[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 127 (Friday, July 2, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36065-36066]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-16853]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Pierce County, Washington

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a 
Tier II Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared for the 
proposed extension of the SR 167 freeway in Pierce County, Washington 
from SR 161 (Meridian Street North) in the city of Puyallup to the SR 
509 freeway (east west road alignment) in the city of Tacoma.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gene Fong, Division Administrator, 
Federal Highway Administration, 711 South Capitol Way, Suite 501, 
Olympia, WA 98501, telephone: (360) 753-9413; Don Nelson, Assistant 
Secretary, Environmental and Engineering Service Center, PO Box, 47323, 
Olympia, WA 98504, telephone: (360) 705-7101; and/or Gary Demich, P.E., 
Region Administrator, Olympic Region, Washington State Department of 
Transportation, 5720 Capitol Boulevard, PO Box 47440, Olympia, WA 
98504, telephone: (360) 357-2605; and/or Dennis Engel, P.E., Project 
Engineer, Consultant Design Office, 6639 Capitol Boulevard, P.O. Box 
47443, Olympia, WA 98504, telephone: (360) 570-6640.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with Washington 
State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will prepare a Tier II 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to determine the most feasible 
alignment alternative of the SR 167 freeway which will meet purpose and 
need of the proposed project, while balancing environmental needs. The 
freeway extension will be approximately 9.7 kilometers (6.0 mile) in 
length. The freeway is expected to require six lanes including HOV 
lanes. The HOV lanes will be constructed when warranted.
    The purpose of the project is to improve regional mobility of the 
transportation system to better serve multi-modal freight and passenger 
movement between SR 167, SR 410, and SR 512 and the Interstate 5 
corridor and the new SR 509 freeway; reduce congestion and improve 
safety on the arterials and intersections in the study area. The 
proposed segment will provide system continuity between the SR 167 
corridor and Interstate 5; and maintain or improve air quality in the 
corridor to ensure compliance with the current State Implementation 
Plan and requirements of the Clean Air Act.
    There are a number of problems associated with the non-freeway 
segment of SR 167 through Puyallup and Fife to the Interstate 5 
corridor/Port of Tacoma/Fife area. The non-freeway segment, which is an 
incomplete part of the north Pierce County freeway system as planned, 
is on the existing surface street system and includes a circuitous 
route through Puyallup on the existing inadequate SR 167, and Fife via 
Valley Avenue and 54th Avenue East. These existing, highly congested 
facilities serve as a major truck route for the Port of Tacoma. Several 
intersections along these routes operate at over capacity conditions 
during peak hours resulting in traffic backups and delays. The heavy 
truck traffic on the non-freeway segment also exacerbate the safety 
problem. Accident ratios, on the non-freeway segment of SR 167, are 20 
to 70 percent high er than statewide averages for similar highways due 
to high level of congestion at intersections and intersecting 
driveways.
    Tier I FEIS was completed in April 1999. The FHWA concurred with 
WSDOT in the selection of corridor Alternative 2 for completing State 
Route 167 from State Route 161 to State Route 509 and signed a Record 
of Decision in June 1999. A complete description of all alternative 
studied, including general design elements sufficient to compare 
alternatives and environmental impacts, is included in the Tier I FEIS 
(FHWA-WA-EIS-1993-2-F). This document is available for review at local 
libraries.
    The Tier II EIS process will consist of performing engineering 
analyses on alternative alignments within the selected corridor to 
determine the negative environmental consequences and evaluate ways to 
avoid, minimize or mitigate for those consequences at the conclusion of 
the Tier II process. The do-nothing alternative will also be evaluated. 
Ultimately, the overall, environmentally preferred alternative will be 
identified and adopted as appropriate.
    Two scoping meetings are planned on July 13, 1999, for agencies, 
organizations and the public. Time and location for the meetings will 
be announced by letters, local newspaper and/or through news letters. 
Subsequent to the scoping meetings, continued public involvement 
opportunities are included in the EIS public involvement plan. These 
include newsletters, community workshops, a project web site, 
bulletins, stakeholder interviews, paid media advertisements, and 
formation of Citizen Advisory Committee to ensure public information

[[Page 36066]]

and to generate input in the project as it advances through the 
development/EIS process. A Partners Committee, made up of sponsoring 
agencies and municipalities in the area, has been formed to 
cooperatively deal with issues as they arise.
    Announcements describing the proposed action and soliciting input 
on the project will be sent to the appropriate Federal, State, and 
local agencies, affected Indian Tribes, private organizations, and 
citizens who have previously expressed or are known to have an interest 
in this proposal. A series of open houses will be scheduled during the 
project development process as a part of the EIS public involvement 
plan. Input from these open houses and scoping meetings will be used to 
help identify the design alternatives for study in the EIS. A public 
hearing will be held after the release of the Draft EIS to receive 
public and agency comments. There will be public notice announcing the 
time and place of future meetings and 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 this proposed 
action are addressed, and all significant issues have been identified, 
comments and suggestion are invited from all interested parties. 
Comments or questions concerning this proposed action and the EIS 
should be directed to the FHWA or WSDOT at the addresses and phone 
numbers provided above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, 
Highway Research, Planning and Construction. The regulations 
implementing Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental 
consultantion on Federal programs and activities apply to this 
program)

    Issued on: June 25, 1999.
James Leonard,
Transportation and Environmental Engineer, FHWA Washington Division.
[FR Doc. 99-16853 Filed 7-1-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M