[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 142 (Monday, July 26, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44564-44565]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-16918]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Los Angeles County, CA

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an 
environmental impact statement will be prepared for a proposed highway 
project in Los Angeles County, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: C[eacute]sar P[eacute]rez, Team 
Leader--South Region, Federal Highway Administration, 650 Capitol Mall, 
Suite 4-100, Sacramento, California 95814 Telephone (916) 498-5065.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the California 
Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the Alameda Corridor 
Transportation Authority (ACTA), will reinitiate environmental studies 
and prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a proposal to 
improve State Route 47 (SR-47) in Los Angeles County, California. The 
proposed improvement would involve replacing the seismically deficient 
Schuyler Heim Bridge with a new fixed-span bridge and the construction/
extension of SR-47 as a new four-lane elevated expressway from the new 
Heim Bridge along Alameda Street to Pacific Coast Highway (State Route 
1). The new fixed-span bridge would change the current vertical and 
horizontal clearances through the Cerritos Channel. The elevated 
expressway would provide a direct route from Terminal Island to Alameda 
Street, resulting in the elimination of five at-grade railroad 
crossings and ultimately reduce truck traffic on Interstates 710 and 
110.
    During 2002, Caltrans and ACTA began formal public scoping and 
initiation of environmental studies for the proposed project. Notice 
letters were sent to Federal, State and local agencies on January 28, 
2002. Notices were prepared in the Federal Register and local 
newspapers, advertising public scoping and open house meetings, on

[[Page 44565]]

February 13, 2002, at 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. respectively. Public 
comments were received until February 28, 2002. A review of subsequent 
environmental studies led to FHWA to conclude that an EIS would be 
required. Budgetary constraints then led Caltrans to temporarly suspend 
the project.
    Major project elements to be evaluated in the EIS include: 
Replacement of the vertical-lift Schuyler Heim Bridge with a fixed-span 
bridge; construction of an elevated four-lane expressway to State Route 
1; and, potential realignment of surface roads and ramps. The EIS will 
consider a variety of possible alignments for these improvements, as 
well as the ``no-build'' alternative.
    Letters describing the re-initiation of studies and soliciting 
comments will be sent to appropriate Federal, State and local agencies 
and to private organizations and citizens who have previously 
expressed, or are known to have, an interest in this proposal.
    Additional public scoping and open house meetings for the Draft 
EIS/EIR will be held at the Wilmington Senior Center located at 1371 
Eubank Ave., Wilmington, California 90745. The public meetings will be 
held on September 9, 2004, at 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., respectively. In 
addition, a public hearing will be held following completion of the 
Draft EIS/EIR. A public notice will published for the time and place of 
the hearing. The Draft EIS/EIR will be available for public and agency 
review and comment prior to the public hearing.
    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 at the address provided above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, 
Highway Planning and Construction. The regulations implementing 
Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental consultation on 
Federal program and activities apply to this program)

    Issued on: July 20, 2004.
C[eacute]sar E. P[eacute]rez,
South Region Team Leader, Federal Highway Administration, California 
Division.
[FR Doc. 04-16918 Filed 7-23-04; 8:45 am]
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