting patterns and additional demands on transportation
facilities.
In response to this need, TRT has completed a Major Investment
Study (MIS) for the Norfolk-Virginia Beach corridor. The results of the
MIS study resulted in a preferred alternative of a light rail transit
system with limited stops along the corridor, and includes stations,
park and ride lots, and transit centers. Transit improvements are
intended to alleviate traffic congestion in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach
corridor and help achieve regional air quality goals by providing an
alternative to the single occupant vehicle.
III. Alternatives
The transportation alternatives proposed for consideration in this
project area include: (1) No-Build, which involves no change to
transportation services or facilities in the corridor beyond already
committed projects, (2) a Transportation System Management (TSM)
alternative which consists of low to medium cost improvements to the
facilities and operations of the TRT bus system in addition to the
currently planned transit improvements in the corridor, and (3) a new
light rail alignment (including line, station locations and support
facilities) generally following the existing Norfolk Southern rail
corridor between Norfolk and Virginia Beach and on surface streets in
Downtown Norfolk and to the Virginia Beach Pavilion, and a modified bus
service component.
IV. Probable Effects
The FTA and TRT will evaluate all significant environmental,
social, and economic impacts of the alternatives analyzed in the EIS.
Primary environmental issues include: Land use and neighborhood
protection, traffic and parking, visual, noise and vibration, safety,
aesthetics, stormwater management, archaeological, historic, cultural
and ecological resources, wildlife corridors. Impacts on natural areas,
rare and endangered species, air and water quality, groundwater, and
potentially contaminated sites will also be studied. Displacements and
relocations, ecosystems, water resources, hazardous waste, parklands,
and energy impacts will be assessed. The impacts will be evaluated both
for the construction period and for the long-term period of operation
of each alternative. Measures to mitigate any significant adverse
impacts will be developed.
V. FTA Procedures
In accordance with the federal transportation planning regulations
(23 CFR Part 450), the Draft EIS will be prepared to include an
evaluation of the social, economic and environmental impact of the
alternatives. The DEIS will consider the public and agency comments
received and the TRT in concert with the Secretary of the Virginia
Department of Rail and Public Transportation and Hampton Roads
Metropolitan Planning Organization and other affected agencies, will
select the preferred alternative. Then the TRT, as lead agency, will
continue with the preparation of the Final EIS. Opportunity for
additional public comment will be provided throughout all phases of
project development.
Issued: December 1, 1997.
Sheldon A. Kinbar,
Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 97-31803 Filed 12-3-97; 8:45 am]
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