[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 226 (Friday, November 23, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 58780]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-29223]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement; Los Angeles County, California

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an 
Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared for a proposed highway 
widening project in the Cities of La Mirada, Norwalk, Downey and Santa 
Fe Springs in Los Angeles County, and the City of Buena Park in Orange 
County, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cesar Perez, Senior Transportation 
Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, California Division, 980 
Ninth Street, Suite 400, Sacramento, California 95814-2724, Telephone: 
(916) 498-5860.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the California 
Department of Transportation, will prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) on a proposal to improve Interstate Route 5 (I-5) in 
Los Angeles and Orange Counties, California. The proposed improvement 
is to widen the existing I-5 freeway, between State Route 91 (SR-91) 
and Interstate Route 605 (I-605), to add High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) 
lanes and/or general purpose lanes. This project is the initial phase 
of the I-5 Ultimate HOV project, which proposes to widen I-5 between 
SR-91 in Orange County and I-710 in Los Angeles County. A Major 
Investment Study (MIS) for the project was completed July 1998. It 
identified a ten-lane facility as the locally preferred option.
    The purpose of the proposed project is to (1) provide an improved 
level of service during the weekday AM and PM peak periods and to 
reduce congestion and enhance safety and mobility in this segment of 
the I-5 freeway as compared to the no-build condition; (2) provide 
continuity of facilities and capacity on the I-5 freeway between the 
SR-91 in Orange County and I-605 in Los Angeles County; (3) maintain 
flexibility in the freeway corridor for additional capacity 
improvements; (4) improve interchange access/egress points and levels 
of service; (5) improve access to regional transit and HOV facilities; 
(6) improve local surface streets to reduce existing and future 
congestion; and (7) explore Transportation System Management (TSM) 
improvements for the I-5 and parallel arterials.
    Alternatives under consideration include (1) a no build option; (2) 
implementing a Transportation System Management/Transportation Demand 
Management plan; (3) enhancing transit; (4) constructing a 10-lane 
facility with two HOV lanes; and (5) constructing a 12-lane facility 
(may be constructed in stages depending on availability of funding) 
with two or four HOV lanes.
    These basic alternatives will have additional design variations, 
which provide optional lane use (general, HOV, or auxiliary use), 
optional on and off ramp modifications, and other engineering details. 
A final selection of alternatives and their subset variations will not 
be made until all public and agency comments are reviewed following the 
Scoping process. Note: As required by the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA), all other reasonable alternatives will be considered. These 
alternatives may be refined, combined various different alternative 
elements, or be removed from further consideration, as more analysis is 
conducted on the project alternatives.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments are 
being 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. Scoping meetings will be held 
on December 3 and 5, 2001 in La Mirada and Norwalk, respectively. 
Public notice will be given of the time and place of these meetings.
    A series of public meetings will be held after the draft EIS is 
completed. Public notice will be given of the time and place of the 
meetings. The draft EIS will be available for public and agency review 
and comment prior to the formal public hearing.
    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 proposal 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: November 16, 2001.
Jeffrey W. Kolb,
Chief, District Operations-South, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 01-29223 Filed 11-21-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M