[Federal Register: April 16, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 74)]
[Notices]
[Page 20741-20743]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16ap08-131]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Lake
Oswego to Portland Transit Project in the Portland, OR Metropolitan
Area
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Metro (the
regional government that serves the 25 cities and three counties of the
Portland, Oregon metropolitan area), in cooperation with the cities of
Lake Oswego and Portland, Clackamas and Multnomah counties; Oregon
Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Tri-County Metropolitan
Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet), will prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the benefits and
impacts of proposed transit improvements. Three alternatives are
proposed: (1) A No-Build alternative that includes everything in the
Metro Regional Transportation Plan, not including the proposed project,
and with a continuation of present day bus service policies in place of
the project; (2) a streetcar alternative that would extend the existing
Portland Streetcar system approximately 1.2 miles to a short terminus
in Johns Landing, or 5.7 miles to a terminus in downtown Lake Oswego,
with connecting bus service in the corridor, and (3) an enhanced bus
alternative with capital improvements between downtown Portland and
Lake Oswego and connecting bus service to the rest of the corridor. FTA
and Metro will prepare the EIS in accordance with FTA regulations (23
CFR 771 et seq.) implementing the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), and with the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). This Notice
alerts interested parties of the intent to prepare the EIS, provides
information on the nature of the proposed transit project, invites
participation in the EIS process (including comments on the scope of
the EIS proposed in this notice), and announces an upcoming public
scoping meeting.
DATES: Comment due date: Written comments on the scope of the EIS,
including the preliminary purpose and need for transit improvements in
the corridor, the alternatives to be considered, the environmental and
[[Page 20742]]
community impacts to be evaluated, and any other project-related
issues, should be sent to the Lake Oswego to Portland Transit Project,
at the address below, by July 18, 2008. Scoping meeting date: A public
scoping meeting will be held on April 21, 2008 at 6 p.m. at the
location indicated in ADDRESSES below. Oral and written comments may be
given at the scoping meeting. An agency scoping meeting was held on
September 26, 2007, to collect comments of local, State and federal
agencies with an interest in the proposed project.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS should be sent to
Lake Oswego to Portland Transit Project, Metro, 600 NE Grand Avenue,
Portland Oregon 97232. Comments may also be offered at the public
scoping meeting. The public scoping meeting will be at: Community Room,
Lakewood Center for the Arts, 368 S. State Street, Lake Oswego, OR
97034. This meeting place is accessible to persons with disabilities.
Any individual with a disability who requires special assistance, such
as a sign language interpreter, may contact Karen Withrow at (503) 797-
1932 at least 48 hours before the meeting. A scoping information packet
will be available before the meeting on the Metro Web site (www.metro-
region.org) or by calling Karen Withrow at (503) 797-1932; copies will
also be available at the public scoping meeting.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Witmer, Community Planner,
Federal Transit Administration, Region 10, (206) 220-7954.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Scoping: FTA and Metro invite all interested
individuals and organizations, public agencies and Native American
Tribes to comment on the scope of the EIS, including the project's
proposed purpose and need, the proposed alternatives to be analyzed in
the EIS and the proposed impacts to be evaluated. Each is described
below.
Background: The Lake Oswego to Portland corridor is
environmentally, topographically and physically constrained. Future
roadway expansion is not anticipated and probably not feasible, and
previous planning studies have concluded that a high capacity transit
improvement is needed to provide additional corridor capacity. In 1988,
a consortium of seven government agencies purchased the Willamette
Shore Line right-of-way connecting Lake Oswego to Portland for the
purpose of preserving the rail right-of-way for future rail transit
service. The 2004 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) identified the
need for a corridor refinement plan for a high capacity transit option
for this corridor. Metro led a broad-based alternatives analysis that
published its results in June 2007. After public review and comment,
the Metro Council adopted Resolution No. 07-3887A, advancing three
alternatives into an EIS. Public comment is summarized in a comment
report dated January 2008.
Preliminary statement of purpose of and need for the project. The
project is needed because mobility and traffic conditions in this
corridor are projected to worsen as population and employment
projections for Portland and Clackamas County continue to grow,
especially on the west side of the Willamette River. The corridor
already experiences long traffic queues, poor levels of service and
significant capacity constraints at key locations. Travel times in the
corridor for traffic and bus transit are unreliable due to congestion
on Highway 43.
The purpose of the Portland to Lake Oswego Transit Project is to
develop transit that meets future travel demand, supports local and
regional land use plans, and garners public acceptance and community
support; and which will:
Increase the mobility and accessibility within the
geographically constrained Highway 43 Corridor, connecting from the
Portland Central City through the Lake Oswego Town Center.
Minimize traffic and parking-related impacts to
neighborhoods.
Support and enhance existing neighborhood character in an
environmentally sensitive manner.
Cost-effectively increase corridor and system-wide transit
ridership.
Support transit-oriented economic development in Portland
and Lake Oswego.
Improve transportation access to and connectivity among
significant destinations and activity centers.
