[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 160 (Friday, August 17, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49857-49859]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-20220]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Early Scoping Notification for the Alternatives Analysis of the
Tacoma Link Expansion in Tacoma, WA
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notification of early scoping meeting.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Central Puget
Sound Regional Transit Authority (Sound Transit) issue this early
scoping notice to advise other agencies and the public that they intend
to explore potential alternatives for expanding the existing Tacoma
Link light rail transit system in Tacoma, Pierce County Washington, in
order to improve connections to the regional transit system and major
activity centers. This notice invites the public to help frame the
upcoming alternatives analysis by commenting on: the project's purpose
and need, the transportation problems to be addressed by the study,
potential solutions to the problems, the relevant transportation and
community impacts and benefits to be considered, the appropriate extent
of the study area, and ways for the public to participate in the
alternatives analysis process. The
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alternatives analysis is likely to conclude with the identification of
a preferred mode and corridor. If preparation of an environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) is warranted following completion of the
planning alternatives analysis, FTA will publish a Notice of Intent to
prepare an EIS.
This early scoping process is intended to support the alternatives
analysis and a future National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) scoping
process, as appropriate. In addition, it supports FTA planning
requirements associated with the New Starts (``Section 5309'') funding
program for certain kinds of major capital investments. While recent
legislation may lead to changes in the New Starts process, Sound
Transit will comply with relevant FTA requirements relating to planning
and project development to help it analyze and screen alternatives in
preparation for NEPA.
Public meetings are described immediately below. Following that is
a more detailed discussion of the project and this early scoping
process.
DATES: Combined scoping meetings where agencies and the public can
learn more about and comment on the proposal will be held on August 22,
2012 at the following times and locations:
1. People's Community Center, 1602 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Way,
Tacoma, WA, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
2. Tacoma Dome Station Plaza, 424 E 25th St., Tacoma, WA, 4 p.m. to 7
p.m.
At the public and agency scoping meetings, Sound Transit will provide
information on the alternatives analysis along with opportunities for
written comments. Information is also available at
www.soundtransit.org/TacomaLinkExpansion. Written scoping comments are
requested by September 17, 2012 and can be sent or emailed to the
address below, submitted at a public meeting, or sent via the comment
form at www.soundtransit.org/TacomaLinkExpansion.
ADDRESSES: Erin Hunter, Sound Transit, 401 S. Jackson St., Seattle, WA
98104-2826, or by email to [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Witmer, FTA Community Planner,
Jackson Federal Building, 915 Second Avenue, Suite 3142, Seattle, WA
98174; Phone: (206) 220-7964; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Early Scoping
The alternatives analysis provides the local forum for evaluating
the costs, benefits, and impacts of a range of transportation
alternatives designed to address mobility problems and other locally-
identified objectives in a defined transportation corridor, and it
provides an opportunity for determining which particular investment
strategy should be advanced for more focused study and development.
Early scoping for the Tacoma Link Expansion project is in accordance
with NEPA policies stated in the Council on Environmental Quality's
regulations and guidance for implementing NEPA, which encourage federal
agencies to initiate NEPA early in their planning processes. See 40 CFR
1501.2 through 8. It allows the scoping process to begin as soon as
there is enough information to describe the proposal so that the public
and relevant agencies can participate effectively. This is particularly
useful when a potential proposed action involves a broadly defined
corridor with an array of modal and alignment alternatives under
consideration.
This early scoping notice solicits public comments on the scope of
the planning alternatives analysis, including the purpose and need for
the project, a range of alternatives, and the environmental,
transportation and community impacts and benefits to be considered.
Tacoma Link and the Regional Transit System
The Tacoma Link light rail transit system is currently 1.6 miles
long and serves six at-grade stations. It serves the Tacoma Dome
Station (with connections to Sound Transit's Sounder commuter rail
service and Regional Express bus service, as well as Pierce Transit and
Intercity Transit), the University of Washington-Tacoma, Union Station,
the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center, and the downtown Tacoma
business and theater districts.
Sound Move, the first phase of regional transit investments, was
approved and funded by voters in 1996. Sound Transit is now completing
its implementation. It includes light rail, commuter rail and regional
express bus infrastructure and service, including the Central Link
light rail system between Northgate, the University of Washington,
downtown Seattle, Tukwila and SeaTac. In 2003, Tacoma Link light rail
operation began. Regional Express bus service includes routes
connecting the Tacoma Dome Station to other regional destinations,
including Sea-Tac Airport and downtown Seattle. Sounder commuter rail
service connects Tacoma to Seattle's King Street Station and north
through several stops to an Everett terminus. In 2004, Sound Transit
began planning for the phase of investment to follow Sound Move. This
work included updating Sound Transit's Long-Range Plan and associated
environmental review. Following several years of system planning work
to detail, evaluate, and prioritize the next round of regional transit
system expansion, voters in 2008 authorized funding to extend the
Tacoma Link light rail system as part of the Sound Transit 2 (ST2)
Plan. The ST2 Plan also extends light rail to Bellevue and Redmond to
the east, to Northgate and Lynnwood to the north, and to Federal Way to
the south.
Transportation Purpose of the Tacoma Link Expansion Project
Sound Transit invites comments on the following preliminary
statement of the project's purpose and need.
