[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 237 (Friday, December 8, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77064-77066]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-31145]



[[Page 77064]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Announcement of I-69 Status

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Announcement of I-69 Status.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this announcement is to provide information on 
the status of Interstate 69, a transcontinental highway corridor 
designated by the U.S. Congress to extend from the U.S./Canadian border 
to the U.S./Mexican border. The public is invited to participate in 
FHWA NEPA process, and to contact the States through which the corridor 
runs for specific project information.

ADDRESSES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for addresses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: K. Lynn Berry, Community Impact 
Specialist, Federal Highway Administration, Southern Resource Center, 
61 Forsyth Street, Suite 17T26, Atlanta, GA, 30303, Telephone: (404) 
562-3618, E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 
has initiated the project planning, development, and decisionmaking 
process for numerous transportation projects related to a 
transcontinental highway corridor, designated as I-69. The corridor has 
been defined by the United States Congress to extend from Port Huron, 
Michigan (bordering Sarnia, Ontario, Canada) to the Lower Rio Grande 
Valley in Texas at the Mexican border, a distance of more than 1600 
miles.
    The I-69 corridor (originally known as Corridor 18) was designated 
by the U.S. Congress as a High-Priority Corridor of National 
Significance in the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 
1991 (ISTEA). It was further defined in the National Highway System 
Designation Act of 1995 and the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st 
Century (TEA-21) in 1998. The I-69 Corridor has been identified to 
address the transportation needs associated with the increase in goods 
movements between the three partners (U.S.A., Mexico, and Canada) to 
the North American Free Trade Agreement of 1992. It is also a key 
transportation recommendation of the Clinton Administration's Delta 
Initiative, which is aimed at the revitalization and economic 
development of the Lower Mississippi Delta Region. The overall purpose 
of I-69 corridor is to improve international and interstate trade in 
accordance with national and state goals; and to facilitate economic 
development in accordance with state, regional, and local policies, 
plans and surface transportation consistent with national, state, 
regional, local needs and with congressional designation of the 
corridor.
    Several studies were conducted that informed the authorizing 
legislation. They include the 1995 Corridor 18 Feasibility Study, a 
1996 Corridor 20 Feasibility Study, and the Corridor 18 Special Issues 
Study, completed in 1997.
    Per the legislative authorities, the current definition of I-69 
stipulates the following:
     Includes the existing I-69 facility from Indianapolis to 
Port Huron, Michigan/Sarnia, Ontario, Canada;
     Includes the I-94 facility from Port Huron, through 
Detroit (including the Ambassador Bridge interchange) to Chicago, 
Illinois;
     A new Interstate route (I-69) from Indianapolis to the 
Lower Rio Grande Valley serving the following:

--Evansville, Indiana,
--Memphis, Tennessee,
--Shreveport/Bossier City, Louisiana,
--Houston, Texas.

    The route would pass through Mississippi and Arkansas between 
Memphis and Shreveport/Bossier City.
     Requires that in Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas and 
Louisiana, the corridor follow the alignment generally identified in 
the ``Special Issues Study'' (1997); and
     Includes, in the Lower Rio Grande Valley:

--US 77 from the Mexican border to US 59 in Victoria, Texas;
--US 281 from the Mexican border to US 59, then to Victoria, Texas;
--The Corpus Christi Northside Highway and Rail Corridor from the 
intersection of US 77 and I-37 to US 181; and
--FM 511 from US 77 to the Port of Brownsville.

