[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 106 (Thursday, June 4, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26917-26918]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-12988]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement in Seattle, WA

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this Notice to advise the public, Tribes, 
and agencies that it intends to prepare a

[[Page 26918]]

Second Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SSDEIS) for a 
proposed highway project to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct (SR 99) in 
Seattle, King County, Washington. This Notice revises a Notice of 
Intent for the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Project, 
which was published on August 3, 2005 (70 FR 44716). Furthermore, this 
Notice rescinds the Notice of Intent published on July 16, 2008 (73 FR 
40908). The 2008 Notice of Intent anticipated the preparation of an 
Environmental Impact Statement that would evaluate various 
transportation modes and systems between the south Seattle city limits 
and N. 85th Street and Elliott Bay and Lake Washington, in addition to 
replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall. Rather than pursuing 
this more broad, multi-agency proposal, this Notice re-establishes 
FHWA's intent to continue the process begun with the publication of a 
Notice of Intent on June 22, 2001 (66 FR 33602), as revised on 
September 26, 2003 (68 FR 55712), and again in 2005. That process has 
resulted in the issuance of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement in 
March 2004, and a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement in 
July 2006. The planned SSDEIS will build on these earlier documents and 
the alternatives evaluated therein. However, there are some important 
changes to the earlier proposal. The major change is that this proposal 
will now consider one or more alternatives that no longer include the 
seawall along the Elliott Bay shoreline, known as the Alaskan Way 
Seawall. The Seawall was the subject of a Notice of Intent issued by 
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on March 31, 2006 (71 FR 16293). The 
SSDEIS will also set forth a revised Purpose and Need for the proposed 
project, re-evaluate previous Viaduct replacement alternatives in light 
of the revised Purpose and Need, and introduce and evaluate at least 
one new build alternative--a bored tunnel.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Randy Everett, Major Projects 
Oversight Manager, Federal Highway Administration, Jackson Federal 
Building, 915 2nd Avenue, Room 3142, Seattle, WA 98174; telephone: 
(206) 220-7538; and e-mail: [email protected]. The FHWA 
Washington Division's Oversight Manager's regular office hours are 
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Pacific Time).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FHWA, Washington State Department of 
Transportation (WSDOT), and the City of Seattle (City) will prepare a 
SSDEIS to document the environmental consequences of alternatives for 
the proposed replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct located in downtown 
Seattle, King County, Washington. The intent of the proposed project is 
to improve public safety by replacing the existing Alaskan Way Viaduct 
with a transportation facility with improved earthquake resistance that 
provides for the efficient movement of people and goods through 
downtown Seattle. The Alaskan Way Viaduct is at the end of its useful 
life and must be replaced to protect public safety. Mobility through 
downtown Seattle is vital to maintaining local, regional, and statewide 
economic health.
    In March 2004 a draft EIS was published evaluating five build 
alternatives; rebuild, aerial, cut and cover tunnel, bypass tunnel, and 
surface (http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Viaduct/library-environmental.htm#deis). A supplemental draft EIS was published in July 
2006 extending the project north of Battery Street Tunnel (http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Viaduct/library-environmental.htm#sdeis). 
This document reduced the number of alternatives from five to two, a 
cut-and-cover tunnel and an elevated structure, based on information 
presented in the Draft EIS, public comments, and further study and 
design, and also evaluated different approaches to construction and 
their likely impacts.
    In an advisory ballot measure in March 2007, Seattle voters 
rejected both a cut-and-cover tunnel and an elevated structure. The 
vote caused the agencies to reassess the problem of replacing the aging 
Viaduct, and in doing so, they hoped they would find a solution that 
had not yet emerged. Therefore, WSDOT, the City and King County 
Department of Transportation with support from FHWA took a fresh look 
at the transportation systems surrounding the Viaduct, and considered 
whether a systems-level solution could be found. Concurrently, FHWA 
determined the portion of the Viaduct south of King Street was an 
independent project. A Finding of No Significant Impact for 
improvements to this portion of SR 99 was published in February 2009. 
(http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Viaduct/library-environmental.htm)
    As part of the reassessment, the agencies considered improvements 
to SR 99, Interstate 5, Seattle streets, transit service, and 
transportation demand and systems management programs. An advisory 
group of stakeholders representing a wide range of interests was formed 
to provide input to the agencies. Public meetings were also held 
periodically throughout the reassessment process. During the 
reassessment process a bored tunnel emerged as an alternative that 
merited further consideration.
    This SSDEIS will focus on evaluating the bored tunnel alternative. 
In addition, other alternatives that emerged during the reassessment 
process will be reviewed. Further, the Purpose and Need for the project 
will be revised based on comments received on the previous 
environmental documents, and the issues that emerged during the 
reassessment process--providing through capacity for vehicles, avoiding 
extensive construction impacts, and reconnecting the waterfront with 
the downtown. In light of the revised Purpose and Need, previous 
alternatives considered will be re-evaluated. Finally, the southern 
terminus will be revised to connect to the Holgate to King Street 
project, which has completed its separate, independent environmental 
review, and is under construction.

DATES: Scoping meetings will be held on June 8, 2009, at Seattle City 
Hall, Bertha Knight Landes Room, 600 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, WA, from 5 
to 7 p.m.; June 10, 2009, at Madison Middle School, 3429 45th Ave., 
SW., Seattle, WA from 6 to 8 p.m.; and June 11, 2009, at Leif Erikson 
Hall, 2245 NW. 57th St., Seattle, WA from 6 to 8 p.m. FHWA invites 
agencies, Tribes, and the public to comment on the process that has 
been conducted up to now, the revised Purpose and Need, the bored 
tunnel alternative, and any potentially reasonable alternatives not 
previously considered to replace the aging Viaduct structure.
    In lieu of, or in addition to, providing comments at any of the 
scoping meetings, comments and questions concerning this action and the 
SSDEIS may be submitted to FHWA at the address provided above or 
provided via e-mail to [email protected]. FHWA 
requests that written comments be received by July 10, 2009.

    Authority: 23 U.S.C. 771.

(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.)

Randy Everett,
Major Projects Oversight Manager.
[FR Doc. E9-12988 Filed 6-3-09; 8:45 am]
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