[Federal Register: August 28, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 167)]
[Notices]               
[Page 52156-52157]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28au00-91]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

 
Environmental Impact Statement; Nobles County, Minnesota

AGENCY:  Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) will be prepared for the proposed 
reconstruction of Trunk Highway 60 (TH 60) in Nobles County, Minnesota.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tamara Cameron, Federal Highway 
Administration, Galtier Plaza, Box 75, 175 East Fifth Street, Suite 
500, St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-2904, Telephone (651) 291-6121; or Lisa 
Bigham, Project Manager, Minnesota Department of Transportation--
District 7, 501 Victory Drive, P.O. Box 4039, Mankato, Minnesota 56001, 
Telephone (507) 389-6877 V, (651) 296-9930 TTY.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Minnesota 
Department of Transportation, will prepare an EIS on a proposal to 
improve TH 60 from approximately 2.9 kilometers (1.8 miles) south of 
the Minnesota/Iowa border to the junction of Interstate 90 at 
Worthington, Minnesota. This segment of TH 60 under study is a two-lane 
roadway with the exception of 1.9 kilometers (1.2 miles) of four-lane

[[Page 52157]]

roadway within the city of Worthington. Improvements to the corridor 
are considered necessary to provide for existing and projected traffic 
demands, correct existing operational safety problems, and improve 
mobility and access to the interstate and trunk highway systems.
    Alternatives under consideration include:
     No Build.
     Reconstruct TH 60 as a four lane highway on the existing 
alignment.
     Reconstruct TH 60 as a four lane highway on the existing 
alignment except with an easterly Bigelow bypass.
     Reconstruct TH 60 with the existing number of lanes on the 
existing alignment.
     Reconstruct TH 60 with two or four lanes with a west 
Worthington bypass, with or without an easterly Bigelow bypass.
    The ``Trunk Highway 60--Reconstruction, Scoping Document/Draft 
Scoping Decision Document'' was published on March 20, 2000. Copies of 
this document were distributed to agencies, interested persons and 
libraries and a 30-day comment period was provided for review of the 
document. A public scoping meeting was held on April 13, 2000 in 
Worthington, MN to provide an opportunity for all interested persons, 
agencies and groups to comment on the proposed action. Public and 
agency interest resulted in modification of the project alternatives 
that will be carried forward in the EIS. These alternatives are 
addressed in the June, 2000 Scoping Decision Document. This scoping 
effort resulted in a decision to prepare an EIS for this action.
    Coordination has been initiated and will continue with appropriate 
Federal, State and local agencies and private organizations and 
citizens who have previously expressed or are known to have an interest 
in the proposed action. 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 the FHWA 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 17, 2000.
Stanley M. Graczyk,
Project Development Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, St. Paul, 
Minnesota.
[FR Doc. 00-21837 Filed 8-25-00; 8:45 am]
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