[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 241 (Monday, December 16, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68539-68540]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-27020]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): Erie County

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Rescinded notice of intent (NOI).

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this rescinded notice to advise the public 
that FHWA will not be preparing and issuing an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) on a proposal to replace the former South Michigan 
Avenue Bridge in the City of Buffalo, Erie County, New York [New York 
State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Project Identification 
Number (PIN) 5758.17]. The NOI to prepare an EIS was published in the 
Federal Register on April 13, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank Cirillo, Regional Director, New 
York State Department of Transportation, 100 Seneca Street, Buffalo, 
New York 14203, Telephone: (716) 847-3238; or Richard Marquis, Division 
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, New York Division, Leo 
W. O'Brien Federal Building, 7th Floor, 11A Clinton Avenue, Albany, New 
York 12207, Telephone: (518) 431-8897.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the NYSDOT and 
the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC), previously 
intended to prepare an EIS to evaluate the effects of a proposal to 
replace the former South Michigan Avenue Bridge in the City of Buffalo, 
Erie County, New York. The proposed improvements involved constructing 
a transportation facility that would provide a direct link from the 
inner harbor to the outer harbor area while maintaining adequate 
waterway access for recreational and commercial watercrafts. The Final 
Scoping Report (March 2010) states ``the purpose of this project is to 
directly and efficiently connect the New Downtown and the Outer Harbor 
area with a multi-modal (pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorized traffic) 
transportation facility over the Buffalo River and/or City Ship Canal 
in the City of Buffalo.'' As stated in the

[[Page 68540]]

original NOI, alternatives under consideration included: (1) Taking no 
action; (2) replacing the South Michigan Avenue Bridge on existing 
alignment; and (3) constructing a new bridge on new alignment across 
the Buffalo River and/or City Ship Canal. Several potential locations 
for the facility were considered within a 1.5-mile corridor extending 
from the mouth of the Buffalo River (in the vicinity of the Erie Basin 
Marina) to the southern navigation limit of the City Ship Canal (west 
of the existing Ohio Street Bridge).
    Subsequent to publication of the March 2010 Final Scoping Report 
and upon progression of preliminary design and environmental review, it 
has been determined that sufficient funding is not available to 
progress a project that would meet the stated project purpose and 
address identified needs. Due to funding constraints, the Project 
cannot progress as originally envisioned. Thus, it has been determined 
that the Project must be terminated. Termination of this project does 
not preclude such work from being conducted in the future as an 
independent project, or as part of a larger independent action. Should 
the State or locality seek to undertake similar work in the future, 
work will be viewed and deemed as an independent action from that 
described above and will be required to undergo appropriate Federal 
and/or state environmental review.
    Comments and questions concerning the proposed action should be 
directed to the FHWA contact person at the address provided above.

Richard Marquis,
New York Division Administrator, Albany, New York.
[FR Doc. 2019-27020 Filed 12-13-19; 8:45 am]
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