[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 190 (Tuesday, October 2, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56123-56126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-19434]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement on the
Restoration of Rail Service in the Northern Branch Corridor, Bergen and
Hudson Counties, NJ
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS).
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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the New Jersey
Transit Corporation (NJ TRANSIT) intend to prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement to study the restoration of rail passenger service on
the Northern Branch rail corridor between North Bergen, Hudson County,
and Tenafly, Bergen County. The EIS will be prepared in accordance with
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA: 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) of
1969 and the regulations implementing NEPA set forth in 40 CFR Parts
1500-1508 and 23 CFR Part 771, as well as provisions of the recently
enacted Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity
Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The purpose of this Notice is to
alert interested parties regarding the plan to prepare the EIS, to
provide information on the nature of the proposed transit project, to
invite participation in the EIS process, including comments on the
scope of the EIS proposed in this notice, and to announce that public
scoping meetings will be conducted. This notice supersedes the FTA
notice of June 18, 2001 entitled ``Major Investment Study/Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for the Northern Branch Corridor, Bergen
County, New Jersey.''
DATES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS should be sent to Linda
A. Mosch, P.E., NJ TRANSIT Project Manager, by November 7, 2007. Public
scoping meetings will be held on Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at 3 to 5
p.m. and at 7 to 9 p.m. at locations indicated under ADDRESSES below.
An interagency scoping meeting will be scheduled after agencies with an
interest in the proposed project have been identified.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS should be sent to
Linda A. Mosch, P.E, Project Director--Northern Branch EIS, NJ TRANSIT,
One Penn Plaza East, Newark, NJ 07105-2246. Comments may also be
offered at the public scoping meetings. The address for the public
scoping meeting is as follows: Crowne Plaza Englewood Hotel, 401 S. Van
Brunt St., Englewood, NJ 07631.
This location is accessible by persons with disabilities. If
special translation or signing services or other special accommodations
are needed, please contact the Project Director, Linda A. Mosch, P.E.,
at (973) 491-8481 least 48 hours before the meeting. A scoping
information packet is available on the NJ TRANSIT Web site at http://NorthernBranchCorridor.com or by calling the Project Director, Linda A.
Mosch, P.E., at (973) 491-8481. Copies will also be available at the
scoping meetings.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Rebecca Reyes-Alicea, Community
Planner, Federal Transit Administration, One Bowling Green, Room 429,
New York, New York, 10004-1415, telephone (212) 668-2203.
[[Page 56124]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Scoping
In accordance with Section 6002 of SAFETEA-LU, FTA and NJT invite
comment on the scope of the EIS, specifically on project's purpose and
need, the alternatives to be evaluated that may address the purpose and
need, and the impacts of the alternatives considered. To ensure that
these issues are identified, the scoping meetings will begin with a
formal presentation followed by the opportunity for the public to
comment on the scope of the EIS. Oral and written comments may be given
at the scoping meetings; a stenographer will record all comments. Those
wishing to speak are required to register at the meeting location.
Registration to speak will begin at 2:30 p.m. and will remain open
until 4:30 p.m. for the afternoon session; registration to speak will
begin at 6:30 p.m. and will remain open until 8:30 p.m. for the evening
session. Written comments may be submitted at the meeting or may be
mailed to the project manager at the address in ADDRESSES above.
II. Purpose and Need for the Proposed Project
The purpose of the Northern Branch project is to address the
transportation needs of the Northern Branch Corridor through the re-
introduction of rail transit service. The project area is heavily
populated and is centrally located in the New York/New Jersey
metropolitan area. The area is directly west of the Hudson River, in
close proximity to Manhattan. The area's location relative to New York
City has played an important role in its development and continues to
be an important factor in the economy of the area.
Most of the transportation problems in the project area are the
result of the great changes that have taken place during the past 30
years. While Bergen County's population had not changed significantly
until 1990, there have been other significant changes. The number of
households has grown, resulting in smaller households and more workers
per household than in the past. Even more significant has been the
growth in employment from 1960 to today. The number of jobs only tells
part of the story about the project area's economy. The economy is
diversifying. A growing number of the jobs are now service oriented,
with fewer in the manufacturing sector. This shift has contributed to
the area's transportation problems because service sector businesses
generate more trips than manufacturing businesses, especially during
the off-peak travel periods.
The growth in households and the diversification of the economy
have caused an increase in travel in the project area in recent years.
The increases have been during the peak travel periods, the off-peak
weekday periods, and the weekend periods. Congestion on the roads is a
growing problem, which is reducing overall mobility in the area and
could constrain future economic growth, and may affect the area's very
high standard of living.
