[Federal Register: October 27, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 207)]
[Notices]
[Page 61242-61244]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27oc03-116]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement for the Central
Avenue Corridor Rapid Transit Project
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT).
[[Page 61243]]
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS).
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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the City of
Albuquerque Transit Department intend to prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) for the Central Avenue Corridor Rapid Transit
Project. The proposed project is located within the jurisdictional
boundaries of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County, New Mexico. The EIS
will evaluate: (1) The no-build alternative; (2) two alignment
alternatives; (3) two technology alternatives including light rail
transit and bus rapid transit; (4) station and park and ride locations,
a maintenance facility, and electrical substations; and (5) a
supporting bus system. Other reasonable alternatives that emerge from
the scoping process will also be evaluated. Scoping will occur through
correspondence and meetings with the general public, other public
stakeholders, and federal, state, and local agencies having an interest
in the proposed project. The EIS will be prepared in accordance with
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and the applicable
regulations implementing NEPA as set forth in 23 CFR part 771 and 40
CFR parts 1500-1508.
DATES: One agency and five public scoping meetings will be held for the
Central Avenue Corridor Rapid Transit Project. These meetings will be
held at various locations within the City of Albuquerque and are
scheduled for November 10-13, 2003 and November 17-20, 2003. Details
specific to the dates, times, and locations of the scoping meetings
will be published in local newspapers and other local media and will be
posted on the project Web site at http://www.ABQRTP.com. The deadline
for submitting scoping comments is December 5, 2003 (see addresses
below). All scoping meetings will be held at locations accessible by
persons with disabilities. Please notify the RTP Project Manager at
(505) 724-3100 at least one week in advance of the meeting date if
language translation or hearing-impaired signing is needed.
ADDRESSES: Written comments will be accepted at the meetings or may be
sent to the following address until December 5, 2003: Albuquerque
Transit Department, 100 First Street SW., Albuquerque, New Mexico
87102, Attn: Rapid Transit Project. A scoping document may be requested
by writing to the above address or by calling (505) 881-5357. Persons
or agencies desiring to be placed on the mailing list for the EIS
should send their name, mailing address, and e-mail address to the
above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Pearlie Tiggs, Community Planner,
Office of Planning and Program Development, Federal Transit
Administration, Region 6, 819 Taylor Street, Room 8A36, Fort Worth,
Texas 76102, (817) 978-0567.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Scoping
Scoping comments should focus on identifying specific
environmental, cultural, economic, or social impacts to be evaluated by
the EIS and project alternatives that better achieve project objectives
and/or that have less adverse impact. Comments should be specific with
regard to the issues and alternatives to be evaluated and not on the
preference for a particular alternative. An opportunity to state a
preference for a specific alternative will be provided during the
comment period for the draft EIS.
II. Project Need
The need for the proposed project was identified as part of an
Alternatives Analysis prepared by the City of Albuquerque in
cooperation with FTA. As determined by that effort, the need for the
proposed project is to: (1) Provide additional transit capacity within
the Central Avenue Corridor; (2) improve mobility to regional
employment and activity centers; and (3) facilitate the implementation
of adopted growth and development plans and policies for the
Albuquerque region. Transit service within the Central Avenue Corridor
currently accounts for over 30% of the total transit ridership for the
entire Albuquerque Transit System. Traffic congestion in this corridor
hinders efficient bus service. According to traffic projections
prepared by the Mid-Region Council of Governments, traffic congestion
is expected to worsen.
The study corridor encompasses several regional employment centers
and activity centers that would be connected by the proposed project.
These include the Atrisco Business Park, the Albuquerque Botanical
Gardens and Aquarium, Old Town, Downtown, University of New Mexico,
Albuquerque Technical-Vocational Institute, and the Albuquerque Uptown
District. The proposed project would also provide service to several
smaller employment and activity centers including the three regional
medical hospital complexes, the Nob Hill and Hiland Districts, and the
International Market Center. Collectively, these locations represent
the vast majority of major employment and activity centers within the
Albuquerque metropolitan area.
The City of Albuquerque has adopted specific land use and
development goals and policies that include the proposed project area.
