[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 152 (Wednesday, August 11, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44132-44133]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-17057]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for the Interstate 405 ExpressLanes Project, in Los Angeles
County, California
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (Draft EIS) for the Interstate 405 (I-405) ExpressLanes
project.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The FHWA, on behalf of the California Department of
Transportation (Caltrans), is issuing this notice to advise the public
that a Draft EIS will be prepared for the I-405 ExpressLanes project, a
proposed highway project in Los Angeles County, California.
DATES: This notice will be accompanied by a 30-day public scoping
comment period from Tuesday, August 3, 2021, to Wednesday, September 1,
2021. The deadline for comments is 5:00 p.m. (PST) on September 1,
2021. Three virtual public scoping meetings will be held on:
Saturday, August 14, 2021; 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Tuesday, August 17, 2021; 6-8 p.m.
Wednesday, August 18, 2021; 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The virtual meeting link will be made available on the
project website at www.metro.net/405expresslanes.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For Caltrans, contact Ronald Kosinski,
Deputy District Director, Division of Environmental Planning, Caltrans
District 7, 100 S Main Street, MS 16A, Los Angeles, CA 90012, (213)
507-4301, or email [email protected]. For FHWA, contact David
Tedrick, telephone (916) 498-5024, or email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Effective July 1, 2007, 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, will prepare a Draft EIS on a
proposal for a highway improvement project in Los Angeles County,
California.
The Project proposes to improve traffic conditions on I-405
starting in the south at Interstate 10 (I-10) and terminating in the
north at U.S. Highway 101 (US-101). The proposed Project will reduce
congestion, encourage carpooling and transit, improve trip reliability,
reduce degradation of the carpool and general-purpose lanes, increase
person throughput, and apply technology to help manage traffic. The
range of improvements may include, but not be limited to, converting
existing HOV lanes to Express Lanes or adding an additional Express
Lane in each direction and converting existing HOV lanes to
ExpressLanes.
Currently, the following alternatives are being considered, all
approximately 10 miles in length:
Alternative 1: The No-Build/No Action Alternative does not
include improvements to the existing lanes along I-405 between I-10 and
US-101.
Alternative 2: Convert Existing HOV to One ExpressLane
(Standard Lane and Shoulder Widths). This build alternative would
convert the existing HOV lane in each direction, along I-405 between I-
10 and US-101, to an ExpressLane. The northbound and southbound
directions of the freeway would be restriped within the existing
footprint to accommodate one 12-foot wide ExpressLane with a 4-foot
wide buffer separating the ExpressLane from the 12-foot wide general-
purpose lanes. Dynamic pricing would be deployed in the ExpressLane to
ensure trip reliability and traffic flow. Installation of toll and
communication infrastructure and modification/installation of overhead
signs would be required. Alternative 2 proposes to widen the freeway,
where necessary, to accommodate an additional weave lane at ExpressLane
ingress/egress locations and maintain stopping sight distance at
curves. Non-standard inside shoulders would be maintained in a few
locations where constraints exist, and standard 10-foot outside
shoulders would be provided where possible. Retaining walls would be
provided where required to minimize and avoid right-of-way (ROW)
acquisition. Other improvements include construction of retaining walls
and sound walls, utility improvements, and drainage improvements.
Alternative 3: Convert Existing HOV Lane to Two
ExpressLanes (Non-Standard Lane and Shoulder Widths). This build
alternative would convert the existing HOV lane to an ExpressLane and
add a second ExpressLane in each direction between I-10 and US-101. The
freeway would be widened and restriped to accommodate the two
ExpressLanes with a buffer separating the ExpressLanes from the
general-purpose lanes. Dynamic pricing would be deployed in the
ExpressLanes to ensure trip reliability and traffic flow.
[[Page 44133]]
Installation of toll and communication infrastructure and modification/
installation of overhead signs would be required. Alternative 3
proposes to widen the freeway to the outside in order to accommodate
the proposed two-lane ExpressLane facility as described. Non-standard
lanes and shoulders would be provided to accommodate for the addition
of the new ExpressLanes as part of Alternative 3. Retaining walls would
be provided where required to minimize and avoid ROW acquisition. The
reduction of shoulder and lane widths allows for accommodation of the
proposed two-lane ExpressLane facility without significant proposed
roadway widening. However, in locations with the following conditions,
additional roadway widening may be required:
12-foot wide weaving lane at ExpressLane ingress/egress
locations
Widening of inside/outside shoulders to maintain sight
distance
Other improvements include construction of retaining walls and
sound walls, utility improvements, and drainage improvements.
