[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 191 (Friday, October 2, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53120-53121]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26480]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Travis and Caldwell Counties, 
Texas

agency: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

action: Notice of intent.

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[[Page 53121]]

summary: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an 
Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared for a proposed new 
location highway/tollway project in Travis and Caldwell Counties, 
Texas.

for further information contact: Walter C. Waidelich, District 
Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, Room 850, Federal Building, 
300 East 8th Street, Austin Texas 78701. David Kopp, P.E., Texas 
Turnpike Authority Division, Texas Department of Transportation, 125 E. 
11th Street, Austin, Texas 78701-2483.

supplementary information: State Highway 130, as currently envisioned, 
is a proposed controlled access highway which will extend from IH 35 at 
State Highway 195 north of Georgetown in Williamson County, Texas, to 
IH 10 near Seguin in Guadalupe County, Texas. State Highway 130 will be 
located generally parallel to and east of Interstate Highway 35 and the 
urban areas of Austin, San Marcos, and New Braunfels. The total length 
of the proposed facility is 143.5 kilometers (89 miles). The proposed 
State Highway 130 facility is being developed by the FHWA in 
cooperation with the Texas Turnpike Authority Division (TTA) of the 
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). It is being developed in 
three segments with each segment having logical termini and independent 
utility. FHWA and TTA will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
for each of the three independent segments.
    This Notice of Intent (NOI) focuses on the central segment, Segment 
B, of State Highway 130. As announced herein, the FHWA in cooperation 
with TTA will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement on a proposal 
to construct Segment B of State Highway 130. Segment B of proposed 
State Highway 130 extends from US Highway 290 east of Austin in Travis 
County, Texas, to the junction of US Highway 183 and Farm-to-Market 
Road 1185 north of Lockhart in Caldwell County, Texas. The length of 
Segment B is approximately 46.67 kilometers (29 miles) but will varies 
depending on the selected alternative. The proposed action is intended 
to relieve congestion on Interstate 35 by providing an alternative 
route for those who commute between Austin and surrounding areas as 
well as drivers desiring to bypass the central business area of Austin 
and other cities along the heavily traveled Interstate 35 corridor. The 
proposed action will also provide improved access and increased 
mobility to urbanized areas in the proposed corridor; help support 
planned business and residential growth in various areas throughout the 
project corridor; and provide needed freeway access from surrounding 
areas to the proposed Austin Bergstrom International Airport.
    A Major Investment Study, addressing the entire length of the 
proposed State Highway 130, was adopted in July 1997 by the Austin 
Transportation Study Policy Advisory Committee, the metropolitan 
planning organization for the Austin, Texas area.
    As currently envisioned the proposed Segment B facility will be a 
controlled access toll road; thus, in conjunction with the EIS and 
selection of a preferred alternative, the TTA will conduct a toll 
feasibility study to evaluate the viability of developing the selected 
alternative as a toll road and financing it, in whole or part, through 
the issuance of revenue bonds. The toll road designation will not 
influence the selection of a preferred alternative. Proposed 
alternatives, including alternative alignments, will be evaluated for 
how well they meet the stated purpose and need for the proposed 
project. Any impacts owing to the toll road designation will be 
discussed in the environmental impact statement.
    The draft EIS for Segment B will address a build alternative 
including multiple alternative alignments. Alternatives to the proposed 
action, which will also be discussed in the EIS, will include (1) 
taking no action, or the ``no build'' alternative, and (2) improving 
existing roadways in the project area. The build alternatives include 
multiple alternative alignments along new location and existing highway 
rights-of-way within the Segment B project limits.
    Impacts caused by the construction and operation of Segment B of 
State Highway 130 will vary according to the alternative alignment 
utilized. Generally, impacts would include the following: 
transportation impacts (construction detours, construction traffic, and 
mobility improvement); air and noise impacts from construction and 
operation of the roadway; water quality impacts from construction 
activities and roadway stormwater runoff; impacts to waters of the 
United States, including wetlands, from right-of-way encroachment; 
conversion of dedicated parkland; and impacts to residences and 
businesses.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments have 
been sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, and to 
private organizations and citizens who have previously expressed 
interest in the proposal. Public meetings for the Segment B project 
were held on April 15, 1996, at Del Valle High School in Del Valle, 
Texas; on April 16, 1996, at Barbara Jordan Elementary School in 
Austin, Texas; on June 11, 1996, at Plum Creek Elementary School in 
Lockhart, Texas; and on June 26, 1997, at Barbara Jordan Elementary 
School in Austin, Texas. At these meetings, public comments on the 
proposed action and alternatives were requested.
    In continuation of the scoping process for Segment B of State 
Highway 130, an additional public meeting will be held on November 5, 
1998. The location of the public meeting will be at Barbara Jordan 
Elementary School, 6711 Johnny Morris Road, Austin, Texas. From 6:00 to 
7:00 pm, displays showing the preliminary alternative corridors will be 
available for review. During this period, staff of the TTA will be 
available to answer questions. Beginning at 7:00 pm a formal 
presentation of the project will be made and will be followed by a 
public comment period. All interested persons are encouraged to attend 
the public meeting.
    A public hearing will be held for the Segment B project subsequent 
to publication of the Draft EIS. Public notice will be given of the 
time and place of the hearing. The Draft EIS 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 proposed 
Segement B of State Highway 130 are addressed and all significant 
issues identified, comments and suggestions are invited from all 
parties. Comments or questions concerning this proposed action and the 
EIS should be directed to the FHWA or TTA at the addresses provided 
above.

(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.)
Walter C. Waidelich,
District Engineer, Austin, Texas.
[FR Doc. 98-26480 Filed 10-1-98; 8:45 am]
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