[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 26, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49252-49253]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-24090]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

Federal Highway Administration


Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement on 
Transportation Improvements in the Primary Transportation Corridor of 
the City and County of Honolulu, HI

AGENCIES: Federal Transit Administration and Federal Highway 
Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (SDEIS).

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Federal Highway 
Administration (FHWA), in cooperation with the City and County of 
Honolulu Department of Transportation Services (DTS), intend to prepare 
a supplemental draft environmental impact statement (SDEIS) in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for 
proposed transportation improvements in the Primary Transportation 
Corridor of the City and County of Honolulu. The SDEIS will address the 
following proposed changes to the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Alternative 
selected as the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) by the Honolulu 
City Council on November 29, 2000:

     Addition of an In-Town BRT branch to serve Aloha Tower 
Marketplace and Kakaako Makai
     Realignment of a section of the In-Town BRT alignment 
from Ward Avenue to Pensacola Street
     Change the location of the H-1 BRT ramp from the 
Kaonohi Street overpass to a section of the freeway near Aloha 
Stadium


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Donna Turchie, Senior 
Transportation Representative, Office of Planning and Program 
Development, Federal Transit Administration, Region IX, (415) 744-3115, 
Dr. Laura Kong, Environmental Specialist, Federal Highway 
Administration, Hawaii Division, (808) 541-2700, or Ms. Cheryl D. Soon, 
Director, Department of Transportation Services, City and County of 
Honolulu, (808) 523-4125.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The DTS is proposing transportation improvements in Oahu's primary 
transportation corridor. The primary transportation corridor extends 
from Kapolei in the Ewa District, past Pearl Harbor, Honolulu 
International Airport, downtown Honolulu, and continues eastward to the 
University of Hawaii at Manoa and Waikiki. The proposed action is 
intended to address existing and future transportation demand and 
capacity needs, support socioeconomic growth, improve public transit 
services, facilitate land use development, and support current planning 
activities and policies.
    In August 2000, the Primary Corridor Transportation Project Major 
Investment Study/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (MIS/DEIS) was 
distributed for public review and comment. It should be noted that the 
MIS/DEIS Notice of Intent was published in the April 27, 1999 Federal 
Register and the notice of the availability of the MIS/DEIS for review 
and comment was published in the September 8, 2000 Federal Register.
    On November 29, 2000, the Honolulu City Council selected the BRT 
Alternative as the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA).

II. Proposed Changes to the LPA

    A supplemental DEIS is being prepared because substantial changes 
have occurred in the proposed action that are relevant to environmental 
concerns. In response to comments received on the MIS/DEIS and the 
project subsequent to the selection of the LPA, the DTS proposes to add 
an In-Town BRT branch to serve Aloha Tower Marketplace and Kakaako 
Makai, the area makai of Ala Moana Boulevard. The new branch would 
begin at the Iwilei Transit Center, travel Koko Head onto Iwilei Road, 
turn Koko Head on to North King Street, and proceed to the Hotel Street 
Transit Mall. It then proceeds in the makai direction on Bishop Street 
to Aloha Tower Drive. From Aloha Tower Drive, the branch continues in 
the Koko Head direction on Ala Moana Boulevard and then turns in the 
makai direction onto Channel Street. The branch then turns in the Koko 
Head direction onto Ilalo Street and then turns in the mauka direction 
onto Ward Avenue and proceeds until Auahi Street. From this point, the 
branch follows the LPA Kakaako/Waikiki branch routing to its terminus 
in Waikiki. In the reverse direction the Kakaako Makai branch travels 
Ewa from Waikiki following the LPA Kakaako/Waikiki branch until Auahi 
Street at Ward Avenue. From Auahi Street/Ward Avenue, the Kakaako Makai 
branch travels Ewa in reverse of the Koko Head direction; except that, 
at the intersection of Bishop Street/Nimitz Highway, the branch turns 
Koko Head onto Nimitz Highway, then mauka onto Richards Street, and 
then follows the LPA Kakaako/Waikiki branch to the Iwilei Transit 
Center, where the new branch ends. If the STREAM technology is selected 
for the BRT vehicles, a traction power supply station (TPSS) would be 
required along the Kakaako Makai Alignment. The TPSS is a structure 
that houses the electrical equipment used to power the STREAM BRT 
vehicles.
    The second change that will be addressed in the SDEIS is the 
realignment of a short section of the In-Town BRT alignment from Ward 
Avenue and Kapiolani Boulevard to South King Street and Pensacola 
Street.
    The LPA included an exclusive H-1 Freeway BRT ramp at the Kaonohi 
Street overpass and a transit center at the former Kamehameha Drive-in 
Theater. A reversible BRT ramp from the section of the H-1 Freeway near 
Aloha Stadium is being proposed instead of these two elements.

[[Page 49253]]

III. Probable Effects

    The proposed changes are likely to have adverse and beneficial 
impacts on the environment. It is anticipated at this time that the 
following issues will be of concern:
     Transportation
     Noise and air quality impacts
     Land use
     Archaeological, historic and cultural resources
     Hazardous materials
     Parks and recreation areas
     Coastal zones
    The SDEIS is not intended to repeat all the analyses contained in 
the project's MIS/DEIS. Most analyses would be limited to the immediate 
study area of the Kakaako Makai branch, Pensacola Street alignment 
change, and Aloha Stadium ramp. System-level impacts (i.e., impacts of 
the entire BRT Alternative) would be discussed in the SDEIS, if the 
proposed changes would alter the results of any analysis provided in 
the MIS/DEIS.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments have 
been sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, and to 
private organizations and citizens who have previously expressed or are 
known to have interest in this proposal. 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 FTA, FHWA, or the 
DTS 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: September 20, 2001.
Leslie T. Rogers,
Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 01-24090 Filed 9-25-01; 8:45 am]
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