[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 14 (Thursday, January 22, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 3188]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-1271]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision Approving the 
Release of Grant Obligations Associated With the Proposed Construction 
of a Freeway Connection Between the Existing Milan Beltway and the 
Urbanized Area North of Rock River in Moline, IL

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Record of Decision (ROD).

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SUMMARY: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Illinois 
Department of Transportation (IDOT) prepared an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the construction of a new freeway connection 
between the existing Milan Beltway and the urbanized area north of Rock 
River in Moline, Illinois for the purpose of providing additional 
transportation capacity over the Rock River and to avoid the need to 
reconstruct IL 5 (Blackhawk Road) through Black Hawk State Historic 
Site. As a cooperating agency to the EIS, the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA) coordinated with FWHA and IDOT the design 
alternatives for the proposed interchange at the Milan Beltway--Airport 
Road intersection. The current Milan Beltway is approximately 2,700 
feet from the west end of Runway 9-27 at the Quad City International 
Airport. With this Record of Decision, the FAA is announcing its 
approval of a release of land grant obligations over 14.380 acres of 
airport property. FAA's decision for its action considered the 
environmental impacts of the proposed project and the alternatives 
discussed in the EIS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bobb A. Beauchamp, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Chicago Airports District Office, Environmental Program 
Manager, 2300 E. Devon Ave., Suite 320, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018, 
telephone (847) 294-7364, e-mail [email protected]. Copies of EIS 
and the FHWA ROD are available from Norman R. Stoner, P.E., Division 
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 3250 Executive Park Drive, Springfield, Illinois 62703, 
telephone (217) 492-4640.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  FHWA was the lead agency for the Project 
EIS (FHWA-IL-EIS-93-04-F). FAA accepted FHWA's May 4, 1988 invitation 
for cooperating agency status in preparing the EIS. After an 
independent review of the Final EIS, FAA concluded that its comments 
and suggestions were addressed in the Final EIS. The purpose of this 
notice is to inform the public that the Record of Decision (ROD) 
approving the release of the airport's land grant obligations for the 
property identified in the Final EIS is available to anyone upon 
request. Any person may obtain a copy of FAA's ROD by submitting a 
request to the FAA contact identified above.
    FHWA signed its ROD for the project on July 9, 2003, in which it 
selected as part of its preferred alternative a grade separation and 
combination cloverleaf/diamond type interchange at the present Milan 
Beltway--Airport Road intersection. This interchange design requires 
the sale of 14.380 acres of airport property to IDOT, including a 3.9-
acre encroachment into the runway protection zone (RPZ) for Runway 9 at 
Quad City International Airport. The airport is required to seek a 
release from Federal obligations prior to the sale of these lands. The 
Quad City International Airport does not require these lands for 
airport use. FHWA's ROD included several commitments to FAA and the 
Metropolitan Airport Authority of Rock Island County, re-stated in 
FAA's ROD, to ensure that the project will not pose a hazard to air 
navigation.
    FAA's ROD examines the build alternatives for the Milan Beltway--
Airport Road grade connection to the proposed Milan Beltway connection, 
which will be a four-land, fully access controlled expressway bridge 
over the Rock River. FAA's preferred alternative is the No Action 
Alternative, which requires no action on behalf of the Quad City 
International Airport. This Alternative would prevent any development 
in the southeast quadrant of the Milan Beltway--Airport Road 
intersection, eliminating the need to transfer any airport proposed to 
IDOT. However, the proximity of Route 280, roughly 1000 feet north of 
Airport Road, presents economic and engineering barriers that make the 
No Action Alternative impracticable.
    FAA's ROAD concurs with FHWA's Selected Alternative, requiring the 
sale of 14.380 acres of airport property to IDOT. The Selected 
Alternative, constructing a partial cloverleaf/diamond interchange in 
the southeast quadrant of the Milan Beltway--Airport Road intersection, 
avoids the economic and engineering constraints posed by the proximity 
of Route 280, satisfies FHWA's purpose and need, poses the least 
impacts to the natural and human environment, may be advanced through 
detailed design and construction, and will pose no hazard to air 
navigation.
    Questions may be directed to the individual named above under the 
heading FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Issued in Des Plaines, Illinois, December 29, 2003.
Chad Oliver,
Acting Manager, Chicago Airports District Office, FAA Great Lakes 
Region.
[FR Doc. 04-1271 Filed 1-21-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M