[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 50 (Monday, March 16, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12856-12858]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-6688]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Sacramento Amtrak and Folsom 
Corridor LRT Extensions and Double Tracking project in Sacramento 
County, CA

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), in cooperation with 
the Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT), will prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Sacramento Amtrak and 
Folsom Corridor LRT Extensions and Double Tracking project in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the 
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
    The EIS will consider alternatives for improving direct transit 
service within a corridor generally following U.S. Highway 50 between 
the Amtrak station in downtown Sacramento and downtown Folsom, 
California. The EIS will evaluate the following alternatives: a No-
Build Alternative, a Transportation Systems Management (TSM) 
Alternative, and a Light Rail Transit (LRT) Alternative.
    The Major Investment Study (MIS) for this project, the U.S. 50 
Corridor Major Investment Study, was completed by the Sacramento Area 
Council of Governments in December, 1997. Other previous studies 
include various program- and construction-level environmental analyses 
conducted by RT over the past eight years, and a City of Folsom 
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for a light-rail extension along the 
easternmost segment of the corridor. RT will perform additional 
preliminary engineering for the downtown Sacramento Amtrak extension, 
the

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Folsom extension, and double tracking, for a single, construction-level 
Draft EIS/EIR for the entire corridor.
    Scoping will be accomplished through meetings and correspondence 
with interested persons, organizations, the general public, federal and 
state agencies. Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting 
comments were sent to the appropriate federal, state and local 
agencies, and to private organizations and citizens who have expressed 
or are known to have interest in this proposal.

DATES: Comment Due Date: Written comments on the scope of alternatives 
and impacts to be considered must be postmarked no later than April 20, 
1998 and should be sent to the Sacramento Regional Transit District at 
the address below. Scoping Meetings: Two public scoping meetings will 
be held: April 7, 1998 from 7:00 until 9:00 p.m., at the Nimbus Winery, 
12401 Folsom Boulevard, Rancho Cordova, and on April 8, 1998 from 2:00 
until 4:00 p.m. at the Energy Commission Building, Hearing Room A, 1516 
9th Street, Sacramento. A brief presentation of the project purpose and 
alternatives will be provided at the beginning of each meeting. RT and 
consultant staff will be present to take agency and public input 
regarding the scope of the environmental studies, key issues, and other 
suggested alternatives.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Mr. Anthony Palmere, 
Planning Manager, RT, 1400 29th Street, Sacramento, CA. 95816. Phone: 
(916) 321-2866. The public scoping meetings will be held at the Nimbus 
Winery, 12401 Folsom Boulevard, Rancho Cordova (April 7, 1998 from 7:00 
until 9:00 p.m.), and at the Energy Commission Building, Hearing Room 
A, 1516 9th Street, Sacramento (April 8, 1998 from 2:00 until 4:00 
p.m.).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Hom, Director, Office of 
Program Development (415) 744-3116.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Description of Project Area and Scope

    The FTA, as joint lead agency with the Sacramento RT, will prepare 
an EIS on a proposal to improve direct transit service within an 
approximately 23-mile-long corridor generally following U.S. Highway 50 
between the Amtrak station in downtown Sacramento and downtown Folsom, 
California. Studies will build upon previous evaluations of route and 
mode alternatives and LRT extensions conducted over the past 8 years. 
RT will perform preliminary engineering for the downtown Sacramento 
Amtrak station extension, the Folsom extension, and double-tracking 
segments, for a single, construction-level Draft EIS/EIR that satisfies 
both NEPA and CEQA requirements.

II. Project Purpose and Need

    The basic project purpose is to improve public transit service in 
this rapidly growing corridor by providing increased transit capacity 
and faster, convenient access between downtown Folsom and downtown 
Sacramento. Associated needs include the following: enhancing regional 
connectivity through expanded, interconnected LRT services along the 
primary travel corridors in Sacramento County; accommodating future 
travel demand by expanding modal options; alleviating growing traffic 
congestion in the U.S. 50 corridor and on major east-west arterials; 
alleviating the downtown Sacramento congestion and circulation impacts 
of increased peak hour traffic; improving regional air quality by 
reducing auto emissions; improving mobility options to employment, 
education, medical, and retail centers for corridor residents, in 
particular low-income, youth, elderly, disabled, and ethnic minority 
populations; and supporting local economic and land development goals.