    Additional studies have been conducted to refine planning efforts 
subsequent to ISTEA and TEA-21. The Special Environmental Studies 
included a report on Sections of Independent Utility (1999) and a 
Statement of Purpose and Need (February 2000). Related studies examined 
the Southwest Indiana Highway Corridor; Mississippi State Highway 304 
Corridor; The Great River Bridge Crossing of the Mississippi River; The 
US 59 Corridor Master Plan from Diboll, Texas to Garrison, Texas; and 
I-69 Route Feasibility in the Houston, Texas metropolitan area.
    The Statement of Purpose and Need identified benefits to the Nation 
that have been shown to outweigh the costs of providing the 
transportation facility. These benefits are related to system linkage, 
capacity, transportation demand, economic development, modal/freight 
interrelationships, safety, and roadway deficiencies. Studies 
considering alternative transportation modal choices have identified 
that an interstate highway facility would best meet the needs as 
identified.
    The I-69 corridor and related projects fall within nine States 
(Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, 
Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas). The length of the corridor precludes 
the planning, development, and decisionmaking of the full corridor as a 
single construction project. For the purposes of planning, the overall 
length of more than 1,600 miles was divided into 32 Sections of 
Independent Utility (SIU). 26 of these sections form a continuous route 
from the Michigan/Canada border to the Texas/Mexico border, and six 
sections are identified as connecting routes to I-69. The SIUs were 
developed in a manner consistent with the FHWA memorandum dated 
November 3, 1993 on establishing logical termini, and have been 
approved for advancement to the FHWA National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) decisionmaking process. In some cases, the FHWA NEPA process, 
documentation, and approvals have already been applied to projects and 
work activities within the corridor.
    This notice also announces that the advancement of I-69 is moving 
from the corridor planning and feasibility study stages to the state 
project planning, development, and FHWA NEPA process and decisionmaking 
stages. Each state will study viable sections identified above, 
addressing state and local needs, schedules, and funding constraints in 
accordance with the FHWA NEPA process. State and local needs for any 
particular project will be considered, as well as the national 
legislative and administrative objectives for the movement of goods 
across the country. The FHWA will partner with the state departments of 
transportation to facilitate the examination of alternatives and 
impacts within the proposed corridor, and to ensure consistency in 
addressing the national transportation objectives relative to 
transcontinental trade put forth by Congress.
    Interagency workshops and briefings have been conducted. The 
primary mechanism for working with resource agencies has been through 
the Southeast Natural Resource Leaders Group (SENRLG) and its 
counterparts in Dallas, Texas, and Chicago, Illinois. SENRLG, which 
will continue to serve

[[Page 77065]]

as an advisory group to I-69 decisionmakers, is a collaboration of 
regional and Federal executives who lead agencies with natural resource 
conservation as part of their mission. In addition to the conservation, 
restoration, and management of resources, SENRLG is committed to 
promoting ecologically sustainable development. To this end, it will 
assist transportation officials in determining the impact of I-69 as 
well as opportunities for enhancing the environment. In working with 
the resource agencies, emphasis will be given to procedures which will 
facilitate the acceleration of project management, development, and 
decisionmaking, and which ensure public outreach, involvement and 
coordination with Federal, state, and local agencies.
    There have been many public involvement activities and 
opportunities throughout the I-69 process. During the planning and 
feasibility study stages, a series of public meetings was held in 
Memphis, Tennessee, a city central to the corridor. They were held on 
the following dates:
    November 7, 1994 to receive suggestions and comments.
    September 25, 1995 to discuss results of the Feasibility Study.
    August 29, 1996 to receive suggestions and comments.
    May 28, 1997 to discuss the results of the Special Issues Study.
    A number of advocacy groups were involved during corridor studies. 
Additionally, ten Metropolitan Planning Organizations have been 
involved in planning for I-69, and more opportunities for public 
involvement will continue throughout the process. Currently, state-
specific studies are being conducted in accordance with each state's 
public involvement process.
    Future public involvement activities will be conducted in each 
state, as I-69 projects are advanced through the FHWA NEPA process. 
Each state will issue a notice of intent to proceed with the FHWA NEPA 
process for I-69 projects in the Federal Register, clearly identifying 
the projects as part of the corridor. For information regarding 
opportunities to participate in the transportation decision-making 
process, please contact one of the representatives from the state 
departments of transportation or the FHWA Division offices.