The purpose of the Tacoma Link Expansion is to improve mobility and
access to the regional transit system for Tacoma residents, employees,
and visitors by connecting the existing Tacoma Link system with
Tacoma's major activity centers and destinations within the City. The
need for this project arises from:
The need to meet the rapidly growing connectivity needs of
the corridor and the region's future residents and workers by
increasing mobility, access, and transportation capacity to and from
regional growth and activity centers in Tacoma and the rest of the
region, as called for in the region's adopted plans, including the
Puget Sound Regional Council's (PSRC) VISION 2040 and Transportation
2040, as well as related county and city comprehensive plans.
The need to link downtown Tacoma with other City growth
centers. City Comprehensive Plan policies specify the city's intention
to locate major residential and employment growth in Mixed Use and
Manufacturing/Industrial Centers. Extending the Tacoma Link to these
centers would encourage denser, more transit-oriented development and
further concentrate higher-wage manufacturing and industrial jobs, and
reduce the number of vehicle miles traveled as commute trips.
The need to serve increasing commute trips to the downtown
core via transit. Tacoma's downtown core contains a majority of the
jobs within the city today and is projected to continue to do so in the
future. Increasing numbers of commuters will
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need alternative ways to access jobs within the downtown core.
The need to support the land use planning goals of
Tacoma's South Downtown Subarea Plan, the MLK Subarea Plan and the
other Growth and Employment centers. Several current City planning
processes are designed to encourage transit-oriented, mixed-use
development and economic revitalization in areas of Tacoma that are
designated for future regional growth concentrations.
The need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within the
City of Tacoma. The City of Tacoma Climate Action Plan calls for
substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Transportation
causes 53% of Tacoma greenhouse gas emissions. A Tacoma Link extension
would support City plans to increase the use of all public
transportation modes.
The need to support economic development in downtown
Tacoma. The Downtown Tacoma Economic Development Strategy lists the
existing Tacoma Link as a key asset that establishes downtown's
identity and may help encourage future development and investment. One
of the City of Tacoma's primary goals for economic development is to
stimulate investor interest in downtown. The expansion of Tacoma Link
presents an opportunity to achieve the City's economic development
goals.
The following goals and objectives, which are a part of
Sound Transit's Regional Transit Long-Range Plan (2005) and its long-
range vision for regional transit:
[cir] Ensure long-term mobility, connectivity and convenience;
[cir] Preserve communities and open space;
[cir] Contribute to the region's economic vitality;
[cir] Preserve the environment; and
[cir] Strengthen communities' use of the regional transit network.
Potential Alternatives
Sound Transit will explore alternative mode, alignment, and design
configurations for an expansion of the Tacoma Link light rail system.
At least one alternative analyzed will be a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
alternative. Sound Transit conducted a ``pre-alternatives analysis''
and issued a report in September 2011. The pre-alternatives analysis
evaluated eight potential corridors for the expansion of Tacoma Link.
Six of the corridors were proposed by a stakeholder group, which
included diverse representation of Tacoma and the region. Sound Transit
included two additional corridors for assessment in the pre-
alternatives analysis to address the potential corridors for Tacoma
Link expansion contemplated in Sound Transit's Regional Transit Long-
Range Plan (2005). Sound Transit invites comments on the alternative
transit modes, alignments, and station locations to be studied, and on
proposed evaluation measures to be used to compare alternatives.
Alternatives already identified for consideration include:
North End--Extends north from Theater District to Stadium
District; west to University of Puget Sound.
North End Central--Extends north from Theater District to
Stadium District; west via Division Ave./6th St. to Alder/Cedar St.
North Downtown Central--Extends north from Theater
District to Stadium District; west to north end of MLK district and
south to S. 19th St.
South Downtown to MLK--Extends from Union Station west to
S. 19th St., north through MLK district to Division St.
South Downtown Central--Extends from Union Station west to
S. 19th St., continues west to Tacoma Community College.
South End--Extends from 25th Street Station south to 34th
& Pacific District to S. 38th St., west to Tacoma Mall.
Eastside--Extends east from Tacoma Dome, south towards
Salishan to 72nd St. Transit Center.
Pacific Highway--Extends east from Tacoma Dome to the
Puyallup Tribe's commercial center on Pacific Highway South at Fife.
Sound Transit may also consider other alternatives that arise
during the public comment period.
The definition of these alternatives for analysis will reflect a
range of high and low cost capital improvements, including non-guideway
options which can serve as a ``baseline'' for measuring the merits of
more expensive investments. Sound Transit will identify measures for
evaluating the relative merits of alternatives, and technical
methodologies for generating the information used to support such
measures. These measures will typically include disciplines such as
travel forecasting, capital and operations and maintenance costs, and
corridor-level environmental and land use analyses. Sound Transit will
also develop and assess the costs, benefits, and impacts of each
alternative and analyze funding strategies.
At the end of the alternatives analysis process, Sound Transit and
the FTA anticipate identifying a preferred mode and corridor for
further evaluation in a NEPA environmental document (the classification
of which is to be determined). If the preferred mode and corridor
involve the potential for significant environmental impacts requiring
an EIS, a Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS will be published in the
Federal Register, and public and agency comment on the scope of the EIS
will be invited and considered at that time.
Issued on: August 9, 2012.
Richard Krochalis,
Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2012-20220 Filed 8-16-12; 8:45 am]
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