[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 69 (Thursday, April 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17721-17722]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-8692]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

Federal Highway Administration


Amendment to Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
for the South Corridor Portion of the South/North Transit Corridor 
Project in the Portland, OR Metropolitan Area (Affects the Downtown 
Portland Segment Only)

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Federal Highway 
Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Amended Supplemental Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The FTA and the FHWA, in cooperation with Portland Metro and 
Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet), 
(hereinafter ``agencies'') published a Supplemental Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (hereinafter ``SDEIS'') in accordance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act (hereinafter ``NEPA'') in December 
2002 for transit improvements in the South/North Transit Corridor 
(hereinafter the ``South Corridor Project'') of the Portland, Oregon 
metropolitan region. The North Corridor Interstate MAX FEIS was 
published and the project is under construction. Conditions have 
changed since the South/North DEIS and the South Corridor Project SDEIS 
were published. The agencies now intend to prepare an amendment to that 
SDEIS for transit improvements in the downtown Portland segment only.
    The purpose of this new Notice of Intent is to re-notify interested 
parties of the intent to prepare an Amendment to the SDEIS (hereinafter 
referred to as ``ASDEIS'') and invite participation in the study. This 
study will focus on the impacts of adding the downtown Portland Transit 
Mall LRT alignment to the I-205 Light Rail Transit Project, a part of 
the South Corridor Project. The I-205 Light Rail Transit Project 
proposes to implement a major high capacity transit improvement in the 
South Corridor part of the South/North Corridor, that maintains 
livability in the metropolitan region, supports land use goals, 
optimizes the transportation system, is environmentally sensitive, 
reflects community values and is fiscally responsive. Three transit 
alternatives (described below) will be evaluated in the ASDEIS.
    Meeting Dates: Agency Coordination Meeting: an agency coordination 
meeting will be held on April 22 at 1 pm, at the Portland Building Room 
C, 1120 SW Fifth Avenue, Portland, Oregon. Public Information Meeting: 
a public information meeting will be held on April 22 from 4 to 7 pm at 
the Portland Building Room C, 1120 SW Fifth Avenue, Portland, Oregon. 
The Portland Building is accessible to persons with disabilities. Any 
individual with a disability who requires special assistance, such as a 
sign language interpreter, should contact Kristin Hull at (503) 797-
1864, at least 48-hours in advance of the meeting in order for Metro to 
make necessary arrangements.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Agency Coordination meeting: contact 
Sharon Kelly, Metro EIS Manager at (503) 797-1753 or (e-mail) 
[email protected], Rebecca Reyes-Alicea, FTA Community Planner at 
(206) 220-4464 or (e-mail) [email protected], Elton 
Chang, FHWA Environmental Engineer at (503) 587-4710 or 
[email protected]. Public Information meeting: contact Kristin 
Hull, Metro Public Involvement Coordinator at (503) 797-1864 or (e-
mail) [email protected]. Written Comments should be sent to Sharon 
Kelly, South Corridor Project, Metro, 600 NE Grand Avenue, Portland, OR 
97232. Additional information on the South Corridor Project can also be 
found on the Metro Web site at: http://www.metro-region.org.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Notice of Intent

    This new NOI to prepare an ASDEIS is being published at this time 
to re-notice interested parties due to the changes that have occurred 
since the initial NOI (October 1993), publication of the South/North 
DEIS (February 1998), publication of the North Corridor Interstate MAX 
Light Rail Project FEIS (October 1999), and publication of the South 
Corridor Project SDEIS (December 2002). The project proponents are re-
examining the downtown Portland Mall Alignment in the downtown Portland 
segment of the South Corridor. The FHWA and the FTA are Federal Co-Lead 
agencies. Because the study is primarily a transit study, FTA 
regulations and guidance will be used for the analysis and preparation 
of the ASDEIS.

II. Study Area

    The South Corridor generally encompasses the southeast quadrant of 
the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area, including downtown Portland, 
Southeast Portland neighborhoods, the City of Milwaukie, the City of 
Gladstone, the City of Oregon City and urban unincorporated Clackamas 
County (east of the Willamette River). The focus of this supplemental 
study will be in the downtown Portland area.

III. Alternatives

    Three Alternatives will be evaluated in the SDEIS. The No-Build 
Alternative will provide the basis for comparison of the build 
alternative. The No-Build Alternative includes the existing 
transportation system plus multi-modal transportation improvements that 
would be constructed under the Regional Transportation Plan Financially 
Constrained Transportation Network. The I-205 Light Rail Alternative 
with the Cross Mall includes 6.5 miles of new light rail transit 
connecting to the existing light rail system at Gateway and extending 
south along I-205 to the Clackamas Town Center area and then continuing 
into downtown Portland using the existing Eastside MAX line called the 
Cross Mall. The I-205 Light Rail Alternative with the Portland Mall 
includes 6.5 miles of new light rail transit connecting to the existing 
light rail system at Gateway and extending

[[Page 17722]]

south along I-205 to the Clackamas Town Center area and, in the north, 
includes a section continuing into downtown Portland using the Portland 
Mall Alignment. There is a terminus option at SW Main Street and design 
option of using Island Stations with this alternative.

IV. Probable Effects

    FTA, FHWA, Metro and TriMet will evaluate all significant 
transportation, environmental, social and economic impacts of the 
alternatives. Primary issues include: support of state, regional and 
local land use and transportation plans and policies, cost effective 
expansion of the transit system, preservation of capacity enhancement 
options of I-205, neighborhood impacts and environmental sensitivity. 
The impacts will be evaluated for both the construction period and for 
the long-term period of operation. Measures to mitigate any significant 
impact will be developed.

    Issued on: March 31, 2003.
Richard Krochalis,
Regional Administrator, Region X, Federal Transit Administration.
Elton Chang,
Environmental Engineer, Oregon Division, Federal Highway 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-8692 Filed 4-9-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P