While the transportation system continues to provide a fairly high
level of mobility for some residents and businesses, many parts of the
system are straining to accommodate the new demands caused by a growing
economy. The area's roadways provide the best evidence of the strains
on the system. While more roads are congested for longer periods, there
are few opportunities to expand local or regional roadway capacity. The
project area has a substantial transit system. However, there is
evidence that the system is not providing service for all of the
markets that could be served. Further investments in transit would
improve mobility in Bergen County, alleviating some traffic congestion,
and supporting continued economic growth. Provision of new
transportation service in the Northern Branch Corridor would address:
Commuting to New York City (trans-Hudson) from Bergen
County;
Inter- and intra-corridor commuting, both to employment
centers within the project corridor, and from the project corridor to
employment locations in other areas of New Jersey; and,
Non-work trips including business, shopping, recreational,
and education to New York City, within the corridor, and to
destinations outside the corridor in New Jersey.
Based on the needs identified in the project area, goals and
objectives in the Northern Branch Corridor were identified in the early
planning studies and are as follows.
Goal 1: Meet the Needs of Travelers in the Project Area
Objectives:
Attract riders to transit. A central goal of the project
is to attract more riders to rail transit in the Northern Branch
corridor. In spite of its proximity to New York, eastern Bergen County
continues to have high single occupancy vehicle commutation. The goal
of re-introducing rail transit is to encourage a greater transit
ridership both on opening day and into the future.
Improve travel time. Travelers in the project area put a
high value on their time, and are looking for travel options that will
improve their travel time and reliability.
Improve convenience. Travelers are looking for new travel
options that will make traveling in the region more convenient. They
are looking for frequent service, adequate parking at stations,
competitive travel times, and convenient connections to other transit
services, such as ferries, PATH, and feeder services.
Provide more options for travelers. Today, travelers are
severely limited in their travel options. Transit can be used for only
a very small portion of the area's travel needs. Travelers want more
travel options to meet their diverse travel needs. Options could
include service to many destinations, including Midtown, Lower
Manhattan, the Hudson River Waterfront, Newark, and recreational areas,
such as the Sports Complex and the Jersey Shore, especially on weekends
and at night.
Improve services for the low-income/minority/transit
dependent travelers. Transit dependent residents in the project area
need good transit options to more of the region's jobs, not only the
jobs in Manhattan, but growing employment centers in New Jersey, like
the Hudson River Waterfront area, Newark, the Meadowlands, and Bergen
and Rockland employment centers.
Goal 2: Advance Cost-Effective Transit Solutions
Objectives:
Support favorable farebox recovery. For the vast majority
of transit systems, fare revenue does not cover the cost of providing
service. However, higher farebox recovery ratios allow transit agencies
to maximize the amount of service that can be provided for the same
dollar of public operating subsidy. One of the goals of the Northern
Branch project is to introduce rail transit to the corridor in a manner
that is sensitive to the need to minimize the operating subsidy
required to run the service. This will help ensure that the provision
of transit service in the corridor is financially sustainable.
Advance cost-effective transit solutions. The objective is
to advance a project that, from a cost-benefit perspective, provides
the greatest overall benefit at the lowest capital cost.
Support future expansion, scalability and affordability.
The Northern Branch project should allow for future transit expansion
while at the same time provide a solution that is affordable to
construct. With limited capital funds, the ability to advance projects
in phases helps to keep the projects affordable. Project scalability
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allows projects to be constructed without precluding future expansion
projects. One of the criteria on which the Northern Branch project will
be evaluated is the degree to which one phase of a project integrates
into a more global planning effort for transportation improvement in
the region.
Goal 3: Encourage Economic Growth
Objectives:
Provide transportation capacity to support growth.
Population and employment growth in and around Bergen County and Hudson
County is expected to continue in the future. Additional transportation
capacity and new travel options will be needed to support this growth,
providing access between the jobs in the counties and surrounding
residential communities. Growing congestion will continue to have
negative impacts on the area's economy in the future.
Help attract new businesses. Companies looking to locate
new facilities, or expand existing facilities in Bergen County and
Hudson County, will be looking for assurances that steps are being
taken to provide the area with new travel alternatives. One of the
major assets of this area is its proximity to New York City and its
role in sustaining the strength of the State Plan's Metropolitan
Planning Area. New transportation choices that improve access to New
York and the rest of the region will help Bergen County and Hudson
County to maintain its competitive advantage in the region.
Goal 4: Improve regional access
Objectives:
Provide connections to a variety of locations within the
region. With the one exception of Manhattan, Bergen County's access to
the rest of the region is almost entirely by auto, on highways that are
becoming increasingly congested. With the completion of the Secaucus
Transfer, the areas served by the Main, Bergen, and Pascack Valley
lines now benefit from rail access to the growing Hudson River
Waterfront area, to Newark, to Trenton, and to the major recreational
attractions, like the Meadowlands and the New Jersey Shore.
