[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 121 (Friday, June 22, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33602-33603]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-15730]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Seattle, Washington

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), USDOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public, Tribes, 
and agencies that an environmental impact statement will be prepared 
for a proposed highway project in Seattle, King County, Washington.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Leonard, FHWA, 711 South Capitol 
Way, Suite 501, Olympia, Washington, 98501 (telephone 360-753-9408); 
Carroll Hunter, WSDOT Office of Urban Mobility, 401 Second Avenue 
South, Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98104-2887 (telephone 206-464-6231), and 
Kristen Nielsen, City of Seattle, 600 Fourth Avenue, Suite 401, 
Seattle, WA 98140-1879 (telephone 206-684-0983).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, the Washington State Department of 
Transportation (WSDOT), and the City of Seattle will prepare an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) to document the environmental 
consequences for alternative solutions to improve the existing SR 99 
corridor now partially served by the Alaskan Way Viaduct located in 
downtown Seattle, King County, Washington. The proposed action would 
provide a facility with improved earthquake resistance that maintains 
or improves mobility for people and goods along the existing SR 99 
Corridor. The proposed action would involve improvements to the 
existing 2-mile viaduct structure or construction of a new facility. 
The southern terminus of the project would

[[Page 33603]]

be the First Avenue South Bridge. The north terminus would be north of 
the existing Battery Street Tunnel and will be determined after project 
scoping to (1) not preclude a possible connection to the south Lake 
Union vicinity (the Mercer Street Corridor connection to Interstate 5), 
(2) not preclude a possible realignment of the SR 99 corridor, and (3) 
not preclude using the existing Battery Street Tunnel and existing 
Alaskan Way Viaduct facilities.
    Improvement to the corridor are considered necessary because the 
age, design, and location of the existing viaduct make it vulnerable to 
soil liquefaction and could render the structure unusable in a strong 
earthquake. Built in the 1950's, the viaduct does not meet current 
seismic standards. Damage sustained to the structure during a February 
2001 earthquake compounded its seismic vulnerability. The structure 
also does not meet current roadway design standards for lane widths, 
shoulders, and ramp sight distances and tapers, which contribute to the 
number and severity of traffic accidents. Four areas along this section 
of SR 99 are designated High Accident Locations (HAL). The SR 99 
Alaskan Way Viaduct is one of two primary north-south limited access 
routes through downtown Seattle, and is a vital link in the region's 
roadway system.
    Although alternatives have not yet been identified, preliminary 
alternatives under early consideration include: taking no action, 
seismic retrofit of the existing structure, in-kind replacement of the 
current structure, replacement with a new elevated structure of a 
different configuration, replacement with a tunnel, removal of the 
viaduct and reconfiguration of the surface street system, adding 
transit capacity, or combinations of these solutions. The list of 
alternatives to be addressed in the EIS will be finalized after scoping 
has occurred.
    Letters soliciting comments on the scope of the EIS and describing 
the purpose, need, and potential alternatives will be sent to 
appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, Tribes, and to private 
organizations and citizens who have previously expressed or are known 
to have interest in this proposal. Two meetings will be held to 
identify the scope of issues to be addressed, the major impacts, and 
the potential alternatives. Both meetings will be conducted on June 28, 
2001, at the Mountaineers Club, Olympus Room, 300 Third Avenue West, 
Seattle, Washington. The first meeting, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., will 
focus on input from agencies and Tribes. The second meeting, from 5:00 
to 8:00 p.m., will primarily be for the public. Written scoping 
comments may be submitted to Carol Hunter (WSDOT) at the address 
provided above and are requested by July 12, 2001. In addition, a 
public hearing will be held following circulation of the draft EIS.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
action are addressed and all significant issues are identified, 
comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. 
Comments or questions concerning this action and the EIS should be 
directed to FHWA or WSDOT or the City of Seattle at the addresses 
provided above.

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

    Issued on: June 18, 2001.
James A. Leonard,
Urban Transportation and Environmental Engineer, Olympia, Washington, 
for the Division Administrator.
[FR Doc. 01-15730 Filed 6-21-01; 8:45 am]
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