[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 190 (Friday, October 1, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58997-58999]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-22144]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement on Transit 
Improvements Between Ann Arbor and Downtown Detroit, MI

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The FTA is issuing this notice to advise agencies and the 
public that, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA), an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is being prepared for a 
proposed transit improvement in Southeast Michigan, between Ann Arbor 
and Detroit. Located in Wayne and Washtenaw Counties, the proposed 
transit project would extend from west of Ann Arbor to downtown 
Detroit, by way of the Detroit Metro Airport. The corridor is situated 
along I-94 and the Norfolk Southern Railroad. The study area boundaries 
are generally defined as the corridor formed by the City of Chelsea on 
the west, Detroit Metro Airport on the south, and downtown Detroit on 
the east. The study area is located within the metropolitan area 
represented by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), 
the project sponsor. FTA and SEMCOG will also seek the cooperation of 
the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the Federal Highway 
Administration (FHWA), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 
conducting this review.

DATES: Comment Due Date: Written comments on the scope of the EIS, 
including the alternatives and impacts to be considered, should be sent 
to Carmine Palombo of SEMCOG at the SEMCOG address given in ADDRESSES 
below by October 30, 2004. Scoping Meetings: SEMCOG will conduct three 
(3) public scoping meetings and an agency scoping meeting. The public 
scoping meetings will be held at the following locations:
     Tuesday, October 19, 2004, 4-8 p.m.; Washtenaw Community 
College, Morris Lawrence Building, Room ML103/123, 4800 E. Huron River 
Drive, Ann Arbor;

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     Wednesday, October 20, 2004, 4-8 p.m.; SEMCOG offices, 
SEMCOG Ambassador Room, Buhl Building, 535 Griswold Street, Suite 300, 
Detroit;
     Thursday, October 21, 2004, 4-8 p.m.; Henry Ford Community 
and Performing Arts Center, Room W (West Rooms), 15801 Michigan Avenue, 
Dearborn, MI
    The locations of the scoping meetings will be accessible to persons 
with disabilities and open to all members of the community. Any 
individual with a disability who requires special assistance, such as a 
sign language interpreter, to participate in the scoping meetings 
should contact Alex Bourgeau, at SEMCOG (313) 961-4266 by October 18, 
2004.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS should be sent to 
Carmine Palombo at SEMCOG, 535 Griswold, Suite 300, Detroit, MI 48226 
within 30 days of this notice. To be added to the mailing list or to 
receive a copy of the Scoping Information Booklet, please contact Alex 
Bourgeau, at SEMCOG, 535 Griswold Street, Suite 300, Detroit, MI 48226. 
Phone (313) 961-4266. Scoping information is also available on the 
project website at http://www.annarbortodetroitrapidtransitstudy.com). 
The dates and addresses of the scoping meetings are given in the DATES 
section above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David Werner, Federal Transit 
Administration, Region V, 200 West Adams Street, Suite 320, Chicago, IL 
60606. Phone (312) 353-2789, or Mr. Carmine Palombo, Director of 
Transportation, Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), 535 
Griswold, Suite 300, Detroit, MI 48226. Phone (313) 961-4266.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Scoping

    The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), in cooperation with the 
Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), will prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to examine alternative improvement 
strategies to enhance transit access and mobility in the study area, 
respond to projected growth and increased traffic congestion, and 
address regional air quality issues. A Project Steering Committee, 
representing local jurisdictions, the State of Michigan, and key 
community leaders will provide guidance to SEMCOG on local decisions. 
Input received during the scoping meetings will be summarized and 
provided to the Steering Committee and to FTA to inform decisions on 
the alternatives to be evaluated and the impacts to be assessed.
    Scoping activities will include public meetings and an agency 
scoping meeting during the month of October 2004, and correspondence 
and discussions with interested persons, organizations, and federal, 
state and local agencies. FTA and SEMCOG invite all interested 
individuals and organizations, and federal, state, regional and local 
agencies and host railroads to provide comments on the scope of the 
study. During the scoping process, comments should focus on identifying 
specific social, economic, or environmental issues to be evaluated and 
on suggesting alternatives that may be less costly or have less 
environmental impact, while achieving similar transportation 
objectives. A Scoping Information Booklet will be circulated to all 
federal, state, and local agencies having jurisdiction in the project 
areas and all interested parties currently on the Southeast Michigan 
Rapid Transit Study mailing list. The Scoping Information Booklet will 
be available at the meetings or in advance of the meetings by 
contacting Carmine Palombo at SEMCOG, as indicated in ADDRESSES above.
    During scoping, comments should focus on the alternatives and 
impacts to be studied and not on stating a preference for a particular 
alternative. Individual preferences for alternatives should be 
communicated during the comment period for the Draft EIS. Scoping 
comments may be made at the public scoping meetings listed in the DATES 
section of this notice, or in writing as described in the ADDRESSES 
section above.

