[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 195 (Tuesday, October 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51494-51495]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-25104]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impacts Statement: Erie County, NY

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Buffalo-Fort Erie Public 
Bridge Authority.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that the 
environmental impact statement for an earlier project entitled 
``Rehabilitation or Reconstruction of the Peace Bridge U.S. Plaza and 
Connecting Roadways in the City of Buffalo, Erie County, New York'' 
will not be progressed. Instead, an environmental impact statement will 
be prepared for a new and expanded project entitled ``Capacity 
Improvements to the Peach Bridge, Plazas and Connecting Roadways in the 
Town of Fort Erie and City of Buffalo, Ontario Province--Canada and New 
York State--United States'' respectively.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas P. Conlan, District Engineer, 
Federal Highway Administration, Leo O'Brien Federal Building 7th Floor, 
Albany, New York 12207, Telephone: (518) 431-4125 extension 225, or 
Brian O. Rowback, Regional Director, New York State Department of 
Transportation, 125 Main Street, Buffalo, New York 14203, Telephone: 
(716) 847-3238, or Clifford T. Elwood, Capital Projects Manager, 
Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority, Peace Bridge Plaza, 
Buffalo, New York 14213, Telephone: (716) 884-6752 extension 234.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the New York 
State Department of Transportation and Buffalo-Fort Erie Public Bridge 
Authority, will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) on a 
proposal for increasing capacity at the Peace Bridge crossing between 
the United States and Canada. The proposed improvements would include 
widening, building a second bridge or replacement of the existing 
Niagara River bridge, reconfiguration and/or reconstruction of toll and 
inspection plazas and re-alignment and/or reconstruction of connecting 
roadways. Improvements to the bridge are considered necessary to 
provide for existing and projected traffic demand. The plazas and 
connecting roadways require improvement because the current layout/
locations cause operational conflicts between pedestrian, passenger car 
and tractor-trailer movements.
    Alternatives under consideration include (1) taking no action; (2) 
widening the existing bridge; (3) building a second bridge on an 
alignment north or south of existing; (4) constructing bridge on new 
location. Each alternative would include plaza layout options and 
either re-aligned or new connecting roadways to the arterial system.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be 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. A formal scoping process will 
be followed for this project. This process will include public and 
agency meetings to be scheduled for multiple locations. In addition, 
public hearings will be held. The draft EIS will be available for 
public and agency review and comment prior to these public hearings.
    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 and 
questions concerning this proposed action can be directed to the FHWA 
at the address provided above.

(Catalog of 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.)


[[Page 51495]]


    Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315, 23 CFR 771.123.

    Issued on: September 20, 2001.
Douglas P. Conlan,
District Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, Albany, New York.
[FR Doc. 01-25104 Filed 10-5-01; 8:45 am]
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