[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 12, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1872-1874]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-652]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Major Investment Study and Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
on the Proposed Schuylkill Valley Metro Project Between the City of 
Philadelphia and the City of Reading and the Borough of Wyomissing, 
Berks County, PA

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to conduct a Major Investment Study and 
prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), as Federal lead 
agency, and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority 
(SEPTA), as local lead agency, in conjunction with the Berks Area 
Reading Transportation Authority (BARTA) intend to conduct a Major 
Investment Study (MIS) and prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) on a proposed investment strategy to improve mobility 
in the Schuylkill Valley Corridor (Corridor). The Corridor is 
approximately 62 miles long and varies from one half to two miles in 
width from the City of Philadelphia to the City of Reading and the 
Borough of Wyomissing in Berks County, Pennsylvania.
    Among the alternatives that the MIS/DEIS will evaluate are: (1) No 
Build Alternative. This alternative involves no change to 
transportation services or facilities in the Corridor beyond already 
committed projects. (2) Transportation Systems Management (TSM) 
Alternative. This alternative would optimize existing transportation 
facilities with low-cost investments to meet the travel demand expected 
over the next 20 years. Components of this alternative that will be 
investigated include selected highway capacity enhancements and express 
bus service. (3) Commuter Rail Alternative. This alternative would 
utilize existing rail rights-of-way from Philadelphia to Reading and 
share trackage with freight rail operations. (4) Light Rail 
Alternative. This alternative would require dedicated trackage and 
utilize existing rights-of-way for most of its length. Street running 
of light rail vehicles through selected portions of Philadelphia may be 
necessary. Other alternatives or revisions to the above alternatives 
generated through the scoping process will also be considered.
    Scoping will be accomplished through correspondence with interested 
persons, organizations, and Federal, State, and local agencies, and 
three public meetings.

DATES: Comment Due Date: Written comments on the scope of the 
alternatives and impacts to be considered should be submitted by 
February 26, 1999. Written comments should be sent to Mr. Jim Fritz, 
Senior Operations Planner and Project Manager, SEPTA, 1234 Market 
Street, 9th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3780. Written comments may 
also be provided at the public scoping meetings scheduled below: The 
public scoping meetings will take place on: (1) February 9, 1999, (2) 
February 10, 1999 and (3) February 11, 1999. See ADDRESSES below.
    People with special needs should contact Mr. Jim Fritz at SEPTA at 
the address below or by calling (215) 580-7438. The buildings in which 
the scoping meetings will be conducted are accessible to people with 
disabilities, and provisions will be made for the hearing impaired.
    The meetings will be held in an ``open-house'' format, and 
representatives will be available to discuss the project throughout the 
time periods given. Informational displays and written material will 
also be available throughout the time periods given.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Mr. Jim Fritz, Senior 
Operations Planner and Project Manager, SEPTA, 1234 Market Street, 9th 
Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3780. Written comments may also be made 
at the public scoping meetings. The meetings will be held at the 
following locations:
    (1) February 9, 1999 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at Winnet Student Life 
Building Great Hall, Room S219, Philadelphia Community College, 1700 
Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130.
    (2) February 10, 1999 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at Upper Merion Township 
Building Freedom Hall, 175 West Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia, PA 
19406.
    (3) February 11, 1999 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at Berks County Services 
Center Multi-purpose Room, 2nd Floor, Berks County Courthouse, 633 
Court Street, Reading, PA 19601.


[[Page 1873]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jim Fritz, Senior Operations 
Planner and Project Manager, SEPTA, 1234 Market Street, 9th Floor, 
Philadelphia, PA 19107-3780, (215) 580-7438, or fax (215) 580-7163.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Scoping

    FTA, SEPTA, and BARTA invite interested individuals, organizations, 
and Federal, State, and local agencies to participate in defining 
transportation alternatives to be evaluated in the MIS/DEIS and 
identifying any significant social, economic, or environmental issues 
related to the alternatives. An information packet describing the 
results of the Schuylkill Valley Metro Feasibility Report, the need for 
improved mobility in the Corridor, the study area, the proposed 
alternatives, and the impact areas to be evaluated is being mailed to 
affected Federal, State, and local agencies. Other interested parties 
may request the scoping materials by contacting Mr. Jim Fritz, Senior 
Operations Planner and Project Manager, SEPTA, 1234 Market Street, 9th 
Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3780, (215) 580-7438, or fax (215) 580-
7163. Scoping comments may be made in writing at the public scoping 
meetings or may be sent to Mr. Fritz at the above address. See the 
Scoping meeting DATES section above for the locations and times. During 
scoping, comments should focus on identifying social, economic, or 
environmental impacts to be evaluated and suggesting alternatives that 
meet the identified mobility needs in a cost-effective manner. However, 
scoping is not the appropriate time to indicate a preference for a 
particular alternative. Comments on the preferences should be 
communicated after the MIS/DEIS has been completed. If you wish to be 
placed on the mailing list to receive further information as the 
project develops, contact Mr. Jim Fritz, Senior Operations Planner and 
Project Manager, SEPTA, 1234 Market Street, 9th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 
19107-3780, (215) 580-7438, or fax (215) 580-7163.