Increase transportation choices in the corridor, and
access for persons with disabilities.
Integrate effectively with other transportation modes.
Anticipate future needs and impacts and not preclude
future expansion opportunities.
The project's purpose and need statement will be finalized, using
agency and public review and comment.
The environmental process: In accordance with NEPA, SAFETEA-LU
Section 6002, and FTA's Section 5309 New Starts requirements, the
project's environmental process has been divided into three general
phases: Scoping; Alternatives Analysis/Draft EIS and selection of the
Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA); and Final EIS.
(1) Scoping: Metro and FTA will use the scoping process to identify
participating agencies, and to develop, with the review and comment of
participating agencies and the public: (a) The project's purpose and
need, (b) the range of alternatives to be studied in the Alternatives
Analysis/Draft EIS, and (c) the evaluation methodology, including a
determination of the scope of the environmental analysis to be
conducted for the EIS. The scoping process will include a public
process that will include a variety of public and agency meetings,
workshops, open houses, and comment opportunities. Metro will create
and implement a comprehensive public involvement program and a public
and agency involvement Coordination and Communication Plan. The
coordination plan will be posted on the project Web site at the end of
the scoping process. The public involvement program will include:
outreach to local and county officials and community and civic groups;
periodic meetings with various local agencies, organizations, and
committees; a public hearing after release of the Draft EIS; and
distribution of project newsletters and other information pieces.
(2) Alternatives Analysis/Draft EIS: During this phase, Metro and
FTA will analyze and document the environmental benefits, costs, and
impacts of the alternatives that were selected for further study as a
result of the scoping process. This will build on the 2005-07 Lake
Oswego to Portland Transit and Trail Study alternatives analysis to the
extent appropriate. Also, the Alternatives Analysis FTA requires for
New Starts and Small Starts projects will be completed. Metro and FTA
will publish a Draft EIS documenting the alternatives analysis,
evaluation of alternatives and the environmental evaluations required
by NEPA during this phase. Following a formal public hearing on the
Alternatives Analysis/Draft EIS and consideration of the comments
received, this phase will conclude with selection of the locally
preferred alternative, with public and participating agency input, by
the Metro Council; the cities of Lake Oswego and Portland; Clackamas
and Multnomah counties; ODOT; and TriMet.
(3) Final EIS: In preparing the Final EIS, further study necessary
to respond to comments on the Draft EIS will be conducted, responses to
all comments received will be prepared, and feasible and prudent
mitigation identified in the Draft EIS for all adverse environmental
[[Page 20743]]
and community impacts will be further designed and committed to.
Proposed alternatives: Metro expects to analyze a no-build
alternative and two build alternatives. Prior to beginning formal EIS
analysis, a Johns Landing refinement plan will be undertaken to define
alignments for streetcar in the John's Landing area of the City of
Portland, using all or parts of the Willamette Shore Line right-of-way,
SW Macadam Avenue, Johns Landing Master Plan alignment or combinations
thereof. As defined by the Metro Council in Resolution No. 07-3887a
adopted December 2007, the build alternatives are as follows: (1) A
Streetcar mode, because among transit alternatives studied to date,
Streetcar operation in a significant percentage of exclusive right-of-
way (the Willamette Shore Line) has the highest forecast ridership,
significantly faster travel times between key corridor destinations,
and greater reliability. In peak travel periods, the Streetcar would
provide faster travel times than autos between downtown and Lake
Oswego. Faster travel time and higher reliability is gained through
operation of streetcar in a significant percentage of exclusive right
of way on the Willamette Shore Line. Streetcar would also have the
lowest operating and maintenance costs of any alternative, including
the No-Build. Streetcar development could leverage up to 3.3 million
square feet of total new transit supportive development in Lake Oswego
and Johns Landing. Streetcar would operate as an extension of the
existing streetcar line that operates between NW 23rd Avenue and the
South Waterfront. (2) Enhanced Bus Mode, because this would avoid the
property impacts of the previously studied Bus Rapid Transit
alternative while still providing improved service, bus pullouts, and
better shelters and lighting at stations. Enhanced bus would operate in
mixed traffic, which has implications for travel time, reliability and
long-term efficiency of the line. Enhanced bus would serve as the base
case for comparison of Streetcar alternatives in the EIS. The EIS will
also include a no-build alternative. Metro will consider any additional
reasonable transit alternatives identified during scoping that provide
similar transportation benefits while reducing or avoiding adverse
impacts.
Probable effects: NEPA requires Metro and FTA to evaluate, in a
public setting, the significant impacts of the alternatives selected
for study in the Draft EIS. 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. The impacts
will be evaluated for both the construction period and for the long-
term period of operation. Measures to mitigate adverse impacts will be
developed. Comments on potentially significant environmental impacts
that may be associated with the proposed project and alternatives are
welcomed.
In accordance with FTA policy and regulations, Metro and 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.
R.F. Krochalis,
Regional Administrator, Region 10, Federal Transit Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-8189 Filed 4-15-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P