[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 242 (Wednesday, December 17, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70335-70337]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-31141]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Metrocenter Corridor in Phoenix, 
AZ

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION:  Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
(EIS).

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Valley Metro 
Rail, Inc., intend to prepare an Alternatives Analysis (AA) and an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) on a proposal by Valley Metro Rail, 
Inc. to provide additional transit service to the northwest portion of 
the City of Phoenix. The AA/EIS will consider the following 
alternatives: (1) A No-Build Alternative, consisting of improvements 
contained in the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Long Range 
Transportation Plan and the Phoenix Transit Plan and programmed 
improvements with the exception of connections to the planned Central 
Phoenix/East Valley Light Rail Transit Project that is scheduled to 
begin operation in December 2006; (2) Transportation System Management 
Alternative (TSM), consisting of all reasonable cost-effective transit 
service improvements within the Metrocenter Corridor short of a major 
investment in a New Starts project; (3) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) 
Alternatives; (4) Light Rail Transit (LRT) At Grade Alternatives; and 
(5) LRT Aerial Alternatives. The type, location, and need for ancillary 
facilities, such as maintenance facilities, will also be considered for 
each alternative. In addition, alternatives that are identified from 
the scoping process will be evaluated in the AA. Scoping will be 
accomplished through correspondence and discussions with interested 
persons; organizations; and Federal, State, and local agencies; and 
through public and agency meetings. Depending on the outcome of the 
scoping process and the analysis of a wide range of transit 
alternatives, a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) will be selected 
and evaluated in the EIS. The EIS will evaluate the potential impacts 
of the selected investment strategy (the Build Alternative) and a No-
Build Alternative.

DATES: Comment Due Date: Written comments on the scope of alternatives 
and impacts to be considered in the AA/EIS must be received no later 
than January 27, 2004, and must be sent to Valley Metro Rail, Inc. at 
the address indicated below.
    Scoping Meetings: Valley Metro Rail, Inc. will conduct two 
identical scoping meetings for the public. These meetings will be held 
on January 13, 2004, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Westwind Preparatory 
Academy Charter High School, located at 2045 West Northern Avenue, 
Phoenix, Arizona; and January 15, 2004, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the 
Orangewood Elementary School, located at 7337 North 19th Avenue, 
Phoenix, Arizona. In addition, a scoping meeting for governmental 
agencies will be held on January 20, 2004, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the 
Valley Metro Rail, Inc. LRT Board Room, located at 411 North Central 
Avenue, Suite 200, Phoenix, Arizona.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Mr. Jim Mathien, 
Metrocenter Corridor Study Project Manager, Valley Metro Rail, Inc., 
411 North Central Avenue, Suite 200, Phoenix, Arizona 85004. e-mail: 
[email protected]. Phone: (602) 744-5598. To be added to the 
mailing list, contact Mr. Jim Mathien at the address listed above. 
Please specify the mailing list for the Metrocenter Corridor Study 
Alternatives Analysis/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (AA/DEIS). 
Persons with special needs such

[[Page 70336]]

as sign language interpretation should contact Ruben Landa, Public 
Involvement Coordinator, Valley Metro Rail, Inc., 411 North Central 
Avenue, Suite 200, Phoenix, Arizona 85004. E-mail: 
[email protected]. Phone: (602) 495-8230. The dates and addresses 
of the scoping meetings are given in the DATES section above. All 
locations are accessible to people with disabilities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a scoping information 
packet, contact Mr. Jim Mathien, Metrocenter Corridor Study Project 
Manager, Valley Metro Rail, Inc., 411 North Central Avenue, Suite 200, 
Phoenix, Arizona 85004. E-mail: [email protected]. Phone: (602) 
744-5598. The Federal agency contact is Mr. Hymie Luden, Office of 
Planning and Program Development, FTA, 201 Mission Street, Room 2210, 
San Francisco, CA 94105. Phone: (415) 744-2732.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Description of Study Area and Scope

    The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), as joint lead agency with 
the Valley Metro Rail, Inc., will prepare an AA/EIS on a proposal to 
improve transit service in an approximately six mile-long corridor in 
northwest Phoenix, Arizona. The study area for the Metrocenter Corridor 
is bounded by Missouri Avenue to the south; 15th Avenue to the east; 
Cholla Street to the north; and 31st Avenue to the west. Most of the 
study area is densely developed with a mixture of urban land uses. 
Although not a part of the formal AA/EIS process for the Metrocenter 
Corridor Project, a secondary study area defined as the ``Future Deer 
Valley Core Connection Study Area'' will also be considered to identify 
opportunities for future transportation connections to that area should 
Valley Metro Rail, Inc. later decide to move forward with that 
potential project. The secondary study area is on the north side of the 
primary study area and is bounded by Dunlap Avenue to the south; 15th 
Avenue to the east; Rose Garden Lane to the north; and 31st Avenue to 
the west. Any further detailed planning and design for a future Deer 
Valley Core connection would be prepared in accordance with NEPA. 
Valley Metro Rail, Inc. will perform conceptual engineering for transit 
alternatives within the Metrocenter Corridor for the AA/DEIS that 
satisfies NEPA requirements. In addition, a financial plan will be 
developed that examines alternative funding sources.

