[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 58 (Tuesday, March 26, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 13818]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-7227]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Draft Environmental Impact Statement: Marshall and St. Joseph 
Counties in Indiana

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 (EIS) will be prepared for proposed 
improvements to US 31 in Marshall and St. Joseph Counties in Indiana.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Dirks, Environmental 
Specialist, Federal Highway Administration, 575 North Pennsylvania 
Street, Room 254, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204. Telephone: (317) 226-
7492, Fax: (317) 226-7341, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FWHA in cooperation with the Indiana 
Department of Transportation (INDOT) will prepare an EIS to improve the 
US 31 corridor through Marshall and St. Joseph Counties in Indiana. The 
proposed corridor is between US 30 near Plymouth and US 20 in South 
Bend, a distance of about 20 miles.
    This project is intended to evaluate various transportation 
alternatives that would reduce traffic congestion and improve safety on 
US 31 with minimal impacts to the environment. The project would also 
provide greater accessibility to north-central Indiana and would 
accommodate the transportation needs of the growing population and 
employment of northern Indiana. Along this 20 mile section of US 31, 
many of the intersections are currently experiencing traffic congestion 
and travel delay.
    FHWA and INDOT will determine the purpose and need for the project, 
evaluate alternatives that satisfy the needs, describe the affected 
environment, discuss the environmental consequences regarding the 
alternatives, while providing agency coordination and public 
involvement. The project will follow Indiana's Streamlined EIS 
Procedures, which can be found on their website at www.fhwa.dot.gov/indiv/procedur.htm.
    Early Coordination letters will be sent to appropriate federal, 
state, and local agencies describing the proposed action and inviting 
the agencies to be Participating Agencies in the study. Once the draft 
purpose and need has been developed and preliminary alternatives 
identified, the agencies and the public will have an opportunity to 
review and comment on this information. Agencies and the public will 
also have an opportunity to comment when the preliminary alternatives 
have been screened to those carried forward for more detailed 
environmental evaluation in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIS).
    Upon completion of the DEIS, the DEIS will be available for public 
review and hearings will also be held. Public notice will be given as 
to the time and place of the meetings and hearings. Another interagency 
meeting will be held to offer the opportunity to comment on the 
preferred alternative and mitigation measures that are recommended.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
action is addressed and any significant impacts are identified, 
comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. 
Comments or questions concerning this proposed action and this EIS 
should be directed to the FHWA contact provided above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 20.205, Highway 
Planning and Construction. The regulations implementing Executive 
Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental consultation on Federal 
programs and activities apply to the program).

    Authority: 23 USC 315; 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on: February 22, 2002.
Robert Dirks,
Environmental Specialist, FHWA, Indianapolis, Indiana.
[FR Doc. 02-7227 Filed 3-25-02; 8:45 am]
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