[Federal Register: September 2, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 170)]
[Notices]
[Page 51338-51340]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02se08-89]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement on Central
Broward East-West Transit Analysis in Broward County, FL
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS).
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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Florida
Department of Transportation (FDOT) intend to prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Central Broward East-West
public transportation improvements in Broward County, Florida, from
Sawgrass Mills/Bank Atlantic Center in western Broward County, to the
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in eastern Broward
County, with the alignment located in the vicinity of Sawgrass
Corporate Park, Interstate-595 (I-595), State Road 7 (SR 7), Broward
Boulevard and Andrews Avenue. The EIS will be prepared in accordance
with regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), as well as provisions of the recently enacted Safe,
Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy
for Users. The purpose of this Notice of Intent is to alert interested
parties regarding the plan to prepare the EIS, to provide information
on the nature of the proposed transit project, to invite participation
in the EIS process, including comments on the scope of the EIS proposed
in this notice, and to announce that public scoping meetings will be
conducted.
DATES: Comment Due Date: Written comments on the scope of the
alternatives and impacts to be considered should be sent to Mr. Scott
Seeburger, Project Manager, by October 2, 2008. Addresses for the
public scoping meetings are as follows.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the project scope should be sent to Mr.
Scott Seeburger, Project Manager, Florida Department of Transportation,
3400 West Commercial Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309 (or by
e-mail: SCOTT.SEEBURGER@DOT.STATE.FL.US; or by fax: (954) 777-4671).
Scoping meetings will be held at the following locations:
Agency Coordination Meeting
September 15, 2008, 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m., West Regional Library,
Multi-Purpose Room, 8601 W. Broward Boulevard, Plantation, FL 33324.
Public Meetings
September 15, 2008, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., West Regional Library,
Multi-Purpose Room, 8601 W. Broward Boulevard, Plantation, FL 33324.
September 17, 2008, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., African American Research
Library, Seminar Rooms 1 & 2, 2650 Sistrunk Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale,
FL 33311.
September 25, 2008, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Broward General Medical Center,
Auditoriums A & B, 1600 S Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316.
These locations are accessible by persons with disabilities. If
special translation or signing services or other special accommodations
are needed, please contact the Project Manager. The program includes a
project Web site (http://www.centralbrowardtransit.com)
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jamie Pfister, State Programs Team
Leader, Federal Transit Administration, 230 Peachtree, NW., Suite 800,
Atlanta, Georgia 30303, Telephone: (404) 865-5600.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Scoping
The Central Broward East-West Transit Analysis EIS will examine
improved transit service in the Central Broward East-West Corridor
between Sawgrass Mills/Bank Atlantic Center and the Fort Lauderdale-
Hollywood International Airport through Downtown Fort Lauderdale. The
FDOT and FTA invite interested individuals, organizations, Native
American Tribes, and federal, state, and local agencies to participate
in defining the purpose and need for, and refining the scope of the
Central Broward East-West Transit Analysis DEIS. Comments should focus
on identifying any significant social, economic, or environmental
issues related to the proposed alternatives. Specific suggestions
related to alignment configurations to be examined, issues to be
addressed, and additional alternatives are welcome and will be
considered in the final scope for the study. Scoping comments should
focus on the issues for analysis. Comments may be made at the scoping
meetings or in writing no later than October 2, 2008. See DATES and
ADDRESSES above for meeting times and locations and the address for
written comments. A scoping information packet is available from Scott
Seeburger at the address given above or on the project Internet Web
page at http://www.centralbrowardtransit.com. See ADDRESSES above.
II. Description of Study Area and Project Purpose and Need
The study area is located in Broward County, Florida. The corridor
boundaries of the study area are in the central part of Broward County,
bounded generally by Oakland Park Boulevard on the north, the Sawgrass
Expressway/I-75 on the west, Griffin Road on the south, and the
Intracoastal Waterway in the east.