III. Alternatives

    The No-Build Alternative will consist of all presently programmed, 
that is, existing and fiscally committed elements of the Region's 
Transportation Plan for this corridor and nearby areas. These are 
expected to include HOV lanes on portions of U.S. 50; and RT, Folsom 
Stage and El Dorado County Transit bus service improvements in the 
Folsom corridor to meet projected employment growth and transit travel 
demand.
    The TSM Alternative will include low-capital cost bus system 
enhancements and traffic engineering, signalization, and other modest 
capital improvements in addition to the programmed projects included in 
the No-Build Alternative. The bus service enhancements are expected to 
include RT shuttle buses between the Mather Field light rail station 
and the employment centers in the White Rock Road, Mather Field, and 
Sunrise Boulevard areas; new express buses from Folsom and El Dorado 
County to the White Rock Road, Mather Field Road, and Sunrise Boulevard 
employment centers and to the Mather Field Road station; and 
continuation of Folsom Stage and El Dorado County express buses to 
downtown Sacramento.
    The LRT Alternative is the Sacramento Amtrak and Folsom Corridor 
LRT Extensions and Double Tracking project. It incorporates extension 
of the existing LRT tracks from 7th and K streets in downtown 
Sacramento, to the Amtrak Station in downtown Sacramento; extension of 
the LRT tracks from the Mather Field station to downtown Folsom; and 
track relocation and other facility modifications to provide for 
double-tracking from Amtrak to a point approximately two miles east of 
Sunrise Boulevard, becoming single track to Iron Point Road and 
downtown Folsom. LRT stations are included at Sunrise Boulevard, Hazel 
Avenue, and Iron Point Road, in addition to the downtown Sacramento 
Amtrak station and a station in downtown Folsom. The LRT Alternative 
may be constructed in stages, depending on ridership and cost 
projections to be developed during the studies. Proposed implementation 
phasing and LRT and bus system operational changes to accommodate the 
proposed LRT extensions will be described and evaluated in the Draft 
EIS/EIR. Also, environmental review of four additional stations, at 
Horn Road, Coloma Road, Kilgore Road, and Silverbrook Drive, will be 
provided to enable construction of these stations as funding permits. 
An LRT maintenance facility will be considered in the area between 
Sunrise Boulevard and the Iron Point Road stations.
    The EIS/EIR will address the full range of other alternatives that 
have been considered in developing the proposed project.

IV. Probable Effects

    Impacts proposed for analysis include changes in the physical 
environment (natural resources, air quality, noise, water quality, 
geology, visual); changes in the social environment (land use, business 
and neighborhood disruptions); changes in traffic and pedestrian 
circulation; impacts on parklands and historic sites; changes in 
transit service and patronage; associated changes in highway 
congestion; capital, operating, and maintenance costs; and financial 
implications. Impacts will be identified both for the construction 
period and for the long-term operation of the alternatives. The 
proposed evaluation criteria include transportation, environmental, 
social, economic, and financial measures as required by current federal 
(NEPA), and State (CEQA) environmental laws and current Council on 
Environmental Quality (CEQ) and FTA guidelines.
    The TSM and LRT alternatives are expected to increase transit 
ridership, and therefore may improve air quality and reduce automobile 
traffic

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congestion in the U.S. 50 corridor. Possible adverse environmental 
effects of these alternatives include localized traffic congestion or 
delay, property acquisition/ displacement, visual, noise/vibration, 
wetlands/natural resources, hazardous materials, and temporary 
construction-phase impacts. Mitigating measures will be explored for 
identified adverse effects.
    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 EIS/EIR should be 
directed to RT at the address provided above.

    Issued on: March 11, 1998.
Leslie Rogers,
Region IX Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-6688 Filed 3-13-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P