[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 176 (Wednesday, September 12, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52196-52197]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-17970]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Los Angeles County, CA

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration, Department of Transportation

ACTION: Revised Notice of Intent

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SUMMARY: This notice is a revision of the August 31, 2007 Notice of 
Intent (Federal Register Volume 72, Number 169, Pages 50441-50442) 
which advised that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be 
prepared for a project in Los Angeles, California. The purpose of this 
revised notice is to advise agencies and the public that environmental 
review, consultation, and any other action required in accordance with 
applicable Federal laws for this project is being, or has been, carried 
out by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) under its 
assumption of responsibility, pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron Kosinski, Deputy Director, 
Division of Environmental Planning, California Department of 
Transportation, District 7, 100 S. Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, 
Tel. (213) 897-0703.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Caltrans is issuing this notice to advise 
the public that an EIS will be prepared on a proposal to seismically 
improve the 6th Street Viaduct in the City and County of

[[Page 52197]]

Los Angeles, CA. 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. 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 
Caltrans 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 
Federal programs and activities apply to this program.)

    Issued on: September 5, 2007.
Maiser Khaled,
Director, Project Development & Environment, Federal Highway 
Administration, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. E7-17970 Filed 9-11-07; 8:45 am]
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