Mobility issues in this corridor have been well documented in many
studies, including the I-95/I-595 Master Plan, Tri-County Commuter Rail
Authority 2020 Master Plan for Broward County, Interstate 595 Freeway
Operational Analysis, and the Downtown Fort Lauderdale Transit
Connector Study. The purpose of the Central Broward East-West Transit
Corridor Project is to provide high-quality, high-capacity transit
service on an east-west axis in central Broward County to connect the
major commercial and retail centers, residential areas, and the highly
dense coastal area. The introduction of premium transit service to the
corridor would offer an alternative means of travel for the growing
number of residents, employees, and visitors in Broward County and
would improve mobility throughout the region. The proposed project
would support continued economic growth and development along the
corridor and would be able to meet the anticipated increases in travel
demand and help reduce future congestion in the corridor. Moreover,
increased mobility in the corridor with fewer numbers of vehicles
should help to minimize future increases in vehicle miles traveled,
fuel consumption, and vehicle emissions.
[[Page 51339]]
In a region where high capacity transportation facilities are
primarily oriented north-south, the Central Broward East-West Corridor
study area is Broward County's most important and heavily traveled
east-west corridor. Much of the growth in recent years has occurred in
the western portion of the county, which has seen rapid growth in
population, households, and employment.
III. Alternatives
The transportation alternatives proposed for consideration in this
study area include:
No-Build Alternative--the No Build Alternative would consist of the
``existing + committed'' network plus the transit elements as described
in the 2030 LRTP without the Central Broward East-West Transit
Analysis.
Transportation System Management (TSM) Alternative or Baseline--the
proposed TSM alternative is comprised of the No Build Alternative plus
a set of express bus routes and park-and-ride facilities that are
designed to serve the same travel markets as the proposed CBEWTA build
alternatives. The proposed TSM alternative was developed in
consultation with staff members of Broward County Transit (BCT), the
Broward County MPO, District 4 of the Florida Department of
Transportation and the FTA.
Build Alternative--includes the construction of a light rail line
that provides service from the Sawgrass Mills area through the Sawgrass
Corporate Park in the City of Sunrise, along I-595, SR 7, Broward
Boulevard, to Downtown Fort Lauderdale and the Fort Lauderdale-
Hollywood International Airport Intermodal Center. This alternative has
been endorsed by the Central Broward East-West Transit Analysis
Steering Committee, the Technical Coordinating Committee of the MPO,
and the MPO Board. It includes an alignment variation serving the City
of Lauderdhill that will be evaluated in the EIS.
Numerous alternatives were evaluated in the Alternatives Analysis
Study completed in 2005. The Alternatives Analysis used a four-phase
evaluation process, including two levels of environmental, community,
and transportation alternatives screening. The first evaluation was
completed during the scoping phase of the study, when six initial
alignment alternatives and eight modal alternatives (including express
bus, bus rapid transit, high occupancy vehicle lanes, light rail
transit, heavy rail transit, commuter rail transit, automated guideway
transit, and monorail transit) were identified and evaluated using
criteria that were primarily qualitative. The four alignment
alternatives and two modal options (bus rapid transit, light rail
transit) resulting from the scoping phase were further evaluated during
the initial screening phase, where a qualitative assessment of
quantitative data was completed. The same set of alternatives was then
subjected to an advanced screening phase using refined criteria and a
more quantitative process. The MPO then selected a generalized
alignment, which was further evaluated during the fourth phase. This
fourth round of evaluation was necessary in order to assist the MPO in
deciding between the two recommended transit technologies, BRT and LRT,
and to assess variations to portions of the recommended alignment. From
this, the preferred Build Alternative described above, including an
alignment variant, was selected by the MPO for detailed environmental
analysis.