II. Description of Study Area and Project Need

    The study area, known as the Schuylkill Valley Corridor (Corridor), 
extends approximately 62 miles from the central business district of 
Philadelphia through Montgomery and Chester Counties to the City of 
Reading and the Borough of Wyomissing in Berks County, Pennsylvania. 
The axis of the Corridor is defined by the Schuylkill River, which runs 
generally in a northwest-southeast orientation. Varying from one half 
to two miles in width, the Corridor is comprised either wholly or 
partially of 52 municipalities and portions of Philadelphia. Two 
principal highways, the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) and the US Route 
422 Expressway, form the Corridor's transportation spine.
    The tremendous increase in population and employment over the past 
two decades has established the Corridor as one of the primary growth 
areas of southeastern Pennsylvania. As a result of rapid growth, the 
Corridor's major highways and feeder roads are sustaining severe and 
growing congestion. Land development has occurred rapidly and at low 
densities resulting in the loss of farmland and open space. While most 
new development and capital investment is occurring outside urbanized 
areas, the older former industrial towns along the Schuylkill River are 
in need of economic development. Public transportation in the study 
area is limited, consisting of bus service oriented primarily toward 
the ends of the Corridor and commuter rail service between Philadelphia 
and Norristown.
    The Corridor is a major employment destination in southeastern 
Pennsylvania. High concentrations of jobs are found in the central 
business districts of Philadelphia and Reading while major office, 
industrial, and retail complexes are located along the Corridor's 
highways.
    The MIS/DEIS phase is the next step in transportation planning and 
project development following the completion of the Schuylkill Valley 
Metro Feasibility Report. The MIS/DEIS process employs a far-reaching 
public involvement program, continuous coordination with affected and 
interested agencies and community stakeholders, and a detailed 
evaluation of a wide range of alternatives to meet the mobility needs 
identified in the MIS/DEIS.
    The MIS/DEIS process is designed to examine a number of 
alternatives. Detailed analysis at a conceptual engineering level will 
be performed for a set of multi-modal alternatives to identify cost, 
ridership, cost-effectiveness measures, and environmental benefits and 
impacts.

III. Alternatives

    Among the alternatives that the MIS/DEIS will evaluate are: (1) No 
Build Alternative. This alternative involves no change to 
transportation services or facilities in the Corridor beyond already 
committed projects. (2) Transportation Systems Management (TSM) 
Alternative. This alternative would optimize existing transportation 
facilities with low-cost investments to meet the travel demand expected 
over the next 20 years. Components of this alternative that will be 
investigated include selected highway capacity enhancements and express 
bus service. (3) Commuter Rail Alternative. This alternative would 
utilize existing rail rights-of-way from Philadelphia to Reading and 
share trackage with freight rail operations. (4) Light Rail 
Alternative. This alternative would require dedicated trackage over 
most of its length and utilize existing rights-of-way for most of its 
route. Street running of light rail vehicles through selected portions 
of Philadelphia may be necessary. (5) Highway Alternative. Possible 
improvements and/or additions to the existing highway network will be 
considered. Other alternatives or revisions to the above alternatives 
generated through the scoping process will also be considered.

IV. Probable Effects

    FTA, SEPTA, and BARTA will evaluate, in the MIS/DEIS, all 
significant social, economic, and environmental impacts at a level of 
detail sufficient to identify alternatives and issues to be addressed 
in the EIS. Among the primary transportation issues to be evaluated in 
the MIS/DEIS are the expected increase in transit ridership including 
recreational and work trips, the expected increase in mobility for the 
transit dependent population, the support of the region's air quality 
goals, the economic benefits, satisfying the overall transportation 
needs of the Corridor, the capital outlays needed to construct the 
project, the cost of operating and maintaining the facilities created 
by the project, and the financial impacts on the funding agencies. 
Potentially affected environmental and social resources to be evaluated 
in the MIS/DEIS include, land use and neighborhood impacts, residential 
and business displacements and relocations, traffic and parking impacts 
near stations and along the alignments, visual impacts, noise and 
vibration impacts, major utility relocation impacts, impacts on 
cultural and archaeological resources, and impacts on wetlands and 
parklands. Impacts on air quality, water quality, and hazardous sites 
will also be covered. The impacts will be evaluated both for the 
construction period and for the long-term period of operation. Measures 
to mitigate significant adverse impacts will be considered.

[[Page 1874]]

V. FTA Procedures

    The MIS/DEIS will review alternatives on the basis of conceptual 
engineering, assess the social, economic, and environmental impacts of 
the proposed alternatives, and consider means of minimizing and 
mitigating any adverse impacts associated with the alternatives. After 
its publication, the MIS/DEIS will be available for public review and 
comment, and public hearings will be held. On the basis of the MIS/DEIS 
and comments received, SEPTA and BARTA will select a Locally Preferred 
Alternative that will be carried into the Final EIS. Following this 
action by SEPTA and BARTA, SEPTA and BARTA will request FTA 
authorization to proceed with the Final EIS and to initiate preliminary 
engineering activities.

    Issued on: January 7, 1999.
Sheldon A. Kinbar,
Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 99-652 Filed 1-11-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P