[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 220 (Tuesday, November 17, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 59341]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-27200]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

 [Project No. STP-036-1 (11) Paia Bypass]


Environmental Impact Statement: Maui County, HI; Notice of Intent

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Hawaii Department of 
Transportation (HDOT).
SUMMARY: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is issuing this 
notice of intent in order to advise the public that an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared to evaluate alternatives that 
would reduce congestion and improve safety and reliability of Hana 
Highway between the intersection of Hana Highway with Haleakala Highway 
and Maliko Gulch on the north side of the Island of Maui in the Paia-
Haiku region. This section is the primary travel way for the movement 
of people and goods between east Maui and the Wailuku/Kahului area 
where connections are made to other parts of the island.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pat V. Phung, Lead Civil Engineer, 
Federal Highway Administration, Hawaii Division, Box 50206, 300 Ala 
Moana Boulevard, Room 3-306, Honolulu, Hawaii 96850, Telephone: (808) 
541-2305.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Hawaii 
Department of Transportation (HDOT), will prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate alternatives that would reduce 
congestion and improve safety and reliability of Hana Highway between 
the intersection of Hana Highway with Haleakala Highway and Maliko 
Gulch on the north side of the Island of Maui in the Paia-Haiku region.
    Purposes and needs for the project have been established through a 
collaborative effort that has included community input. The Purpose and 
Need for the project will be finalized after the completion of the 
scoping process. The project's purposes have been defined to date as 
follows:
    1. Reduce Vehicle Travel Times.
    2. Alleviate Congestion in Paia.
    3. Improve Safety for All Modes of Travel.
    4. Provide Improved, More Convenient Access to the Towns of Paia 
and Haiku.
    5. Support Paia's Quality of Life through Transportation 
Improvements.
    The NEPA scoping process being initiated by the publication of this 
NOI is intended to generate a full range of project alternatives for 
subsequent evaluation. The No-Build alternative would leave Hana 
Highway in its current condition except for possible short-term and 
minor improvements such as safety upgrades and maintenance. A 
Transportation System Management (TSM) alternative would include 
elements such as restriping the roadway, enhancing transit service, 
establishing contra-flow lanes, and/or widening the roadway in place. 
The TSM alternative could also include establishing and improving 
intersections along the existing roadway through techniques such as 
channelization, parking removal, roundabouts, or left turn lanes. Build 
alternatives are anticipated to widen the existing Hana Highway, use 
different alignments to bypass Paia, or incorporate a combination of 
these measures.
    The purpose of the EIS process is to explore in a public setting 
potentially significant effects of implementing the proposed action on 
the physical, human, and natural environment. Areas of investigation 
for this project will include but are not limited to cultural 
resources, archaeological resources, biological resources, social 
impact, engineering feasibility, schedule, land use pattern, shoreline 
access, residential displacements, impacts on existing businesses, air 
quality, and noise. Measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any 
significant adverse impacts will be identified. The documents that will 
be produced include the Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIS and FEIS) and the Record of Decision (ROD).
    The EIS will be prepared in accordance with regulations 
implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as well as 
provisions of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation 
Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The purpose of this Notice 
of Intent is to alert interested parties regarding the plan to prepare 
the EIS, to provide information on the nature of the proposed project, 
to invite participation in the EIS process, including comments on the 
scope of the EIS proposed in this notice. An announcement of formal 
public scoping meeting will published at a later date.
    Regulations implementing NEPA, as well as provisions of SAFETEA-LU, 
call for public involvement in the EIS process. Section 6002 of 
SAFETEA-LU requires that FHWA and HDOT do the following: (1) Extend an 
invitation to other government agencies and Native Hawaiian 
organizations that may have an interest in the proposed project to 
become ``participating agencies,'' (2) provide an opportunity for 
involvement by participating agencies and the public in helping to 
define the purpose and need for this proposed project, as well as the 
range of alternatives for consideration in the impact statement, and 
(3) establish a plan for coordinating public and agency participation 
in and comment on the environmental review process.
    To comply with these regulations, an invitation to become a 
participating agency will be extended to other government agencies and 
Native Hawaiian organizations that may have an interest in the proposed 
project.
    The Paia Relief Route Advisory Group (PRAG) has also been formed to 
help advise HDOT on key aspects of the project such as project purpose 
and need, project goals, and development and ranking of alternatives. 
Similar to all community meetings, the Advisory Group meetings will be 
open to the public, accessible to people with disabilities, and held on 
Maui at times and locations convenient to those that live and work in 
the study area.

    Issued on: October 29, 2009.
Abraham Wong,
Division Administrator, Hawaii Division.
[FR Doc. E9-27200 Filed 11-16-09; 8:45 am]
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