Advanced Scoping Alternatives--As a result of the completed
Alternatives Analysis, a two-level environmental, community, and
transportation screening resulted in the recommendation of a Locally
Preferred Alternative (LPA):
Light rail transit running along I-595 to SR 7 to Broward
Boulevard to Andrews Avenue, terminating at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood
International Airport
The LPA will undergo additional environmental screening and impact
analysis including variations of the LPA that are identified through
the scoping process. This may include:
I-595 to SR 84 to I-95 to Broward Blvd and along Andrews
Avenue, terminating at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport
I-595 to SR 7 to Davie Boulevard with a connection to
Broward Boulevard and along Andrews Avenue, terminating at Fort
Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport
I-595 to Florida's Turnpike to Broward Boulevard and along
Andrews Avenue, terminating at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International
Airport
I-595 to SR7 to Sunrise Boulevard to Broward Boulevard and
along Andrews Avenue, terminating at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood
International Airport
Based on the Scoping results, Bus Rapid Transit may be further
analyzed.
IV. The EIS Process and the Role of Participating Agencies and the
Public
The purpose of the EIS process is to explore, in a public setting,
potentially significant effects of implementing the proposed action and
alternatives on the physical, human, and natural environment. Areas of
investigation include, but are not limited to, land use, development
potential, land acquisition and displacements, historic resources,
visual and aesthetic qualities, air quality, noise and vibration,
energy use, safety and security, and ecosystems, including threatened
and endangered species. Measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any
significant adverse impacts will be identified. Participating agency
requirements of the recently enacted Safe, Accountable, Flexible,
Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU),
are satisfied by FDOT's Efficient Transportation Decision Making (ETDM)
Process. An invitation to become a participating agency, with the
scoping information packet appended, will be extended to other Federal
and non-Federal agencies and Indian tribes that may have an interest in
the proposed project.
A comprehensive public involvement program has been developed and a
public and agency involvement Coordination Plan will be created. The
program includes a project Web site (http://
www.centralbrowardtransit.com); outreach to local and County officials
and community and civic groups; a public scoping process to define the
issues of concern among all parties interested in the project;
establishment of a community advisory committee and organizing periodic
meetings with that committee; a public hearing on release of the draft
environmental impact statement (DEIS); establishment of walk-in project
offices in the corridor; and development and distribution of project
newsletters.
The purposes of and need for the proposed project have been
preliminarily identified in this notice. We invite the public and
participating agencies to consider the preliminary statement of
purposes of and need for the proposed project, as well as the
alternatives proposed for consideration. Suggestions for modifications
to the statement of purposes of and need for the proposed project and
any other alternatives that meet the purposes of and need for the
proposed project are welcomed and will be given serious consideration.
Comments on potentially significant environmental impacts that may be
associated with the proposed project and alternatives are also
welcomed. There will be additional opportunities to participate in the
scoping process at the public meetings announced in this notice.
FDOT is seeking New Starts funding for the proposed project under
49 U.S.C. 5309 and will therefore be subject to New Starts regulations
(49 CFR Part
[[Page 51340]]
611). The New Starts regulation requires the submission of specific
information in support of a request to initiate preliminary
engineering, and this information is normally developed in conjunction
with the NEPA process. Pertinent New Starts evaluation criteria will be
included in the Final Environmental Impact Statement.
V. FTA Procedures
In accordance with 23 CFR 771.105(a) and 771.133, FTA will comply
with all Federal environmental laws, regulations, and executive orders
applicable to the proposed project during the environmental review
process to the maximum extent practicable. These requirements include,
but are not limited to, the regulations of the Council on Environmental
Quality and FTA implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508, and 23 CFR
Part 771), the project-level air quality conformity regulation of the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (40 CFR part 93), the
Section 404(b)(1) guidelines of EPA (40 CFR part 230), the regulation
implementing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (36
CFR Part 800), the regulation implementing section 7 of the Endangered
Species Act (50 CFR part 402), Section 4(f) of the DOT Act (23 CFR
771.135), and Executive Orders 12898 on environmental justice, 11988 on
floodplain management, and 11990 on wetlands.
Issued on: August 25, 2008.
Yvette G. Taylor,
Regional Administrator, FTA Region 4.
[FR Doc. E8-20221 Filed 8-29-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P