[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 27 (Monday, February 10, 1997)] [Notices] [Pages 6038-6039] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 97-3144] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Highway Administration Environmental Impact Statement: Allegheny, Beaver, and Butler Counties, PA AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). ACTION: Notice of intent. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an environmental impact statement will be prepared for a proposed transportation improvement in the vicinity of northern Allegheny County and southern Beaver and Butler Counties in southwestern Pennsylvania locally known as the Crows Run Transportation Study. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David W. Cough, P.E., District Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, 228 Walnut Street, Room 558, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 17101-1720. Telephone: (717) 782-3410 or Henry Nutbrown, P.E., District Engineer, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, 45 Thomas Run Road, Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, 15017. Telephone: (412) 429-5084. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a west-east transportation improvement within the study area of Traffic Route 65 (western terminus) to Traffic Route 19 and Interstate 79 (eastern terminus). The proposed study area includes Conway Borough, New Sewickley Township and Economy Borough in Beaver County, Cranberry and Jackson Townships in Butler County and Marshall Township in Allegheny County. The approximate length of the project is nine miles. The purpose of the transportation improvement is to improve west- east access from the Ohio River Valley to the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Interstates 279 and 79. The project needs, which have been identified, are to develop a transportation improvement to: alleviate congestion, to address projected increases in traffic volumes, to provide an improved west-east connector between major north-south routes, to improve vertical and horizontal geometry, to accommodate truck traffic, and to improve safety. Alternatives that will be considered in the EIS include: (1) The No-Build; (2) Congestion Management Strategies (CMS), (3) Upgrade of existing roadways within the study area and (4) CMS and Upgrades. Through preliminary engineering and environmental studies, new alignment alternatives such as a new four lane facility north or south of Freedom Road were dismissed as these alternatives do not meet the project need and potentially have significant environmental impacts. The EIS will discuss the findings of these preliminary studies. The following environmental areas will be investigated for inclusion in the EIS: Project Need; Traffic; Safety; Air Quality; Noise and Vibration; Socioeconomic and Land Use; Environmental Justice; Community Cohesion, Facilities and Services; Property Acquisition and Displacements; Historic and Archaeological Sites; Residual and Hazardous Waste Sites; Soils and Geology; Floodplains; Surface and Ground Water; Aquatic Environment; Wetlands; Threatened and Endangered Species; Vegetation and Wildlife; Agricultural Lands; Aesthetics; Construction Impacts; Energy and Section 4(f) resources. A Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) has been formed to solicit information from the community and to present the environmental process, project scoping and environmental studies to community representatives for distribution. The CAC is also responsible for advising PennDOT of the community's concerns and to evaluate the information presented and decisions to be made. Periodic meetings are scheduled with state and federal environmental agencies through Agency Coordination Meetings (ACM) to present project information on scoping and the project development process. ACM will also be used to receive comments and direction from the agencies on the development of the project alternatives, the assessment of impacts and the identification of mitigation measures. Public meetings have been and will continue to be held throughout the development of the EIS for the general public and agencies. Public notices of the time and place of these meetings and the public hearing will be published in area newspapers. A project Mailing List and Project Newsletter have been established to inform the public of project milestones. The draft EIS will be available for public and agency review and comment prior to the public [[Page 6039]] hearing. No formal scoping meeting is planned at this time. 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 and questions concerning the proposed action should be directed to the FHWA or PennDOT at the addresses 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: January 29, 1997. J. Stephen Guhin, Assistant Division Administrator, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. [FR Doc. 97-3144 Filed 2-7-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-22-M