Alternative 4: Convert Existing HOV Lane to Two
ExpressLanes (Standard Lanes and Shoulder Widths). This build
alternative would convert the existing HOV lane, between I-10 and US-
101, to an Express Lane in each direction, and a second Express Lane in
each direction would also be added, while providing standard lane
widths, shoulder widths and stopping sight distances. The freeway would
be widened and restriped to accommodate the two ExpressLanes with a
buffer separating the ExpressLanes from the general-purpose lanes.
Dynamic pricing would be deployed in the ExpressLanes to ensure trip
reliability and traffic flow. Installation of toll and communication
infrastructure and modification/installation of overhead signs would be
required. Alternative 4 proposes to widen the freeway to the outside in
order to accommodate the proposed standard two-lane Express Lane
facility as described. Retaining walls would be provided where required
to minimize and avoid ROW acquisition. Reconstruction of some existing
freeway structures would be required to implement Alternative 4's
standard roadway cross-section. Other improvements include construction
of retaining walls and sound walls, utility improvements, and drainage
improvements.
Alternative 5: Add an Additional HOV Lane (Non-standard
Lane and Shoulder Widths). This build alternative would add an
additional HOV lane, between I-10 and US-101, in each direction. The
freeway would be widened and restriped to accommodate the two HOV lanes
with a buffer separating the HOV lanes from the general-purpose lanes.
Alternative 5 proposes to widen the freeway to the outside in order to
accommodate the proposed two-lane HOV facility as described. Non-
standard lanes and shoulders would be provided in order to accommodate
for the addition of the new HOV lane as part of Alternative 5.
Retaining walls would be provided where required to minimize and avoid
ROW acquisition. The reduction of shoulder and lane widths allows for
accommodation of the proposed two-lane HOV facility without significant
proposed roadway widening. However, in locations with the following
conditions, additional roadway widening may be required:
12-foot wide weaving lane at HOV ingress/egress locations
Widening of inside/outside shoulder to maintain sight distance
Other improvements include construction of retaining walls and
sound walls, utility improvements, and drainage improvements.
Anticipated Federal and State approvals include permits under the
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), Clean Water
Act (CWA) Section 401 Water Quality, CWA Section 404 Nationwide Permit
from the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), California Fish
and Game Code Section 1602 Lake or Streambed Alteration Agreement from
the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Section 7
Consultation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
for listed species under the Federal Endangered Species Act (FESA), and
CDFW 2080.1 Consistency Determination for listed species under the
California Endangered Species Act (CESA).
Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will
be sent to appropriate Federal, State, Participating Agencies, Tribal
governments and groups, local agencies, and to private organizations
and citizens who have previously expressed or are known to have
interest in this proposal. The public scoping process will officially
begin in August 2021. Virtual public scoping meetings will be held in
August 2021. Comments may be submitted during the public scoping period
via mail, email, the project website comment form, or the project
hotline. Submit comments by mail to the following address: Ron
Kosinski, Deputy District Director, Caltrans District 7, 100 S Main
Street, MS 16A, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Submit comments by email to
[email protected]. Submit comments via comment form on the
project website at www.metro.net/405expresslanes. Submit oral comments
by calling (213) 922-4860 to leave a voice recording. All comments must
be received no later than September 1, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. In addition, a
public hearing will be held once the Draft EIS is completed. Public
notice will be given of the time and place of the meeting and hearing.
The Draft EIS will be available for public and agency review and
comment prior to the public hearing.
To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed
action are addressed and all significant issues identified, comments,
and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Comments or
questions concerning this proposed action and the EIS should be
directed to Caltrans at the address provided above.
(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: August 4, 2021.
Rodney Whitfield,
Director, Financial Services, Federal Highway Administration,
California Division.
[FR Doc. 2021-17057 Filed 8-10-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-RY-P