[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 160 (Tuesday, August 19, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 49839]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-21122]



[[Page 49839]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

Federal Transit Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: City and County of Denver, CO

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: FHWA and FTA are issuing this notice to advise the public that 
an environmental impact statement/Section 4(f) Evaluation will be 
prepared for transportation improvements in the city and County of 
Denver, Adams County, and the City of Aurora, Colorado.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shaun Cutting, Senior Operations 
Engineer, FHWA, Colorado Division, 555 Zang Street, Room 250, Lockwood, 
CO, 80228, Telephone: (303) 969-6730 extension 369. Dave Beckhouse, 
Community Planner, FTA, 216 16th Street, Suite 650, Denver, CO, 80202, 
Telephone: (303) 844-3242. Sharon Lipp, Colorado Department of 
Transportation, Region 6, 2000 South Holly Street, Denver, CO, 80222, 
Telephone: (303) 984-5260. Mike Turner, Regional Transportation 
District, 1600 Blake Street, Denver, CO, 80202, Telephone: (303) 299-
2366.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA and FTA in cooperation with the 
Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Regional Transportation 
District (RTD), and the City and County of Denver (Denver) will prepare 
an environmental impact statement (EIS)/Section 4(f) Evaluation for 
transportation improvements on the Interstate 70 (I-70) Corridor (the 
Corridor) between Interstate 25 (I-25) and Pena Boulevard and a transit 
connection between downtown Denver and Denver International Airport 
(DIA).
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies. Project 
scoping will be accomplished through coordination with affected 
parties, stakeholders, organizations, Federal, State, and local 
agencies; agency scoping meetings; and through community outreach and 
public meetings in the project corridor. Agency scoping meetings will 
be conducted late summer, and public scoping meetings will be conducted 
this fall (2003). Information on the time and place of the public 
scoping meetings will be provided in the local newspapers. In advance 
of the corridor-wide public scoping meetings this fall (2003), a 
variety of grassroots outreach techniques will be used including a 
door-to-door campaign for some of the neighborhoods, flyers, block and 
neighborhood meetings, and business and community-organization outreach 
meetings. To be placed on the public mailing list to receive additional 
project information, contact either Sharon Lipp or Mike Turner at the 
addresses previously provided.
    To ensure that a full range of issues related to the 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/Section 4(f). 
Evaluation should be directed to Shaun Cutting or Dave Beckhouse at the 
addresses previously provided.
    The EIS/Section 4(f) Evaluation will evaluate improvement 
alternatives and the No-Action alternative based on the Purpose and 
Need. Alternatives will be developed through an extensive agency and 
community outreach process. A full range of potential alignments and 
corridors will be considered for both highway and transit alternatives.
    The I-70 East Corridor EIS will result in a decision about which 
transportation projects, if any, will be built to improve safety and 
address congestion in the Corridor. The purpose of the proposed action 
is to improve safety, access, and mobility and to decrease congestion. 
Currently, the I-70 East Corridor is one of the most heavily traveled 
and congested corridors in the region and State. Downtown Denver is the 
center for rail and bus transit in the region. DIA is a critical link 
in the regional and national transportation network. Safety issues 
revolve around the age and design features of the interchanges and 
roadway.
    The alternatives evaluated in the Draft EIS (DEIS) and Section 4(f) 
Evaluation will include, but not be limited to, variations of the 
horizontal and vertical alignment of I-70 as well as capacity and 
safety improvements. Existing and future interchanges will also be 
evaluated. Transit alternatives will include, but not be limited to, 
bus and rail technologies as well as evaluating rail transit along the 
Union Pacific Railroad corridor from downtown Denver to DIA. As part of 
the transit evaluations, station locations will be studied and 
identified as appropriate. The DEIS/Section 4(f) Evaluation will also 
fully evaluate the No-Action alternative.
    FHWA and FTA will evaluate social, economic, and environmental 
impacts of the various alternatives. A major concern is environmental 
justice. The Corridor passes through three older communities that have 
been affected by several actions on I-70 beginning with the initial 
construction of I-70 and subsequent actions including reconstruction of 
the I-70 viaduct and roadway widening on the western segment of the 
Corridor. Other major issues to be evaluated include air quality, 
noise, aesthetics, community cohesion impacts, and possible disruption 
of neighborhoods and business and commercial activities.
    The DEIS will be available for public and agency review and 
comment. Information concerning the availability of the DEIS will be 
published.

(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)

Doug Bennett,
Assistant Division Administrator, Colorado Division, Federal Highway 
Administration, Lakewood, Colorado.
Lee O. Waddleton,
Regional Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, Denver, 
Colorado.
[FR Doc. 03-21122 Filed 8-18-03; 8:45 am]
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