[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 120 (Wednesday, June 21, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38624-38625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-15588]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement; Hamilton County; Indiana

AGENCY: Federal High Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notic of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an 
environmental impact statement will be prepred for a proposed highway 
project in Hamilton County, Indiana.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Dirks, Environmental 
Specialist, Federal Highway Adiminstration, Room 254, Federal Office 
Building, 575 North Pennsylvania Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204, 
Telephone (317) 226-7492; or James E. Juricic, Manager of Environmental 
Assessment Section, Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), Room 
N848, 100 N. Senate Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204, Telephone 
(317) 232-5305. Please refer to Project Designation Number 9905500 in 
any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the INDOT, 
will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for a proposed 
improvement project along U.S. Route 31 between Interstate 465 on the 
south and State Route 38 on the north, a distance of approximately 12 
miles. Improvements in the project area are needed to reduce overall 
travel time, reduce traffic congestion and improve traffic safety. The 
proposed project is part of the state's effort to provide an improved 
highway corridor between Indianapolis and South Bend. Preparation of 
the EIS follows the completion of the U.S. Route 31 Hamilton County 
Major Investment Study in March of 1997.
    The range of alternatives under consideration include the do 
nothing alternative; alternatives that use other transportation modes; 
alternatives that maximize the efficiency of the present transportation 
system; alternatives that reduce highway capacity needs by reducing 
travel demand; and different build alternatives that will increase the 
capacity of the U.S. Route 31, including upgrading the facility to a 
limited access, multilane highway. An alternatives screening process 
will be conducted to evaluate which alternatives will be carried 
forward in the EIS process for detailed analysis. Different land use 
scenarios will be developed for each of the alternatives carried 
forward in the EIS process.
    The scoping process will include early coordination with federal, 
state and local agencies; the preparation of a scoping document; and a 
scoping meeting. The scoping meeting will be held after all parties 
have had an opportunity to review the scoping document and proper 
notice has been given.
    A public involvement program has been developed and will consist of 
a soon to be established project web site at www.us31indiana.org; 
distribution of project newsletters; outreach to county and local 
officials and community and civic groups; two publis meetings prior to 
the issuance of the draft EIS; and a public hearing to solicit public 
input on the draft EIS. The first public meeting is

[[Page 38625]]

intended to introduce the public to the project and to answer questions 
about the project schedule and process & scope? The second public 
meeting is intended to provide a preview of the purpose and need 
statement and the complete range of alternatives evaluated as part of 
the alternatives screening process. The dates of the public meetings, 
the release of the draft EIS, and the date of the public hearing will 
be announced to the public as such dates are established and will also 
be available at the project web site.
    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.

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

    Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315; 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on: June 1, 2000.
Robert Dirks,
Environmental Specialist, Indianapolis, Indiana.
[FR Doc. 00-15588 Filed 6-20-00; 8:45 am]
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