[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 250 (Wednesday, December 31, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75714-75715]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-31979]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

Federal Transit Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Denver, Boulder, Broomfield, 
Adams, Larimer and Weld Counties, Colorado

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

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

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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 Counties of Denver, 
Boulder, Broomfield, Adams, Larimer and Weld.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the project scope should be sent to 
David Martinez, Resident Engineer, Colorado Department of 
Transportation, Region 4, 2207 East Highway 402, Loveland, CO 80537, 
Telephone: (907) 667-4670, extension 5119.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jean Wallace, Operations/Pavement 
Engineer, FHWA, Colorado Division, 555 Zang Street, Room 250, Lakewood, 
CO 80228, Telephone: (303) 969-6730, extension 382. John Dow, Community 
Planner, FTA, 216 16th Street Mall, Suite 650, Denver, CO 80202, 
Telephone: (303) 844-3243. David Martinez, Resident Engineer, Colorado 
Department of Transportation, Region 4. 2207 East Highway 402, 
Loveland, CO 80537, Telephone: (907) 667-4670, extension 5119.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Description of Corridor and Transportation Needs

    The FHWA and FTA, in cooperation with the Colorado Department of 
Transportation (CDOT), will prepare an environmental impact statement 
(EIS/Section 4(f) Evaluation in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for transportation improvements between 
Denver and Fort Collins, Colorado. Improvements between Denver and Fort 
Collins are considered necessary to provide for existing and projected 
travel demand, improve safety, replace aging infrastructure and 
accommodate multiple modes of transportation. These problems were 
identified in past studies and long-range transportation plans, 
including the North Front Range Transportation Alternatives Feasibility 
Study.

II. Alternatives

    Alternatives under consideration include (1) Taking no action; (2) 
improvements to the existing highway network, particularly interstate 
25, but perhaps also US 85 and US 287; (3) transit options including 
bus and rail technologies; and (4) constructing a highway on a new 
location. Incorporated into and studied with the various build 
alternatives will be design variations of grade and alignment, 
interchange improvements or new interchanges, and transit station and 
maintenance facility locations.

III. Issues To Be Studied

    FHWA and FTA will evaluate social, economic and environmental 
impacts of the various alternatives. Factors to be evaluated include 
transportation service including future corridor capacity, transit 
ridership and costs, community impacts such as land use, right of way 
needs, noise, neighborhood compatibility and aesthetics and resource 
impacts including impacts to historic and archaeological resources, air 
quality, wetlands, water quality and threatened or endangered species.

IV. Scoping

    Project scoping will be accomplished through coordination with 
affected parties, stakeholders, organizations, Federal, State and local 
agencies; agency scoping meetings; and through public meetings in the 
project corridor. Meetings will be held as follows(:)
    Greeley--February 3, 2004, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Greeley Recreation 
Center, 651 10th Avenue, Greeley, CO.
    Tri-Towns Area--February 5, 2004, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Southwest Weld 
County Services Building, 4209 Weld County Rd 24, \1/2\ (one-half mile 
north of the intersection of I-25 and Colorado Highway 119).
    Fort Collins--February 10, 2004, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Fort Collins 
Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia, Fort Collins, CO.

[[Page 75715]]

    A scoping information packet will be available at these meetings or 
by contacting CDOT at the address above.
    Information on the time and place of the public scoping meetings 
will also be provided in local newspapers.
    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 proposed action and the EIS should be 
directed to the FHWA, FTA or Colorado Department of Transportation at 
the addresses provided above. Interested individuals, organizations, or 
agencies may propose the consideration of an additional, specific 
alternative or the study of a specific environmental effect associated 
with an alternative.

(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: December 22, 2003.
William C. Jones,
Division Administrator, Colorado Division, Federal Highway 
Administration, Lakewood, Colorado.
Lee O. Waddleton,
Regional Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, Denver, 
Colorado.
[FR Doc. 03-31979 Filed 12-30-03; 8:45 am]
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