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                                            State contact                         FHWA division contact
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Michigan....................  Dave Wresinski, Manager, Project          James J. Steele, Division Administrator,
                               Planning Section, Michigan Department     Federal Building, Room 207, 315 West
                               of Transportation, State Transportation   Allegan Street, Lansing, Michigan
                               Building, 425 West Ottawa, P.O. Box       48933, Phone: 517-377-1844, Fax: 517-
                               30050, Lansing, MI 48913, Phone: 517-     377-1804, Email: Michigan.
                               373-8258, Fax: 517-373-9255, Email:       [email protected]
                               [email protected].
Illinois....................  Mr. William Sunley, Deputy Director of    Ron Marshall, Division Administrator,
                               Program Development, Division of          3250 Executive Park Drive, Springfield,
                               Highways, Illinois Department of          Illinois 62703, Phone (217) 492-4600,
                               Transportation, 2300 South Dirksen        Fax (217) 492-4621, Email:
                               Parkway, Springfield, IL 62764, Phone:    [email protected]
                               217-782-2972, Email:
                               [email protected].
Indiana.....................  Steve Cecil, Deputy Commissioner of       John Baxter, Division Administrator, 575
                               Planning and Intermodal Transportation,   North Pennsylvania Street, Room 254,
                               Indiana Department of Transportation,     Indianapolis, Indiana 46204, Phone: 317-
                               100 North Senate Avenue, Room N755,       226-7475, Fax: 317-226-7341, Email:
                               Indianapolis, IN 46204-2249, Phone: 317-  [email protected]
                               232-5535, Fax: 317-232-0238,
                               Email:[email protected].
Kentucky....................  Michael Hancock, Deputy State Highway     Jose Sepulveda, Division Administrator,
                               Engineer, Kentucky Transportation         330 West Broadway, Frankfort, KY 40601,
                               Cabinet, State Office Building, Rm        Phone: 502-223-6720, Fax: 502-223-6735
                               1005, 501 High Street, Frankfort, KY      Email: [email protected]
                               40622, Phone: 502-564-3730, Fax: 502-
                               564-2277, Email:
                               [email protected].
Tennessee...................  Dennis Cook, Assistant Chief Engineer,    Charles S. Boyd, Division Administrator,
                               Tennessee Department of Transportation,   640 Grassmere Park Road, Suite 112,
                               700 James K. Polk Building, 505           Nashville, Tennessee 37211, Phone: 615-
                               Deaderick Street, Nashville, TN 37243-    781-5770, Fax: 615-781-5773, Email:
                               0349, Phone: 615-741-3339, Fax: 615-741-  [email protected]
                               0865, Email: [email protected].
Mississippi.................  Marlin Collier, Director, Office of       Andrew H. Hughes, Division
                               Intermodal Planning, Mississippi          Administrator, 666 North Street, Suite
                               Department of Transportation, P.O. Box    105, Jackson, Mississippi 39202, Phone:
                               1850, Jackson, Mississippi 39215,         601-965-4217, Fax: 601-965-4231, E-
                               Phone: 601-359-7025, Fax: 601-359-7050,   mail: [email protected]
                               Email: [email protected].
Arkansas....................  Steve Teague, Assistant Chief Engineer    Sandra L. Otto, Division Administrator,
                               for Planning, Arkansas State Highway      700 West Capitol Avenue, Room 3130,
                               and Transportation Department, P.O. Box   Little Rock, AR 72201, Phone: (501) 324-
                               2261, Little Rock, AR 72203-2261,         5625, Fax: (501) 324-6423, Email:
                               Phone: 501-569-2241, Fax: 501-569-2400,   [email protected]
                               E-mail: [email protected].
Louisiana...................  Mr. Kenneth A. Perret, Assistant          William A. Sussmann, Division
                               Secretary, Office of Planning and         Administrator, 5304 Flanders Drive,
                               Programming, Louisiana Department of      Suite A, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, Phone:
                               Transportation and Development, P.O.      225-757-7600, Fax: 225-757-7601, Email:
                               Box 94245, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9245,    Louisiana.[email protected]
                               Phone: 225-379-1248, Fax: 225-379-1227,
                               Email:
                               [email protected].
Texas.......................  Alvin R. Luedecke, Director,              C.D. (Dan) Reagan, Division
                               Transportation Planning and Programming   Administrator, 300 E. 8th Street,
                               Division, Texas Department of             Austin, TX 78701, Phone: 512-536-5900,
                               Transportation, 200 East Riverside,       Fax: 512-536-5990, Email:
                               Bldg. 118, 2nd Floor, Austin, TX 78704,   Texas.[email protected]
                               Phone: 512-486-5000, Fax: 512-486-5007,
                               Email: [email protected].
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    On behalf of the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal 
Highway Administration, Mr. Eugene Cleckley, Director, Field Services--
South, Atlanta, Georgia, has been appointed the U.S. DOT Executive 
Official to facilitate

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coordination among the states and FHWA, and to facilitate project 
management, acceleration, and decisionmaking. He will provide 
leadership in working with a Steering Committee of transportation 
officials who will coordinate the I-69 initiative. The Steering 
Committee, chaired by Mr. Dan Flowers of the Arkansas State Highway and 
Transportation Department (AHTD), is comprised of eight member states. 
The AHTD serves as the administrative agency acting on behalf of the 
Steering Committee and as a central repository for documentation 
related to the corridor as a whole.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, 
Highway Research and Construction. The regulation implementing 
Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental consultation of 
Federal programs and activities apply to the program)

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

    Issued on: December 1, 2000.
Eugene W. Cleckley,
Director, Field Services--South.
[FR Doc. 00-31145 Filed 12-7-00; 8:45 am]
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