Goal 5: Reduce Roadway Congestion
Objectives:
Provide more travel options for travelers trying to avoid
highway congestion. Major regional highways in the project area are
heavily congested. There are a limited number of major highways, each
serving intra-county and regional travel needs. Congestion in Bergen
County is a growing problem, which is likely to become more serious in
the future. Transit strategies are unlikely to substantially reduce
congestion, but can provide useful new travel alternatives for
travelers trying to avoid congestion.
Goal 6: Enhance the Transit Network
Objectives:
Eliminate gaps in the rail network. Bergen County's
transit share for trips to Manhattan is lower than any other part of
northern New Jersey. This is due to several gaps in the transit network
serving the area. For example, there is no rail service in eastern
Bergen County. The closest rail line is the Pascack Valley Line, which
is west of the Hackensack River. This inconvenient and capacity-
constrained line is not an option for most residents of eastern Bergen
County. Also, rail service is infrequent during off-peak periods. Rail
service is best to Lower Manhattan, via PATH and ferry, less effective
to the Valley, between Canal Street and 34th Street, via PATH, and most
difficult to Midtown.
Eliminate gaps in the bus network. The bus network in
eastern Bergen County also has some gaps. First, the network only
serves Midtown Manhattan. Also, in the eastern most parts of the
county, there is little or no bus service. In the more central parts of
the study area there are many bus routes. However, these routes are
generally slow because they travel on local roads and make many stops
along the route to pick up passengers.
III. Alternatives Proposed for Consideration
It is proposed that the EIS evaluate a Future No Build Alternative
and Build alternatives of two modes: diesel-multiple-unit service from
North Bergen to Tenafly, with a connection to the Hudson-Bergen Light
Rail at Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen; and an extension of the
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail from its existing terminus at Tonnelle Avenue
in North Bergen to Tenafly. Additionally, the EIS will evaluate both
modal alternatives with a terminus at NJ Route 4 in Englewood.
Future No Build Alternative: the Future No Build consists of the
transportation system expected to be in place in the project design
year if the proposed project were not built. It includes all other
projects currently in the North Jersey Transportation Authority's 20-
year metropolitan transportation plan.
Diesel-multiple-unit vehicle: These alternatives would involve
simultaneous operation of rail passenger and freight operations using
the Northern Branch Corridor right-of-way. Terminal stations would be
located at Tenafly, in the vicinity of Hudson Avenue; or at NJ Route 4
in Englewood.
Light rail vehicle: These alternatives would involve time-separated
operation of rail passenger and freight operations using the Northern
Branch Corridor right-of-way. Rail passenger service would operate
between 5:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. with freight operations between 11
p.m. and 5 a.m. Terminal stations would be located at Tenafly, in the
vicinity of Hudson Avenue; or at NJ Route 4 in Englewood. In order to
accommodate the shift of freight service to nighttime operation,
corridor improvements would be constructed between Tenafly and
Northvale.
The build alternatives will involve construction of new
transportation infrastructure, including tracks, stations and yards. As
many as 11 station locations will be evaluated. Any additional
reasonable alternatives that come to light during the scoping process
will also be evaluated.
IV. Probable Effects
The FTA and NJ TRANSIT will evaluate both project-specific and
cumulative changes to the social, economic and physical environment--
including land use and socioeconomic conditions, ecology, water
resources, historic and archaeological resources, visual character and
aesthetics, contaminated and hazardous materials, transportation, air
quality, noise and vibration, and environmental justice effects.
Mitigation of all adverse impacts will be considered.
V. FTA Procedures
In accordance with 23 CFR 771.105(a) and 771.133, FTA will comply
with all Federal environmental laws, regulations, and executive orders
applicable to the proposed project during the environmental review
process to the maximum extent practicable. These requirements include,
but are not limited to, the regulations of the Council on Environmental
Quality and FTA implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508, and 23 CFR
Part 771), the project-level air quality conformity regulation of the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (40 CFR part 93), the
section 404(b)(1) guidelines of EPA (40 CFR part 230), the regulation
implementing section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (36
CFR Part 800), the regulation implementing section 7 of the Endangered
Species Act (50 CFR part 402), section 4(f) of the DOT Act (23 CFR
771.135), and Executive Orders
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12898 on environmental justice, 11988 on floodplain management, and
11990 on wetlands.
Issued on: September 24, 2007.
Brigid Hynes-Cherin,
Regional Administrator, FTA Region 2.
[FR Doc. E7-19434 Filed 10-1-07; 8:45 am]
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