II. Description of Study Area and Project Needs

    The study area extends approximately 55-miles from west of Ann 
Arbor east to Detroit. The area encompasses many established 
communities, and includes factories, offices, institutional facilities, 
research parks, and visitor and recreational venues. Some of Michigan's 
largest employers, universities and colleges, and cultural attractions 
are located within the study corridor.
    Several trends contribute to the need for improved transit and 
transportation options in the Southeast Michigan corridor, including: 
continued population growth; economic development and employment 
growth; increasing travel demand and limited capacity improvements on 
existing highways; limited inter-city passenger service and 
transportation options; need for improved access to major universities; 
mandated improvements in air quality; and consistency with transit-
supportive land use plans and policies. A projected consequence of this 
rapid growth in travel is markedly higher traffic volumes on highways 
and streets throughout the corridor. Roadways in the corridor are 
projected to operate with moderate to severe congestion (level of 
service C, D, and F) in 2026.
    The purpose of the project is to identify a transportation solution 
that provides additional choices for travelers within and through the 
corridor. The proposed transit improvements seek to expand travel 
options between Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Westland/Merriman Road, Dearborn, 
New Center, Detroit's central business district (CBD) and Detroit Metro 
Airport; to improve mobility for individuals who cannot or choose not 
to drive personal vehicles; to improve and expand connectivity to major 
activity areas including universities, commercial areas, urban and 
suburban employment centers and residential areas; to provide 
opportunities for additional economic growth and ``smart'' growth 
resulting from corridor mobility improvements; to assist in reducing 
present and projected traffic congestion throughout the study corridor; 
to reduce the need for highway expansion in the short-term; and to 
improve air quality.

III. Alternatives

    A brief description of the initial alternatives proposed for study 
is provided below:
    No Build Alternative. The future No-Build Alternative consists of 
the highway and transit system existing as of 2004, plus transportation 
projects included in the long range Metropolitan Transportation Plan 
adopted by SEMCOG, excluding the proposed project but with a 
continuation of existing transit service policies in its place.
    Transportation Systems Management (TSM) Alternative. This 
Alternative consists of reasonable cost-effective (low-cost, 
operationally oriented) transit improvements, that go beyond the 
existing service policies and plan by attempting to providing the best 
possible transit service in the corridor without a major investment. 
This consists of major enhancements of the scheduled intercity bus 
service between Ann Arbor and Detroit, with intermediate stops in 
Ypsilanti, Merriman Road/Westland, Dearborn and New Center.
    Transit Build Alternatives. One or more Transit Build Alternatives 
providing service between Ann Arbor and Detroit will be evaluated. The 
Transit Build Alternatives may include

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bus rapid transit, light rail transit, or commuter rail. Ancillary 
facilities, such as a maintenance facilities, layover and maintenance 
yards, and parking facilities will be considered, as appropriate, for 
the Transit Build Alternatives.
    These alternatives are expected to be defined more precisely 
through the scoping process. Any additional reasonable alternatives 
emerging from the scoping process will also be considered.

IV. Probable Impacts for Analysis

    The purpose of the EIS process is to fully disclose the 
environmental consequences associated with each of the alternatives 
being evaluated and to develop alternatives to avoid, minimize and 
mitigate those impacts while still satisfying the need for the action. 
The FTA and SEMCOG will assess all social, economic, and environmental 
impacts of all reasonable alternatives. Impacts may include the 
following: land use, zoning, and economic development; secondary 
development; cumulative impacts; land acquisition, displacements, and 
relocation of existing uses; historic, archaeological, and cultural 
resources; parklands and recreational areas; visual and aesthetic 
qualities; neighborhoods and communities; environmental justice; air 
quality; noise and vibration; hazardous materials; ecosystems; water 
resources; energy; construction impacts; safety and security; 
utilities; and transportation impacts. The impacts will be evaluated 
both for the construction period and for the long-term period of 
operation of each alternative. Measures to avoid, minimize or mitigate 
adverse impacts will be identified.

V. FTA Procedures

    In accordance with FTA's environmental regulation (23 CFR part 
771), FTA and SEMCOG will comply with NEPA and all related 
environmental laws, regulations, and executive orders, including but 
not limited to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, 
Section 4(f) of the DOT Act, the project-level conformity requirements 
of the Clean Air Act, and the executive orders on wetlands protection, 
floodplain management, and environmental justice, during the NEPA 
process, to the maximum extent possible.
    The Draft EIS will also constitute the Alternatives Analysis 
required by FTA's New Starts regulation (49 CFR Part 611) and will 
satisfy the FTA requirements for an Alternatives Analysis. Upon 
completion, the Alternatives Analysis/Draft EIS will be available for 
public and agency review and comment. Public hearing(s) on the 
Alternatives Analysis/Draft EIS will be held within the study area. On 
the basis of the Alternatives Analysis/Draft EIS and the public and 
agency comments received, a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) will be 
selected and, with FTA approval, will be advanced into preliminary 
engineering and a more detailed evaluation in the Final EIS.

    Issued on: September 28, 2004.
Joel P. Ettinger,
Region V Administrator.
[FR Doc. 04-22144 Filed 9-30-04; 8:45 am]
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