[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 110 (Thursday, June 8, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33332-33333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-5217]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement; Stark, Mahoning, Columbiana 
Counties, OH

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT, 200 North High 
Street, 3rd Floor, Columbus, Ohio, 43215.

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 Stark, Mahoning, and Columbiana Counties, Ohio.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andy Blalock, Senior Transportation 
Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, 200 N. High Street, Room 328, 
Columbus, Ohio 43215, Telephone: (614) 280-6823.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Ohio 
Department of Transportation, will prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for a proposal to improve transportation in the United 
States Route 62/State Route 14 corridor that begins at the existing 
SR173/US62 interchange on the west side of the City of Alliance 
(western terminus) in Stark County to State Route 11 (eastern terminus) 
in Columbiana County. The purpose of the project is to support local 
economic development activities, address traffic congestion, and fix 
existing deficiencies in the US62/SR14 transportation corridor. 
Alternatives under consideration will include, at a minimum: taking no 
action; building a 4-lane controlled access facility on new alignment; 
building a 2-lane facility within 4-lane right-of-way on new location; 
building a 2-lane facility within 2-lane right-of-way on new location; 
and improving/widening the existing roadway.
    The limits of the study are from the SR173/US62 interchange west of 
Alliance to SR11 between the cities of Salem and Columbiana, a distance 
of approximately 22 miles. The US62/SR14 corridor passes through 
portions of Stark, Mahoning, and Columbiana counties. Through Alliance, 
the existing roadway consists of a five-lane section between the US62/
SR173 interchange and Western Avenue, and a four-lane section from 
Western Avenue to a point near the eastern corporation limits. At this 
point, the existing roadway tapers to a two-lane section that continues 
out of Alliance and Stark County to follow the border between Mahoning 
and Columbiana counties and continuing toward Salem. The roadway then 
enters Columbiana County and continues through Salem, mostly as a two-
lane roadway with auxiliary turn lanes at major intersections. A short 
section of the roadway on the eastern side of Salem is three lanes with 
two lanes running eastbound and one lane westbound.
    The proposed improvement of US62/SR14 would meet the goals of 
ACCESS OHIO which is to improve the mobility along the macro-corridor 
in order to encourage economic development. Completion of Ohio's Macro 
Highway Corridor System was recommended in the 1993 ACCESS OHIO Macro 
Phase as an important goal for Ohio. Completion for these corridors was 
also recommended in Governor Taft's 2003 Jobs and Progress Plan and 
again recommended by ACCESS OHIO 2004-2030.
    The existing US62/SR14 corridor has many deficiencies that 
contribute to a variety of transportation problems. These problems 
include poor levels of service at signals in both Alliance and Salem, 
high number of access points on US62 in both Alliance and Salem, high 
crash rates at existing intersections, and steep grades and tight 
curves, particularly between Salem and SR11. These inadequacies lead to 
safety problems, reduced levels of service, and transportation 
inefficiencies.
    FHWA, ODOT, and other local agencies invite participation in 
defining the alternatives to be evaluated in the EIS, and any 
significant social, economic, or environmental issues related to the 
alternatives. Information describing the purpose of the project, the 
project area to be studied, the existing and future conditions of the 
project area, the public involvement plan, and the preliminary project 
schedule may be obtained from the FHWA at the address provided above.
    Coordination with concerned federal, state, and local agencies will 
be conducted at five established concurrence points in ODOT's Project 
Development Process. Coordination will be continued throughout the 
study with Federal, State, and local agencies, and with private 
organizations and citizens who express or are known to have interest in 
this proposal. The draft EIS (DEIS) will be available for public and 
agency review and comment prior to the public hearing. The final EIS 
(FEIS) will be available for public and agency review and comment prior 
to the approval of the Record of Decision (ROD).
    To ensure that the full range of issues relating 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 sent 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

[[Page 33333]]

Federal programs and activities apply to this program).

Victoria Peters,
Director, Office of Engineering Operations, Federal Highway 
Administration, Columbus, Ohio.
[FR Doc. 06-5217 Filed 6-7-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P