[Federal Register: September 22, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 183)]
[Notices]               
[Page 51364]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22se99-121]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

 
PA 23 Subcorridor: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

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 will be prepared for the PA 23 
Subcorridor in Earl Township, East Earl Township, East Lampeter 
Township, Manheim Township, Upper Leacock Township, and New Holland 
Borough, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Deborah Suciu Smith, Environmental Specialist, Federal Highway 
Administration, 228 Walnut Street, Room 536, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 
17101-1720, Telephone: 717-221-3785, or Mark Malhenzie, Project 
Manager, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation 2140 Herr Street, 
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 17103, Telephone 717-783-5080.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the 
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Lancaster 
County Planning Office, will prepare an environmental impact statement 
(EIS) to identify and evaluate alternatives which address 
transportation problems within the PA 23 Subcorridor. The proposed 
project would involve improvements to transportation conditions in the 
PA 23 Subcorridor from the PA 23/U.S. Route 30 interchange on the west 
to U.S. Route 322 on the east.
    A Notice of Intent was previously published in the Federal Register 
on February 27, 1987, to advise the public that an EIS would be 
prepared to identify and evaluate alternatives to provide a viable 
means of relieving traffic congestion on PA 23 and U.S. Route 30 in 
Lancaster County. Public concerns redirected the scope of the project 
and a revised Notice of Intent was published on June 16, 1988. The 
intent of the second Notice was to advise the public that separate 
EIS's would be prepared to identify and evaluate alternatives to 
relieve traffic congestion on PA 23 and U.S. Route 30 independently.
    In 1997, the Lancaster County Transportation Coordinating Committee 
(Lancaster County MPO) was the lead agency for the PA 23 Corridor Major 
Investment Study (MIS), consistent with the requirements of the 
Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. The PA 23 
Corridor Study MIS gathered various types of data which resulted in the 
identification of transportation needs and will lead to the development 
of alternatives. Typical areas of concern identified by various members 
of the public and resource agencies during the MIS studies include, but 
are not limited to, the following: socioeconomic and land use impacts; 
the unique social sub-groups; effects on cultural, and natural 
resources; agricultural preservation; roadway safety; business-
industry; tourism; and economic stability.
    The PA 23 Corridor Study MIS demonstrated present and future 
transportation problems in the PA 23 Subcorridor from U.S. Route 30 to 
the U.S. Route 322 intersection east of New Holland, a distance of 
approximately 21.5 km (13.4 miles). Transportation needs in the PA 23 
Subcorridor include congestion, decreasing levels of service, traffic 
diversion from PA 23 to local roads, uncontrolled access to adjacent 
driveways and connecting roads, and a mix of motorized and non-
motorized means of travel. Improvements to the corridor are considered 
necessary to provide for the existing and projected transportation 
demands.
    A range of transportation alternatives, including No-Build, 
Transportation Systems Management (TSM), Traffic Control Measures 
(TCM), and Travel Demand Management (TDM), Transit, Widening, and 
Relocation alternatives will be developed consistent with land use 
strategies to address the identified transportation needs. The 
development of alternatives will be based on traffic demands, 
engineering requirements, environmental and socioeconomic constraints, 
the county's growth management plan, and public input. Public 
involvement and inter-agency coordination will be maintained throughout 
the development of the EIS.
    To insure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
action are addressed and that all significant issues are identified, 
comments and suggestions are invited from interested parties. Comments 
or questions concerning this proposed action and the EIS should be 
directed to the FHWA at the addresses listed 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: September 14, 1999.
Deborah Suciu Smith,
Environmental Specialist, Federal Highway Administration, Harrisburg, 
Pennsylvania.
[FR Doc. 99-24612 Filed 9-21-99; 8:45 am]
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