[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 180 (Tuesday, September 18, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53280-53281]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-4611]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: St. Clair County, Michigan

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability of and notice of public hearing.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969, the Federal Highway Administration has made available for public 
review and comments a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for 
the Blue Water Bridge Plaza Study. The DEIS describes and presents the 
environmental effects of the three alternatives, the No-Build 
Alternative and three Build Alternatives. A public hearing will be held 
to receive comments from individuals and organizations on the DEIS.

DATES: Comment and public hearing dates are: 1. October 9, 2007, public 
hearing scheduled. 2. November 5, 2007, public comments and due.
    The DEIS will be available for a 60-day public review period. Oral 
and written comments will be available for public review. All 
submissions from organizations or businesses and from individuals 
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations 
or businesses will be made available for public disclosures in their 
entirety.

ADDRESSES: 1. Document Availability: The document was made available to 
the public on September 10, 2007. Copies of the Draft DEIS are 
available for public inspection and review on the project Web site 
http://www.michigan.gov/bluewaterbridgeproject and at the following 
locations:
     Fort Gratiot Township, 3720 Keewahdin Rd., Fort Gratiot.
     Port Huron City of, Office of the City Clerk, 10 McMorran 
Blvd., Port Huron, MI 48060.
     Port Huron Township, 3800 Lapeer Rd., Port Huron, MI 
48060.
     MDOT Region Office, 18101 W. Nine Mile Rd., Southfield, MI 
48075.
     MDOT Bureau of Transportation Planning, 425 Ottawa St., 
Lansing.
     MDOT Port Huron Transportation Service Center, 2127 11th 
Ave., Port Huron, MI 48060.
     St. Clair County Library, 210 McMorran Blvd., Port Huron, 
MI 48060.
     St. Clair County Planning Office, St. Clair County Bldg., 
20 Grand River Ave., Port Huron, MI 48060.
    Copies of the Draft EIS may be requested from Bob Parsons (Public 
Involvement and Hearings Officer) at the Michigan Department of 
Transportation, 425 W. Ottawa Street, P.O. Box 30050, Lansing, MI 48909 
or by calling (517) 373-9534.
    2. Comments: Send comments on the Draft EIS to Michigan Department 
of Transportation, c/o Bob Parsons (Public Involvement and Hearings 
Officer), 425 W. Ottawa Street, P.O. Box 30050, Lansing, MI 48909.
    3. Public Hearing: The public hearing will be held at McMorran 
Place, 701 McMorran Blvd., Port Huron, Michigan 48060. Two sessions 
will be held, Session 1 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Session 2 from 
6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Persons needing special assistance to attend and 
participate in the public hearing should contact Bob Parsons (Public 
Involvement and Hearings Officer) at (517) 373-9534 as soon as 
possible. In order to allow sufficient time to process requests, please 
call no later than one week before the public hearing. Information 
regarding this proposed action is available in alternative formats upon 
request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Major Project Manager: Ryan Rizzo, 
517-702-1833. Environmental Program Manager: David T. Williams, 517-
702-1820.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed federal action is to expand the 
Blue Water Bridge Plaza and improve the I-94/I-69 corridor. 
Improvements are needed on the Blue Water Bridge Plaza to provide safe, 
efficient and secure movement of people and goods across the Canadian-
U.S. border in the Port Huron area to support the economies of 
Michigan, Ontario, Canada, and the United States and to support the 
mobility and security needs associated with national and civil defense.
    Purpose and Need for the Project: The selected alternative must 
provide additional space for inspection booths, offices, docks to 
inspect and unload cargo, new security measures, and parking for cars 
and trucks needing inspection. The need for additional space and 
facilities is supported by several key issues including:
     Security issues.
     Introduction of new inspection technologies, procedures, 
and policies.
     Limited existing space to accommodate increased number of 
border inspection agents.
     Traffic conflicts and crash history.
     Access between the plaza and adjacent circulatory local 
roads.
     Traffic growth and traffic backups.
     Existing infrastructure conditions of the I-94/I-69 
corridor.
     Upgrading the International Welcome Center.
    Alternatives Evaluated: The DEIS evaluates three action 
alternatives in addition to a No-Build Alternative: City East 
Alternative, City West Alternative and the Township Alternative.
    1. The No-Build Alternative would not make any changes to the 
existing plaza configuration or ramps. MDOT and CBP would continue to 
maintain the existing plaza facilities and new technology and 
procedures would be introduced on the existing plaza

[[Page 53281]]

footprint as space allows. The existing welcome center would remain in 
its current location.
    2. The City East Alternative would require 133 acres for an 
expanded plaza and improvements along the I-94/I-69 corridor including 
the Welcome Center which includes 67 acres for the plaza. This 
alternative would require the relocation of Pine Grove Avenue to the 
east along 10th Avenue and would bring most of the plaza down to street 
level. Pine Grove Avenue would be re-routed to the east of the existing 
plaza, between Hancock Street and Scott Avenue. Pine Grove Avenue and 
10th Avenue would merge for a joint five-lane road between Scott Avenue 
and Elmwood Street. The City East Alternative uses the block between 
Hancock Street and the existing plaza, west of Pine Grove Avenue for an 
expanded truck inspection area. The Black River Bridge Water Street 
Interchange would be rebuilt and the Lapeer Connector Interchange would 
be expanded to include access in all directions. A new MDOT Welcome 
Center would be constructed north of I-94/I-69 in Port Huron Township, 
replacing the existing Welcome Center at Water Street.
    3. The City West Alternative includes 31 acres for an expanded 
plaza and improvements along the I-94/I-69 corridor including the 
Welcome Center which includes 65 acres for the plaza. The City West 
Alternative would require the relocation of Pine Grove Avenue to the 
west of the plaza. The relocated Pine Grove Avenue would wrap around 
the south and west sides of the new plaza. Near Hancock Street, the 
relocated Pine Grove Avenue would split into separate northbound and 
southbound lanes. The northbound lanes would turn back east and connect 
to existing Pine Grove Avenue at Riverview Street. The southbound lanes 
would follow the existing M-25 Connector. The City West Alternative 
would use the block bounded by 10th Avenue, Hancock Street, the M-25 
Connector, and the existing plaza for expanded inspection and plaza 
facilities. The City West Alternative would also rebuild the Black 
River Bridge from a four-lane bridge to nine lanes and reconstruct the 
Water Street Interchange. The Lapeer Connector Interchange would be 
expanded to include access in all directions. A new MDOT Welcome Center 
would be constructed north of I-94/I-69 in Port Huron Township, 
replacing the existing Welcome Center at Water Street.
    4. The Township Alternative involves the relocation of major plaza 
functions to Port Huron Township, 1.5 miles west of the current 
facility, on currently undeveloped land. This site also would include a 
new MDOT Welcome Center. Existing I-94/I-69 lanes west of the plaza and 
the Blue Water Bridge. The M-25 Connector would be extended to provide 
a local access road parallel to the existing I-94/I-69 with full access 
to Water Street and the Lapeer Connector. The Black River Bridge in the 
Township Alternative would be replaced and expanded from four lanes to 
ten lanes. While the current plaza footprint would remain the same, 
local traffic would no longer be able to exist at the existing plaza or 
use Pine Grove Avenue to access the plaza. Allow inspections would 
occur at the new plaza in the Township. The Township Alternative would 
also include traffic related improvements such as additional lanes and 
turn lanes for key local roads surrounding the existing plaza.

    Issued on: September 12, 2007.
James J. Steele,
Division Administrator, Lansing Michigan.
[FR Doc. 07-4611 Filed 9-17-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M