[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 184 (Monday, September 23, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49784-49785]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-19947]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
[4910-22-P]
Notice of Intent for an FHWA EIS Project; Environmental Impact
Statement: Cherokee County, Texas
AGENCY: Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA), Department of Transportation.
ACTION: Federal notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS).
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the publishing authority, FHWA, on behalf of
TxDOT, is issuing this notice to advise the public that an EIS will be
prepared for a proposed transportation project to construct a US 69
relief route around the City of Jacksonville in Cherokee County, Texas.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carson Hollis, P.E., Advanced Project
Development, TxDOT Tyler District, 2709 West Front Street, Tyler,
Texas, 75702, telephone: 903-510-9157, email: [email protected].
TxDOT's normal business hours are 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (central time),
Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The environmental review, consultation, and
other NOIactions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for
this project are being, or have been, carried-out by TxDOT pursuant to
23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated December 16,
2014, and executed by FHWA and TxDOT.
TxDOT will prepare an EIS for a proposed US 69 Relief Route around
the west side of the city of Jacksonville, TX. There is no existing
facility; therefore, the project is proposed on new location. The
proposed project is anticipated to be between 10-13 miles long
depending on the alignment selected, beginning at existing US 69 just
south of Loop 456
[[Page 49785]]
and terminating at existing US 69 north of Jacksonville.
The EIS will evaluate a range of build alternatives and a no-build
alterative. Possible build alternatives include up to four alignments
currently under development based on the 1000-foot recommended
corridors identified in the 2018 US 69 Jacksonville Relief Route Study
Feasibility Study. These alternatives generally consider alignments
along the center, west, and east limits of the corridor with variations
at interchanges, but may extend outside the corridor for a portion of
the alignment to avoid key environmental features. The northernmost
corridor connects with existing US 69 approximately 1.3 miles north of
CR 3908, travels on the west side of Jacksonville, and reconnects with
existing US 69 at the existing TX 456 Loop. The southernmost corridor
connects with existing US 69 at CR 3908 and joins the previously
described corridor north of US 175.
TxDOT will issue a single Final Environmental Impact Statement and
Record of Decision document pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 139(n)(2), unless
TxDOT determines statutory criteria or practicability considerations
preclude issuance of a combined document. In accordance with 23 U.S.C.
139, cooperating agencies, participating agencies, and the public will
be given an opportunity for continued input on project development. A
public scoping meeting is planned for November 2019 in Jacksonville,
TX. An agency scoping meeting will also be held with participating and
cooperating agencies. The agency and public scoping meetings will
provide an opportunity for the participating/cooperating agencies and
public to review and comment on the draft coordination plan and
schedule, the project purpose and need, the range of alternatives, and
methodologies and level of detail for analyzing alternatives. In
addition to the agency and public scoping meetings, a public hearing
will be held. Public notice will be given of the time and place of the
meetings and hearing.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205,
Highway Planning and Construction.)
Issued on: September 9, 2019.
Michael T. Leary,
Director, Planning and Program Development, Federal Highway
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2019-19947 Filed 9-20-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-RY-P