II. Purpose and Need

    The Metrocenter area is a major employment and activity center. The 
study corridor continues to experience significant growth in population 
and jobs. Along with this growth, traffic congestion and capacity 
deficiencies are expected to increase despite planned transportation 
improvements. Inadequate transit service has hampered access to this 
area and to other Valley destinations, other than by automobile. A 
major transit investment is recognized as a feasible alternative to 
providing additional capacity within this corridor.
    The Metrocenter Corridor Project was included in the City of 
Phoenix's Transit 2000 ballot initiative that was passed by the voters 
in 2000 and provides a 0.4% sales tax to help fund the City's transit 
program. The project also is included in the currently approved 
Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) financially constrained Long 
Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).

III. Alternatives

    In 1999, a Major Investment Study (MIS) was completed for a 
proposed transit system from the northern end-of-line station of the 
planned Central Phoenix/East Valley Light Rail Transit Project (CP/EV 
LRT) continuing north and west into Phoenix and Glendale. The CP/EV LRT 
is scheduled to begin construction in late 2004. The MIS evaluated and 
recommended an appropriate transit technology and corridor alignment 
options. The study concluded that light rail transit (LRT) was the 
appropriate technology for the Metrocenter Corridor Connection. The MIS 
recommended 19th Avenue with various subalignments to the Metrocenter 
Shopping Center as the best alignment option(s) for this study 
corridor. Although the MIS made these recommendations, it does not meet 
current FTA requirements for Alternatives Analysis (AA). Therefore, the 
AA will re-evaluate both technology modes as well as alignment options 
within the study area. At a minimum, the alternatives to be considered 
include:
    [sbull] No-Build Alternative;
    [sbull] Transportation System Management (TMS)--all reasonable 
cost-effective transit service improvements short of an investment in a 
New Starts project;
    [sbull] Bus Rapid Transit (BRT);
    [sbull] LRT At Grade; and
    [sbull] LRT Aerial.
    Specific alignment alternatives include, but are not limited to: 
(1) 19th Avenue Corridor; (2) I-17 Freeway Corridor; and (3) 27th 
Avenue Corridor. These alternatives will be developed further during 
the preparation of the AA/DEIX. Additional reasonable Build 
Alternatives suggested during the scoping process, including those 
involving other modes, may be considered.

IV. Probable Effects

    The purpose of the EIS is to fully disclose the environmental 
consequences of building and operating a major capital investment in 
the Metrocenter Corridor in advance of any decisions to commit 
substantial financial or other resources towards its implementation. 
The EIS will explore the extent to which study alternatives and 
alignment options result in environmental impacts and will discuss 
actions to reduce or eliminate such impacts.
    Environmental issues to be examined in the EIS include: potential 
changes to the physical environment (natural resources, air quality, 
noise, water quality, geology, visual); changes in the social 
environment (land use, development, business and neighborhood 
disruptions); changes in traffic and pedestrian circulation; changes in 
transit service and patronage; associated changes in traffic 
congestion; and impacts on parklands and historic sites. Impacts will 
be identified both for the construction period and for the long-term 
operation of the alternatives. The proposed evaluation criteria include 
transportation, social, economic, and financial measures, as required 
by current Federal (NEPA) environmental laws and the implementing 
regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality and of FTA.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
action will be 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 
should be directed to the Valley Metro Rail, Inc. Manager as noted in 
the ADDRESSES section above.

V. FTA Procedures

    To streamline the NEPA process and to avoid duplication of effort, 
the agencies involved in the scoping process will consider the results 
of any previous planning studies or financial feasibility studies 
prepared in support of a decision by the Maricopa Association of 
Governments (MAG) to include a particular alternative in the regional 
transportation plan for metropolitan Phoenix. Prior transportation 
planning studies may be pertinent to establishing the purpose

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and need for the proposed action and the range of alternatives to be 
evaluated in detail in the AA/EIS. Depending on the outcome of the 
scoping process and the analysis of a wide range of transit 
alternatives, a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) will be selected 
and evaluated in the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS will be prepared 
simultaneously with conceptual engineering for the alternatives, 
including station and alignment options. The Draft EIS process will 
address the potential use of Federal funds for the proposed action, as 
well as assess the social, economic, and environmental impacts of the 
station and alignment alternatives. Station designs and any alignment 
options will be refined to minimize and mitigate any adverse impacts.
    After publication, the Draft EIS will be available for public and 
agency review and comment, and a public hearing will be held. Based on 
the Draft EIS and comments received, the LPA may be refined, and Valley 
Metro Rail, Inc. will further assess the LPA in the Final EIS and will 
apply for FTA approval to initiate Preliminary Engineering of the LPA.

    Issued on: December 12, 2003.
F. James Kenna,
Deputy Regional Administrator, Region IX.
[FR Doc. 03-31141 Filed 12-16-03; 8:45 am]
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