[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 169 (Friday, August 31, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50441-50442]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-17301]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Los Angeles County, CA

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration, 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 (EIS) will be prepared for the proposed 
6th Street Viaduct Seismic Improvement Project in the city and county 
of Los Angeles, California in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Healow, Project Development 
Engineer, FHWA, 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 4-100, Sacramento, CA 95814, 
telephone: (916) 498-5849.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with Caltrans, will 
prepare an EIS on a proposal to seismically improve the 6th Street 
Viaduct in the city and county of Los Angeles, California. The proposed 
improvements would involve retrofitting or demolition and replacement 
of the existing viaduct over the Los Angeles River between Mateo and 
Mill Streets on the west side, and west of Interstate 5 on the east 
side, for a distance of approximately 0.9 miles.
    The 6th Street Viaduct, built in 1932, is one of 12 historic 
bridges/viaducts crossing the Los Angeles River. The concrete elements 
of the 3,500 foot long 6th Street Viaduct are degraded by an ongoing 
chemical reaction, known as Alkali Silica Reaction (ASR), which has led 
to substantial deterioration of the structure and decrease of its 
concrete strength, rendering it vulnerable to collapse in a major 
earthquake. This ASR deterioration of the 6th Street Viaduct has been 
occurring for at least 75 years, despite ongoing efforts to arrest or 
limit its effect. While the deteriorated surface appearance of the 
viaduct is of concern, its underlying structural integrity is of much 
greater concern. In 1989, the Whittier Narrows earthquake caused damage 
to shear keys and caused a column crack at Bent 33 of the viaduct. The 
structure has since been classified by Caltrans as Category I and 
placed on the mandatory seismic retrofit list.
    The proposed project would result in a structure capable of 
withstanding a moderate seismic event by either retrofitting the 
existing structure or replacing it entirely. Several alternatives were 
considered during the project development phase. Criteria used to 
identify alternatives to be carried forward for detailed analysis in 
the environmental document include construction and maintenance costs, 
life span of the facility, constructability, historic preservation, 
community disruption, and seismic and operational safety. Based on the 
results of public pre-scoping meetings and preliminary screening 
analysis, a No Build Alternative and two Build Alternatives, including 
Viaduct Retrofit and Viaduct Replacement, will be analyzed in the 
environmental document.
    The project team has met with the general public and neighborhood 
groups, and a Community Advisory Committee has been actively engaged. 
Public information activities, including meetings with the project 
development team, will continue throughout the design and environmental 
process. Public and agency scoping meetings are scheduled on August 
14th and 16th in Los Angeles. A subsequent public hearing on the draft 
EIS will be held to discuss alternatives and impacts of the proposed 
action. Public notices will be published and posted on the project Web 
site containing the specific time and place of the public scoping 
meetings and hearing. To ensure that the full range of issues related 
to this proposed action is addressed and all significant concerns are 
identified, comments and suggestions are invited from all interested 
parties. Comments or questions about this proposed action and the EIS 
should be directed to FHWA at the address provided above.


[[Page 50442]]


(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 apply to this 
program.)

    Issued on: August 27, 2007.
Steve Healow,
Senior Project Development Engineer, Sacramento, California.
 [FR Doc. E7-17301 Filed 8-30-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P