[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 12 (Thursday, January 18, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4889-4890]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-1509]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: King County, WA

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration, King County, Washington.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a 
joint NEPA/SEPA Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared for a 
proposed bicycle/pedestrian trail. The trail would be located primarily 
along a former rail corridor on the east side of Lake Sammamish between 
the Cities of Issaquah and Redmond in King County, Washington. The EIS 
will be prepared in conjunction with King County Department of 
Construction and Facilities Management.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth Healy, Transportation and 
Environmental Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, 711 S. Capitol 
Way, Suite 501, Olympia, WA 98501, Telephone (360) 753-9480; or Ms. 
Robin Cole, Project Manager, King County Department of Construction and 
Facilities Management, 500 Fourth

[[Page 4890]]

Avenue, Room 320, Seattle, WA 98104, Telephone (206) 296-4261.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the proposed project is to 
design and construct a multi-use recreational trail and alternative 
transportation corridor primarily within the 10.8-mile former 
Burlington-Northern Santa Fe rail corridor, and to protect the federal 
railbanking status of the corridor, which was granted in September 
1998. This East Lake Sammamish Trail would extend along the east side 
of Lake Sammamish from Redmond to Issaquah, linking King County's 
Marymoor Park and West Lake Sammamish Trail to Lake Sammamish State 
Park and other local and regional trails.
    At this time, three alternatives are being considered: a No Action 
alternative, use of primarily the existing railbed with some off-
railbed use, and use of the existing rail corridor with some off-
corridor use. The range of alternatives may, however, be modified as a 
result of public involvement process.

Potential Environmental Issues

    King County has conducted a community outreach and preliminary 
environmental evaluation process. As a result, the County and FWHA have 
identified the following areas of potentially significant environmental 
impacts associated with the proposed project: surface water, geology 
and soils, noise, land and shoreline use, vegetation, wildlife, 
fisheries, public services and utilities, transportation, safety, 
recreation, and aesthetics. Additional areas of potential impact may be 
identified during public involvement.

Public Involvement and Scoping Meetings

    During spring and summer 2000, Neighborhood Vision Workshops and 
User Group Workshops were held by King County to gather information 
from neighbors of the trail and potential user groups including 
cyclists, runners, pedestrians, and equestrians.
    King County held a public SEPA scoping meeting on November 15, 2000 
to provide an opportunity for the public to help the project team 
identify issues for consideration and evaluation in the environmental 
review process. The meeting was held at the Inglewood Junior High 
School, 24120 NE 8th, Redmond, WA 98053.
    A public scoping meeting will be held on February 20, 2001 to 
provide additional opportunity to ensure that proposed alternatives 
respond to previous input and are comprehensive. Notice of this meeting 
was also published in local newspapers, including the Seattle Times, 
the Eastside Journal, and the Issaquah Press. The February 20th scoping 
meeting will be held at: Skyline High School (Commons Area), 1122-228th 
Avenue SE, Sammamish, WA 98075, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
    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 this proposed action and the EIS should be 
directed to the FHWA at the address provided above.

(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)

    Issued on: January 9, 2001.
Elizabeth Healy,
Transportation and Environmental Engineer, Olympia, Washington.
[FR Doc. 01-1509 Filed 1-17-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M