[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 221 (Wednesday, November 17, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 70348]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-28933]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for a Proposed Project in Mariposa County, CA

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA, on behalf of the California Department of 
Transportation (Caltrans), announces the availability of the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for a proposed Ferguson Slide 
Permanent Restoration Project in Mariposa County, California.

DATES: Public circulation of this document will begin on November 15, 
2010 and will end on January 13, 2011. An open forum public hearing 
will be held for this project on Wednesday, December 8, 2010 between 4 
p.m. and 7 p.m. in Mariposa. The location is Mariposa County Government 
Center, 5100 Bullion Street, Mariposa, CA 95338 in the Board of 
Supervisors Chambers. An additional open forum public hearing will be 
held for this project on Thursday, December 9, 2010 between 4 p.m. and 
7 p.m. in El Portal. The location is the El Portal Community Center, El 
Portal, CA 95318.

ADDRESSES: This document will be available at the Caltrans District 10 
office, 1976 Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Stockton, CA 95205 on 
weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Copies of the document can also be read 
at the Mariposa County Library at 4978 10th Street, Mariposa, CA 95338 
and at the El Portal Post Office at 5508 Foresta Road, El Portal, CA 
95318. The Draft EIS is also available at http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist10/environmental/projects/fergusonslide/index.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kirsten Helton, 2015 East Shields 
Ave., Suite 100, Fresno, CA 93726. Phone 559-243-8224 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Effective July 1, 2007, the FHWA assigned, 
and Caltrans assumed, environmental responsibilities for this project 
pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327. Caltrans as the assigned National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) agency, has prepared a DEIS that 
evaluates 6 build alternatives to permanently restore and reopen the 
section of State Route 140 that was damaged by the Ferguson rockslide. 
Motorists are currently using a temporary bypass route to travel to 
this section of State Route 140. Caltrans approved the DEIS on November 
5, 2010. Caltrans proposes to restore full highway access between 
Mariposa and El Portal via State Route 140 in Mariposa County, 
California by repairing or permanently bypassing the portion of State 
Route 140 that was blocked and damaged by the Ferguson rockslide. The 
total length of the project is 0.7 mile. The following build 
alternatives are being proposed:

Alternative C (Open-cut Realignment)

    This alternative would realign the highway to the northeast of its 
current alignment, spanning the Merced River and bypassing the 
rockslide. State Route 140 would cut through the mountain across the 
Merced River from the rockslide and then span back across the river 
where it would meet the existing alignment. Two bridges would be built 
across the river.

Alternative T (Tunnel Realignment)

    This alternative would realign the highway to the northeast of its 
current alignment, spanning the Merced River and bypassing the 
rockslide. State Route 140 would tunnel 700 feet through the mountain 
across the Merced River from the rockslide and then span back across 
the river where it would meet the existing alignment. Two bridges would 
be built across the river.

Alternative T-3 (Tunnel under Slide Realignment)

    This alternative would realign the highway by constructing a 2,200-
foot-long tunnel under the area of the slide.

Alternative S (Viaduct Realignment)

    This alternative would realign the highway to the northeast of its 
current alignment, spanning the Merced River with two bridges and 
bypassing the rockslide with a hillside viaduct and retaining wall.

Alternative S-2 (Modified Viaduct Realignment)

    This alternative is similar to Alternative S and would realign the 
highway to the northeast of its current alignment, spanning the Merced 
River with two bridges and bypassing the rockslide with a hillside 
viaduct and retaining wall. This alternative differs from Alternative S 
in that it proposes two bridge type variations along with their own 
specific roadway alignments. The first (S2-V1) would construct two 
tied-arch bridges, which use an arch structure with cables above the 
bridge deck for support. The second (S2-V2) would construct two slant-
leg bridges, which use ``V''-shaped columns to support the bridge deck.

Alternative R (Rockshed/Tunnel)

    This alternative would construct a rockshed (cut-and-cover tunnel) 
through the talus (foundation layer) of the slide along the existing 
State Route 140 alignment.
    The No-build Alternative would leave State Route 140 damaged and 
blocked by the Ferguson rockslide. As a result of the No-build 
Alternative, the temporary detour would continue to function as State 
Route 140. Either general wear or damage from flooding in a high water 
year will eventually require the removal of the bridges, supporting 
structures, and the detour pavement, leading to the permanent closure 
of State Route 140 at the section damaged by the rockslide.

(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.)

    Issued on: November 10, 2010.
Cindy Vigue,
Director, State Programs, Federal Highway Administration, Sacramento, 
California.
[FR Doc. 2010-28933 Filed 11-16-10; 8:45 am]
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