The adopted policies include the Centers and Corridor Plan and the
Planned Growth Strategy. The Central Avenue corridor is identified as a
high transit corridor in both of these plans. In addition, Central
Avenue is targeted for development and redevelopment with transit-
oriented development. Plans to implement the adopted policies are
underway by the City of Albuquerque.
III. Alternatives
The proposed project to be evaluated by the EIS includes the (1)
no-build alternative which will assume that no transportation
improvements will occur within the corridor beyond those already
committed to in the adopted transportation programs; and (2) two
alignment alternatives within the Central Avenue Corridor. The
approximate length of each build alternative is approximately 11 miles.
The first alignment starts in the vicinity of Central Avenue and Unser
Boulevard in Albuquerque and proceeds east on Central Avenue to
Louisiana Boulevard. At Louisiana Boulevard, the route proceeds
northerly to its terminus near Menaul Boulevard in the Albuquerque
Uptown District. The second alignment starts in the vicinity of Central
Avenue and Unser Boulevard in Albuquerque and proceeds east on Central
Avenue to Lomas Boulevard. The route follows Lomas Boulevard east to
Louisiana Boulevard. At Louisiana Boulevard, the route proceeds
northerly to its terminus near Menaul Boulevard in the Albuquerque
Uptown District. The centerline alignment for both routes will fall
within or immediately adjacent to the existing street sections. Both
light rail transit and bus rapid transit will be evaluated in each
alignment alternative. Ten to eleven stations will be evaluated, each
spaced at intervals of approximately one mile.
IV. Probable Effects
The EIS will identify and evaluate all probable environmental,
economic, social, and cultural effects for each of the project
alternatives. Based on the Alternatives Analysis previously prepared
for the proposed project, primary issues are likely to include loss of
on-street parking and access to businesses, changes to traffic
circulation and diversion, changes to land use, proximity effects on
historic properties,
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properties contaminated by hazardous materials, neighborhood effects,
and utility relocations. These and other issues (e.g., noise, air
quality, drainage, visual effects) will be evaluated by the EIS for
both the long-term and construction period. Measures to mitigate
significant adverse impacts will be developed as part of the EIS.
V. Public Involvement
A comprehensive public involvement program (PIP) has been developed
and will be implemented as part of the Draft EIS. The PIP will include:
Agency and public scoping meetings; community-wide public information
meetings; public hearings; informational briefings to stakeholder
groups, elected officials, and other local and regional officials; and
information dissemination via a project website and newsletters. The
PIP will also involve a citizens advisory committee and other
stakeholder groups to obtain input on issues, concerns, and advise on
neighborhood and transit oriented development issues.
VI. FTA Procedures
The EIS will be prepared in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the
regulations implementing NEPA set forth in 23 CFR part 771 and 40 CFR
parts 1500-1508. Consistent with FTA policy, the NEPA process will also
be used to comply with other federal environmental laws, regulations,
and executive orders, such as section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act, the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, section 4(f) of
the U.S. Department of Transportation Act, the Endangered Species Act,
and Executive Orders 11988, 11990 and 12898 on Floodplain Management,
Protection of Wetlands, and Environmental Justice, respectively.
In addition, the City of Albuquerque intends to seek Section 5309
New Starts funding for this project and will therefore follow the
requirements of 49 CFR part 611 as well as the requirements of NEPA and
all other applicable federal and FTA program requirements. The New
Starts regulation requires a planning Alternatives Analysis, which will
be completed in conjunction with the Draft EIS. The Alternatives
Analysis/Draft EIS will lead to a locally-preferred alternative which
must be adopted by the Metropolitan Planning Organization into its
financially constrained metropolitan transportation plan before
preliminary engineering will be authorized by FTA. If authorized,
preliminary engineering for the Central Avenue Corridor Rapid Transit
Project will be conducted in conjunction with the preparation of the
final EIS.
Issued on: October 21, 2003.
Robert Patrick,
Regional Administrator, FTA Region 6.
[FR Doc. 03-27060 Filed 10-24-03; 8:45 am]
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