[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 135 (Thursday, July 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38232-38233]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-18095]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: District of Columbia, Prince 
George's County, Maryland and City of Alexandria and Fairfax County, VA

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 
supplement to a final environmental impact statement will be prepared 
for a proposed bridge project in the District of Columbia, Prince 
George's County, Maryland and the City of Alexandria and Fairfax 
County, Virginia.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John Gerner, Project Manager, 
Woodrow Wilson Bridge Center, 1800 Duke Street, Suite 200, Alexandria, 
Virginia 22314, Telephone: (703) 519-9800.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the District 
of Columbia Department of Public Works, Virginia Department of 
Transportation, and Maryland State Highway Administration, will prepare 
a supplement to the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) for a 
proposal to enhance mobility while addressing community and 
environmental concerns along I-95/I-495 (Capital Beltway) from west of 
Telegraph Road to east of MD 210 in the vicinity of the Woodrow Wilson 
Bridge. The original FEIS for the improvements (FHWA-MD-VA-DC-EIS-91-
01-F) was approved on September 2, 1997 and a Record of Decision (ROD) 
was issued on November 25, 1997. The proposed improvements documented 
in that FEIS provide for replacing the existing bridge with a new 
bridge crossing consisting of two new parallel drawbridges, one for 
eastbound traffic and the other for westbound traffic, constructed 
approximately thirty feet south of and twenty feet higher than the 
existing bridge. Each span would have five general purpose traffic 
lanes (separated into two express and three local lanes), and one lane 
reserved for future use by public transit or high occupancy vehicle 
use. Thus, the new bridge would have a total ten general purpose 
traffic lanes and two lanes reserved for limited future use. Four 
interchanges adjacent to the bridge, two in Maryland and two in 
Virginia, will also be reconstructed to provide for roadway widening 
associated with the larger bridge, smoother traffic flow, and improved 
access to the bridge.
    The location and preliminary design of the project have been 
approved. However, a U.S. District Court ruling, City of Alexandria v. 
Slater, 1999 U.S. DIST. LEXIS 5254 (D. DC April 14, 1999), found that 
the FEIS was inadequate because a ten lane alternative had not been 
fully considered, the presentation of construction impacts associated 
with the project was not detailed enough, and the impact on cultural 
resources in yet to be selected mitigation sites and possible sites in 
the construction area were not described (on the last point, the Court 
also found that the National Historic Preservation Act had been 
violated). The Federal Government is appealing the Court's decision. 
The Federal Government is not appealing other portions of the decision 
dealing with the Clean Air Act.
    Although the Federal Highway Administration is appealing this 
decision, in recognition of the need for timely action on this bridge 
replacement project, the Federal Highway Administration has decided to 
begin processing a supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) 
to address the issues raised by the Court and to present information on 
changes to the project which were not evaluated in the FEIS, even while 
the appeal of the Court decision is pending. In addition, and since the 
publication of the FEIS in 1997, the development of the final design 
has led to a number of changes in the project, resulting in some 
changes in the boundaries of the project, the configuration of the 
interchanges, the amount of dredging in the Potomac River, and other 
relatively limited changes. These changes are best addressed in an 
SEIS, irrespective of the District Court decision.
    This ``Alternatives SEIS'' is being undertaken to: (1) Do 
preliminary engineering and design work necessary to develop 10 lane 
alternative designs, (2) consider these 10 lane alternatives along with 
the current 12 lane design, (3) address construction impacts and 
effects upon cultural resources and historic sites in the area, and (4) 
address

[[Page 38233]]

changes to the project since the issuance of the ROD.
    If the appeal is resolved favorably and the mandate to more fully 
consider 10 lane alternatives, construction impacts, and yet to be 
identified historic sites in an SEIS is vacated, development of a 
``limited scope SEIS'' (23 CFR 773.130(f)) only dealing with the 
changes which have occurred since the 1997 ROD would continue. Work 
would stop on those matters which flow directly from the District 
Court's decision, as an SEIS on these issues would then be unnecessary 
and limiting the scope of the SEIS would allow the project to remain on 
its original schedule.
    If the appeal is not successful, the ``Alternatives SEIS'' 
addressing changes to the project since the ROD was issued as well as 
evaluating various 10 lane alternatives and other issues required by 
the District Court would be completed.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, and to 
private organizations and citizens and citizen groups who have 
previously expressed or are known to have an interest in this proposal. 
It is anticipated that Scoping Meetings will be held both in Virginia 
and Maryland early in August, 1999.
    If the appeal is not successful and an ``Alternatives SEIS'' is 
prepared, Public Information Workshops will be held both in Maryland 
and Virginia in December, 1999 and Public Hearings will be held both in 
Maryland and Virginia in May, 2000. If the appeal is successful and a 
``limited scope SEIS'' is prepared, the Public Information Workshop 
will not be conducted, but Public Hearings will be held both in 
Maryland and Virginia in January, 2000 to present the results of the 
evaluations of proposed changes to the project since the FEIS and ROD 
were issued in 1997. In either case, the draft SEIS will be available 
for public and agency review and comment prior to the Public Hearing. 
Public notice will be given of the availability of the Draft SEIS for 
review and of the time and place of the public meetings and hearings.
    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 these proposed actions and SEIS should be directed 
to the FHWA at the address provided above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, 
Highway Research, Planning and Construction. The regulation 
implementing Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental 
consultation of Federal programs and activities apply to this 
program).
Nelson J. Castellanos,
Division Administrator, Baltimore, Maryland.
[FR Doc. 99-18095 Filed 7-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M