[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 53 (Tuesday, March 20, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13157-13158]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-1338]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement; Nueces County, TX

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Revised Notice of Intent (NOI).

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this revised notice to advise the public 
that an environmental impact statement (EIS) is being prepared for the 
proposed U.S. Highway 181 Harbor Bridge replacement/State Highway (SH) 
286 (Crosstown Expressway) improvement highway project in Nueces 
County, Texas, and that the project and study limits described in the 
May 20, 2005, Notice of Intent (NOI) have been expanded.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donald E. Davis, District Engineer, 
Federal Highway Administration--Texas Division, 300 East 8th Street, 
Austin, Texas 78701. Telephone: 512-536-5960.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Texas 
Department of Transportation (TxDOT), is preparing an EIS for a 
proposal to

[[Page 13158]]

replace the existing US 181 Harbor Bridge and construct improvements to 
SH 286 in Nueces County, Texas. The proposed improvements described in 
the original NOI would involve replacement of the existing Harbor 
Bridge and approaches where US 181 crosses the Corpus Christi Ship 
Channel for a roadway distance of approximately 2.25 miles. Since the 
original NOI was published on May 20, 2005, the project and study 
limits have been expanded to accommodate added capacity that may 
include managed lanes or various tolling strategies. The project limits 
are defined as the limits of the schematic design effort and the study 
limits are defined as the limits of potential impacts from the proposed 
action. The new project limits are as follows: the northern limit is 
the US 181 and Beach Avenue interchange located north of the Corpus 
Christi Ship Channel but south of the Nueces Bay Causeway; the southern 
limit is the SH 286 and SH 358 (South Padre Island Drive) interchange; 
the eastern limit is the Interstate Highway (IH) 37/US 181 intersection 
with Shoreline Boulevard; and the western limit is the IH 37 and Nueces 
Bay Boulevard interchange. The new project limits total approximately 
7.5 miles in length from north to south along US 181 and SH 286, and 
2.1 miles in length from east to west along IH 37. The new study limits 
are as follows: the northern limit is the US 181 and SH 35 interchange 
just south of Gregory; the southern limit is the SH 286 and SH 358 
(South Padre Island Drive) interchange; the eastern limit is Shoreline 
Boulevard; and the western limit is the IH 37 and SH 358 (North Padre 
Island Drive) interchange.
    The proposed Harbor Bridge and SH 286 improvements are based on 
several needs: safety concerns, lack of capacity, connectivity to local 
roadways, poor level of service and increasing traffic demand. In 
addition to those needs, the bridge's existing structure also has 
deficiencies, including high maintenance costs and shipping height 
restrictions. The improvements to both the Harbor Bridge and SH 286 
will address the structural deficiencies and improve safety, 
connectivity, and level of service, while identifying future plans for 
the US 181 and SH 286 roadway structure, and the areas served by these 
two highways.
    Alternatives under consideration include (1) Taking no action, and 
(2) replacing the existing US 181 Harbor Bridge and approach roads, 
including SH 286, with a facility that meets current highway standards. 
A Feasibility Study completed in 2003 evaluated four corridor 
alternatives along existing alignments--new location alignments and a 
No-build alternative--resulting in the identification of a recommended 
study corridor for the bridge replacement component. Capacity 
improvements and interchange design alternatives will be evaluated 
along the SH 286 corridor. A reasonable number of alignment 
alternatives will be identified and evaluated in the EIS, as well as 
the No-build Alternative, based on input from federal, state, and local 
agencies, as well as private organizations and concerned citizens. 
Alternative designs and funding alternatives will include tolling 
options or new managed lanes.
    Impacts caused by the construction and operation of the proposed 
improvements would vary according to the alternative alignment 
utilized. Impacts generally would include the following: Impacts to 
residences and businesses, including potential relocation; impacts to 
parkland; transportation impacts (construction detours, construction 
traffic, and mobility improvement); air and noise impacts from 
construction equipment and operation of the roadway; social and 
economic impacts, including impacts to minority and low-income 
residences; impacts to historic cultural resources; endangered and 
threatened species and impacts to waters of the U.S. including wetlands 
from right-of-way encroachment; and potential indirect and cumulative 
impacts.
    A letter that describes the proposed action and a request for 
comments will be sent to appropriate federal, state, and local 
agencies, and to private organizations and citizens who have previously 
expressed interest in the proposal. In conjunction with the Feasibility 
Study completed in June 2003, TxDOT developed a public involvement 
plan, sponsored three citizens' advisory committee (CAC) meetings, held 
two public meetings, and distributed two newsletters. Initial agency 
and public scoping meetings were held in June 2005. An agency scoping 
meeting will be held by TxDOT on May 17, 2007, to brief agency 
representatives on the revised limits of the project area, introduce 
project team members, obtain comments pertaining to the scope of the 
EIS, identify important issues, set goals, and respond to questions. A 
continuing public involvement program will include a project mailing 
list, project Web site, project newsletters, a May 17, 2007, public 
scoping meeting (public notice will be given of the time and place), 
and numerous informal meetings with interested citizens and 
stakeholders. In addition, a public hearing will be held after the 
publication of the Draft EIS. Public notice will be given of the time 
and place of the hearing. The Draft EIS will be available for public 
and agency review and comment prior to the public hearing.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
action is 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 Research, Planning, and Construction. The regulations 
implementing Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental 
consultation on Federal programs and activities apply to this 
program)

    Issued on: March 14, 2007.
Donald E. Davis,
District Engineer, Austin, Texas.
[FR Doc. 07-1338 Filed 3-19-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M