[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 204 (Tuesday, October 21, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62582-62583]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-25060]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION


Transportation Border Congestion Relief Program

AGENCY: Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice; announcement of the designated projects under the 
Transportation Border Congestion Relief Program.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Transportation (DOT) announces the selection 
of the Transportation Border Congestion Relief (TBCR) Program 
applications to be designated as the TBCR Projects. The DOT has 
identified three surface transportation projects, two on the United 
States/Mexico border and one on the United States/Canada border, which 
can help improve border travel times.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Marcus J. Lemon, Chief Counsel and 
Ms. Alla C. Shaw, Special Counsel, (202) 366-0740, [email protected], 
HCC-3, Room E84-301, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, 
HCC Team Leader, or Mr. Roger Petzold, Team Leader, Border, Interstate, 
and GIS Program, (202) 366-4074, [email protected], HEPI-10, Room 
E74-312, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590. Office 
hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Electronic Access: An electronic copy of 
this document may also be downloaded from the Office of the Federal 
Register's home page at: http://www.archives.gov and the Government 
Printing Office's Web page at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara.
    Background: On May 30, 2008, the DOT published a notice in the 
Federal Register seeking applications from interested international 
land border States, bridge, and tunnel operators, and

[[Page 62583]]

private entities. (73 FR 31183). The DOT received 10 applications. The 
applications were reviewed for technical merit by a multiagency 
Technical Review Panel (TRP) comprised of staff from the DOT, the 
General Services Administration, and the U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection agency with expertise in the areas of project development 
and finance, infrastructure, and facility operation. The TRP evaluated 
each application based on the applicant's responsiveness to the 
elements set forth in the May 30 Federal Register notice. The TRP also 
noted factors affecting likelihood of success, such as the current 
status of the proposed project and the benefits of the project to its 
users and the economy. A second tier review of the applications was 
conducted by a Management Review Panel (MRP) comprised of senior DOT, 
Federal Highway Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration, and Federal Railroad Administration staff. The MRP 
reviewed the TRP's preliminary assessments of the applications and 
evaluated each application against the primary goals of the TBCR 
Program: (1) Improved cross-border travel times (congestion reduction) 
and (2) use of innovative project delivery and finance. Based on the 
technical review conducted by TRP and further evaluation of the MRP, 
DOT identified three projects designated as the Transportation Border 
Congestion Relief Projects.
    1. Cascade Gateway Expanded Cross-border Advanced Traveler 
Information System--Submitted by the Washington State Department of 
Transportation.
    2. State Route 11/Otay Mesa East Port of Entry (San Diego, 
California)--Submitted by the California Department of Transportation.
    3. East Loop Bypass Rail Crossing (Laredo, Texas)--Submitted by the 
Kansas City Southern Railway Company.
    The DOT encourages State departments of transportation and other 
project sponsors to continue to advance those ideas contained in the 
applications that were not selected.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 101.

    Issued on: September 18, 2008.
Thomas J. Barrett,
Deputy Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E8-25060 Filed 10-20-08; 8:45 am]
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