[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 90 (Thursday, May 10, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26679-26680]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-8939]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: San Bernardino 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 of its 
intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 
proposed realignment and widening of State Route 58 Freeway (SR-58) 
located west of the City of Barstow near the community of Hinkley in 
San Bernardino County, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tay Dam, Senior Project Development 
Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, 888 South Figueroa, Suite 
1850, Los Angeles, CA 90017. Telephone: (213) 202-3954. Boniface 
Udotor, California Department of Transportation District 8, 464 W. 
Fourth Street, San Bernardino, CA 92401. Telephone: (909) 383-1387.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the California 
Department of Transportation, District 8, will prepare an EIS to 
realign and widen SR-58 from a two-lane conventional highway to a four-
lane expressway/freeway west of the City of Barstow near the community 
of Hinkley (between Post Mile 21.8 and Post Mile 31.1) in San 
Bernardino County, California. The project length is approximately 10 
miles long. As proposed, the EIS document would address the following 
current and future transportation issues for this area:
     This section of SR-58 is currently a nonstandard two-lane 
conventional highway between a four-lane freeway to the west and a 
four-lane freeway to the east. The existing highway section has 
insufficient capacity to handle present and future travel demands, 
which is forecasted to be more than double the year 2030. Since SR-58 
remains the main east-west corridor for interregional travelers, no 
other viable alternatives for travel exist. This proposed project will 
close one gap in lane continuity and remove the bottleneck condition.
     The existing two-lane highway has numerous driveways and 
intersecting cross-streets, which present numerous conflict points 
affecting the operation of the highway. Upgrading from a non-standard 
two-lane highway to a full-standard four-lane expressway/freeway would 
allow for better passing and increased sight distance. A separated 
median would reduce the risk of head-on collisions. A clearance zone 
(clear recovery zone) from the edge of the traveled way to obstructions 
would provide an unobstructed roadside for errant drivers to regain 
control.
     The pavement section of SR-58 for this area is inadequate 
to handle the high movement of truck volumes, which are contributing to 
rising maintenance costs. It is expected that SR-58 will continue to 
carry high truck volumes because the route is designated for extra-
legal and oversized loads. Currently, SR-58 serves as the major 
connection point between I-15 in Bakersfield and the I-15/I-40 in 
Barstow. A new pavement design would meet standards for carrying 
truckloads and reduce future maintenance costs.
    A preferred alternative has not been selected at this point. The 
following four alternatives will be addressed in the EIS document:
     Alternative 1: No Build. Under this alternative, the 
capacity of SR-58 would remain the same as current traffic conditions 
continue to worsen while local developments take place. This 
alternative would not address the transportation issues described 
above.

[[Page 26680]]

     Alternative 2: Realign and Widen (South). This alternative 
realigns and widens SR-58 from two lanes to a four-lane expressway/
freeway about one-half mile south of the existing SR-58.
     Alternative 3: Widen the Existing. This alternative 
follows the existing SR-58 alignment or a slightly offset alignment 
throughout the project limits.
     Alternative 4: Realign and Widen (North). This alternative 
consists of a realignment of SR-58 to a four-lane expressway/freeway 
just north of the existing SR-58.
    The alternatives described above will be further refined through 
efforts conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act (40 CFR 
parts 1500-1508, and 23 CFR part 771), the 1990 Clear Air Act 
Amendments, section 404 of the Clean Water Act, Executive Order 12898 
regarding environmental justice, the National Historic Preservation 
Act, the Endangered Species Act, the section 4(f) of the U.S. 
Department of Transportation Act, and other federal environmental 
protection laws, regulations, policies, and executive orders. The EIS 
will incorporate comments from the public scoping process as well as 
analysis in technical studies. Other alternatives suggested during 
scoping process would be considered during the development of the EIS. 
The EIS will consider any additional reasonable alternatives identified 
during scoping process. Letters describing the proposed action and 
soliciting comments will be sent to appropriate Federal, State, 
regional and local agencies, and to private organizations and citizens 
who previously have expressed, or are known to have, an interest in 
this project. Location and details of the public scoping meeting for 
the proposed project will be advertised in local newspapers and other 
media and will be hosted by the California Department of 
Transportation, District 8.

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

    Issued On: May 2, 2007.
Maiser Khaled,
Director, Project Development & Environment, California Division, 
Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. E7-8939 Filed 5-9-07; 8:45 am]
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