[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 40 (Monday, March 2, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10259-10260]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-4934]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement; Tarrant County, Texas

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing a Notice of Intent (NOI) to advise the 
public that the scope of the environmental impact statement (EIS) for 
the proposed State Highway 199 project (S.H. 199) in Tarrant County, 
Texas, will be revised. The project was initially planned to be studied 
in a single EIS. A NOI was published in the March 18, 1987, Federal 
Register. After preliminary environmental analysis it was determined 
that the project should be separated into two project segments, each 
with independent utility, logical termini, and which did not restrict 
future transportation considerations. Accordingly, a second NOI was 
published December 28, 1989, addressing the need to revise the scope of 
the proposed project and the environmental classification. This third 
NOI will further revise the scope of the proposed project and 
environmental classification. This revision will result in two separate 
project segments, each with independent utility, logical termini, and 
which do not restrict future transportation considerations. For the 
third revision one segment is from FM 1886 easterly to IH 820 and the 
other from IH 820 easterly to proposed SH 121. The project for which an 
EIS is being prepared extends from proposed S.H. 121 westerly to I.H. 
820.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Walter C. Waidelich, District Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, 
826 Federal Office Building, 300 E. 8th Street, Austin, Texas 78701, 
Telephone (512) 916-5988.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The limits for the original NOI were between 
the proposed S.H. 121 interchange near the Fort Worth Central Business 
District (CBD) to Spur 344 in Azle. A NOI, published December 28, 1989, 
was for revising the scope of the proposed project and environmental 
classification. The segment from the proposed S.H. 121 interchange 
northwesterly to F.M. 1886 remained an EIS. The segment from F.M. 1886 
northwesterly to Azle was approved with a Finding of No Significant 
Impact. However, the environmental studies in progress have found that 
impacts will not be significant within the section of S.H. 199 from 
I.H. 820 to F.M. 1886 and the project scope should be further revised 
into two project segments. Therefore, the FHWA, in cooperation with the 
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), will continue the 
environmental analysis and prepare separate environmental documents for 
the improvements to S.H. 199. The limits of the first project from the 
proposed S.H. 121 interchange to I.H.

[[Page 10260]]

820 will be evaluated and an EIS will be prepared. The EIS process was 
selected because the proposed project lies primarily within a densely 
developed urban area. This area has the potential for greater social, 
economic, and environmental impacts than any other section. Alternate 
routes for development along with public consensus for the preferred 
alignment alternative will be addressed in the EIS. This highway 
portion connects the Forth Worth CBD with the Cities of River Oaks, 
Samson Park, and Lake Worth in northwestern Tarrant County. It will 
provide residents and businesses of these cities with improved travel 
within the corridor. An Environmental Assessment will be prepared for 
the second project from I.H. 820 to F.M. 1886.
    The proposed facility will be a six to eight lane divided freeway 
with auxiliary lanes where needed. The project will include frontage 
road construction and there will be full control of access along the 
length of the facility. Right of way will vary between 73 and 137 
meters (240 and 450 feet). All existing at-grade crossings will be 
eliminated and grade separations or interchanges will be constructed at 
major thoroughfares.
    S.H. 199 is currently a basic 4 lane urban expressway with limited 
access control and is the principal transportation facility in 
northwest Tarrant County. No other parallel freeways or principal 
artery exists within the S.H. 199 corridor. Committed congestion 
reduction strategies for the S.H. 199 corridor consist of the regional 
Transportation Demand Management Program that includes Employee Trip 
Reduction programs and area-wide ridesharing. All reasonable existing 
and future alternate modes of transportation available to the corridor 
will not sufficiently lower the projected 2016 traffic volume to the 
desired level of service. The proposed expansion will safely and 
efficiently provide for the mobility needs of the area. A project 
concept conference with local officials was held April 7, 1987. In 
1987, two public meetings were held to discuss alternate routes for the 
proposed project. A third public meeting was held in 1988.
    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 the proposed action and the EIS should be directed 
to the FHWA at the address provided.

(Catalog of Federal 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.)
David L. Gibbs,
Acting Division Administrator, Austin, Texas.
[FR Doc. 98-4934 Filed 2-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M