[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 198 (Friday, October 14, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60129-60130]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-20562]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impacts Statement: Yamhill County, OR

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing a notice to advise the public that an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for a proposed 
highway project in Yamhill County, Oregon.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elton Chang, PE, Environmental 
Coordinator, FHWA Oregon Division, 530 Center Street NE., Suite 100, 
Salem, OR 97301, (503) 399-5749, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Oregon 
Department of Transportation (ODOT), will prepare a Design (Tier 2) 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a proposal to construct the 
Newberg Dundee Bypass (Bypass), in Yamhill County, Oregon. The proposed 
Bypass project is a part of the Newberg Dundee Transportation 
Improvement Project (NDTIP), which seeks to improve regional and local 
transportation along the Oregon Highway 99W corridor in the Newberg and 
Dundee area by reducing traffic congestion. The proposed Bypass project 
area encompasses a section of OR Highway 99W that extends northeast 
across Yamhill County from the OR Highway 99W/OR Highway 18 
intersection near Dayton to Rex Hill east of the City of Newberg. The 
eastern terminus is located at OR Highway 99W mile post 20.08. The 
western terminus is located where OR Highway 99W intersects with Oregon 
18 at OR Highway 18 mile post 51.84.
    FHWA and ODOT are conducting the environmental analysis of the 
Bypass in a two-tiered NEPA process. The Tier 1 work, which was the 
subject of a Location Environmental Impact Statement LFEIS, identified 
feasible alternative corridors for the Bypass project, and culminated 
in a Record of Decision on the preferred corridor alternative. This 
Preferred Alternative will be carried forward through the Tier 2, DEIS 
analysis for more detailed study. The Tier 2 work will involve further 
refinement of the Preferred Alternative, including locating the Bypass 
within the preferred corridor, evaluation of detailed engineering 
options, and additional environmental analysis.
    Improvements to the corridor are considered necessary to provide 
for the existing and projected traffic demand and to reduce congestion. 
Traffic congestion and travel delays have reached unacceptable levels 
for those who live and work in or travel through Newberg, Dundee and 
the surrounding areas. By 2025, Newberg and Dundee are expected to have 
congestion in their downtowns for over 14 hours a day. The 2002 peak 
period travel time between East Newberg and Dayton is about 25 minutes. 
Without the Bypass the travel time in 2025 will be 40 minutes on OR 
Highway 99W. If the Bypass were constructed the travel time between 
East Newberg and Dayton on OR Highway 99W would be 19 minutes and the 
travel time on the Bypass would be 12 minutes.
    ODOT uses volume to capacity ratios to measure the levels of 
mobility on state highways. The ratios show the volume of traffic over 
the capacity of the highway to handle traffic. When the ratio 
approaches 1.0 the entire capacity of the highway is being used and the 
highway is very congested. At this point even minor disruptions in flow 
can cause severe backups. The v/c ratios for most of the major 
intersections on OR Highway 99W in Newberg and Dundee exceeded 1.0 in 
2002 during peak travel periods. ODOT's policy and the goal set by the 
Newberg Dundee Transportation Improvement Project Oversight Steering 
Team for urban highways is a volume to capacity ratio of 0.75.
    Newberg and Dundee want to make their downtowns more pedestrian 
friendly. Noise levels measured on the sidewalk in Newberg in 2002 were 
72 decibels. This is loud enough to require that people need to raise 
their voices to converse. The heavy truck traffic through town is the 
source of most of the noise. Truck traffic also adds to the congestion 
in the towns. By 2025, Dundee is expected to have about 3,700 freight 
trips per day rumbling through town and Newberg is expected to have 
4,400 freight trips per day.
    Alternatives under consideration include alternatives within the 
approved corridor and the No Build alternative for comparison purposes 
and various design options.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments 
related to this proposed action will be sent to Federal, State and 
local agencies, and to private

[[Page 60130]]

organizations and citizens who have previously expressed or are known 
to have interest in this proposal. A public meeting will be held on 
October 11, 2005, in Newberg, Oregon to initiate the DEIS scoping 
process and present project information. ODOT expects to publish a 
draft DEIS by the end of 2006. After publication of the draft DEIS, a 
minimum of 30 days will be scheduled for a public comment period. In 
addition, a public hearing will be held on the draft DEIS. Public 
notice will be given of the time and location of the meeting and public 
hearing. The draft DEIS will be available for public and agency review 
and comment prior to the public hearing. No formal scoping meeting will 
be held.
    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 DEIS should be 
directed to the FHWA at the address provided above. (Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, Highway Research, Planning 
and Construction. The regulations implementing Executive Order 12372 
regarding intergovernmental consultation on Federal programs and 
activities shall apply to this program.)
    For additional details on the Newberg-Dundee Bypass Project and how 
to get involved, please use our project Internet Web site: http://www.newbergdundeebypass.org.
    If you do not have Internet access, please call David Stocker at 
(503) 963-7891 to be placed on a mailing list for newsletters and 
meeting notices.

    Dated: Issued on October 4, 2005.
Elton Chang,
Environmental Coordinator, Oregon Division, FHWA.
[FR Doc. 05-20562 Filed 10-13-05; 8:45 am]
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