[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 126 (Friday, July 1, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38241-38242]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-12988]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Dallas County, TX

AGENCY: Federal Highway (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 
transportation project in Dallas County, Texas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Salvador Deocampo, District 
Engineer (North), Federal Highway Administration, 300 E. 8th Street, 
Room 826, Austin, Texas 78701, Telephone 512-536-5950.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Texas 
Department of Transportation (TxDOT), will prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) for State Highway (SH) 190 (The East Branch) 
from Interstate Highway (IH) 30 to IH 20 within southeast Dallas 
County. The corridor is approximately 11 miles in length. From a 
regional and local perspective, there is an increasing demand for 
additional transportation capacity and access through the corridor. In 
the last 30 years, southeast Dallas County has experienced growth in 
population and employment and this trend is expected to continue.
    Previous feasibility studies and Mobility 2025 Metropolitan 
Transportation Plan--Amended April 2005, the Metropolitan 
Transportation Plan (MTP) for the Dallas-Fort Worth region, has 
examined a full range of alternatives and alignments within the 
corridor. SH 190 is included in the current MTP as a new location six-
lane roadway. The environmental study will examine viable alternatives 
and potential transportation modes including the No-Build and the 
potential for toll-application to the build alternative alignments. All 
alternative alignments begin at or near the proposed IH 30/President 
George Bush Turnpike interchange and proceed south toward and 
ultimately terminate at IH 20. These proposed alternatives would be 
contained within a corridor generally bounded to the east by the 
Dallas/Kaufman County Line and the west by Bobtown Road in Garland, 
Collins Road and Clay Road in Sunnyvale, and Clay-Mathis Road and 
Lawson Road in Mesquite. The project has included public involvement to 
address the long-term mobility needs of both the region and local 
community. The environmental study will include the determination of 
the number of lands, roadway configuration, and operational 
characteristics. It will also include a discussion of the effect of the 
social, economic, and natural environments and of other known and 
reasonably foreseeable agency actions proposed within the SH 190/East

[[Page 38242]]

Branch Corridor. If a build alternative is selected, and if it is 
determined to be a viable project, TxDOT shall construct and operate 
the facility. Issues relative to the project include noise, 
archaeological sites, historic properties, socio-economic effects, 
changes to travel patterns, air quality, water quality, floodplains, 
and wetlands.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, State, regional, and local agencies, 
and to organizations and persons who have previously expressed or are 
known to have interest in this proposed. In addition to public 
meetings, a future public hearing will be held. Public notice will be 
given of the time and place of the meetings and the hearing. The Draft 
EIS will be available for public and agency review and comments before 
the hearing.
    A public scoping meeting in an Open House format with no formal 
presentation will be conducted on Tuesday, July 26, 2005, between the 
hours of 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Mesquite Convention Center and Rodeo 
Center located at 1700 Rodeo Drive, Mesquite, Texas 75149. This will be 
the first in a series of meetings to solicit public comments on the 
proposed action as part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
process. Persons interested in attending this meeting who have special 
communication or accommodation needs are encouraged to contact the 
local TxDOT Public Information Office at (214) 320-6100 at least two 
days prior to the meeting. Because the public meeting will be conducted 
in English, any request for language interpreters or other special 
communication needs should also be made at least two days prior to the 
public meeting. Every reasonable effort will be made to accommodate 
these needs.
    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. Additional project 
information may be obtained by visiting the project's Web site at 
http://www.theeastbranch.org.

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

Salvador Deocampo,
District Engineer (North), Austin, Texas.
[FR Doc. 05-12988 Filed 6-30-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M