[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 67 (Monday, April 9, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17594-17595]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-6580]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Clackamas County, Oregon

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration, Oregon Department of 
Transportation, and Clackamas County, Oregon.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is issuing this 
notice of intent to advise agencies and the public that an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared to assess the 
impacts of a proposed transportation project on Harmony Road in 
Clackamas County, Oregon.

DATES: A public scoping meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 
at the Sunnybrook Service Center Auditorium, 9101 SE., Sunnybrook 
Blvd., Clackamas, OR 97015. The public scoping meeting will include an 
open house from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and informational presentations at 
4:30, 5, 5:30, 6, and 6:30 p.m. The informational presentation will be 
followed by a question and answer period. An agency scoping meeting 
will be held on May 10, 2007 at the Oregon Department of 
Transportation, 123 NW Flanders, Room 344, Portland, OR 97209. The 
agency scoping meeting will be from 2:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Graham, P.E., Operations 
Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, 530 Center Street NE., Suite 
100, Salem, OR 97301, Telephone: (503) 587-4727 or Ron Weinman, 
Principal Transportation Planner, Clackamas County, 9101 SE., 
Sunnybrook Blvd., Clackamas, OR 97015, Telephone: (503) 353-4533.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Oregon 
Department of Transportation (ODOT), and Clackamas County Department of 
Transportation and Development, will prepare an EIS on a proposal to 
improve the transportation system in the SE Harmony Road corridor, from 
SE 82th Avenue to State Highway 224 (approximately 1.5 miles). The 
project will consider alignment and improvement options on SE Harmony 
Road and intersections at SE Railroad Avenue/SE Linwood Avenue and SE 
Lake Road/SE International Way. In addition, the project study will 
consider alignment options for the extension of SE Sunnybrook Boulevard 
west of SE 82nd Avenue and its western terminus. A significant project 
consideration is grade separation of the road and the Union Pacific 
rail line at the Harmony Road/Linwood Avenue/Railroad Avenue 
intersection.
    Improvements to the corridor are considered necessary to enhance 
safety and to reduce congestion associated with existing and projected 
traffic demand. Levels of service at intersections in the area are 
currently failing and are anticipated to worsen without improvements. 
By 2030, the number of households in the study area is expected to 
increase by 24 percent and the number of jobs by 43 percent. Growth is 
anticipated in association with planned development in and around the 
extension of regional light-rail service to the Clackamas Regional 
Center, which encompasses the Harmony Road corridor and is adopted in 
the Metro 2040 Growth Concept.
    The at-grade railroad mainline that crosses on the southwest side 
of the Harmony Road/Linwood Avenue/Railroad Avenue intersection is part 
of the future high-speed rail corridor between Eugene, OR and 
Vancouver, BC. Operation of high-speed passenger trains along this 
corridor mandates grade separation of the rail line and the roadway for 
safety and operational purposes. Currently, there are approximately 6 
passenger trains and 24 freight trains crossing at this location each 
day, resulting in an average daily gate activation time of 150 minutes. 
These train crossings further burden the Harmony Road corridor with 
traffic delay.
    The EIS will identify transportation needs and deficiencies in the 
project study area, including mobility, access, system linkages and 
continuity, and safety. The range of evaluated transportation 
alternatives in the EIS will be developed to meet the identified 
project purpose and need. Potential alternatives and combinations 
thereof may include but are not limited to: (1) Taking no action; (2) 
adding capacity to existing roadways; (3) extending Sunnybrook 
Boulevard to the west of SE 82nd Avenue and determining its alignment 
and terminus; (4) redesigning intersections along Harmony Road at 
Linwood Avenue/Railroad Avenue and Lake Road/International Way; (5) 
grade separating the road from the railroad crossing at the Harmony 
Road/Linwood

[[Page 17595]]

Avenue/Railroad Avenue intersection; and (6) improving pedestrian and 
bicycle facilities. Design variations of potential alternatives will 
also be studied, as appropriate.
    The EIS will be initiated with a scoping process. The scoping 
process will include a program of public outreach and agency 
coordination conducted over the next several months in order to elicit 
input on project purpose and need, potential alternatives, significant 
and insignificant issues, and collaborative methods of analyzing 
transportation alternatives and environmental impacts.
    In total, the public outreach program will include multiple public 
meetings conducted by Clackamas County as well as coordination with two 
stakeholder committees--one committee comprised of community and 
technical representatives and the other committee comprised of policy 
level representatives. A public hearing will be held in connection with 
the release of the draft EIS. Public notice will be given regarding the 
time and place of the public meetings and hearing.
    An Internet Web site (http://www.harmonyroadea.org) and other 
communication media will be utilized throughout the process to provide 
public information and to receive comments. All comments and input 
received during the EIS process will be considered and documented.
    The FHWA, ODOT, and Clackamas County Department of Transportation 
and Development will evaluate significant transportation, 
environmental, social, and economic impacts of the project 
alternatives. Potential areas of impact include: Neighborhoods, Section 
4(f) resources, environmental justice, and natural resources. All 
impacts will be evaluated for both the construction period and long-
term period of operation. Measures to avoid, minimize and mitigate any 
significant adverse impacts will be developed.
    Comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties, 
to ensure that the full range of issues related to this project are 
addressed and all significant issues are identified. Comments or 
questions regarding the proposed action and the EIS should be directed 
to the FHWA or Clackamas County at the address provided above.

    (Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315)

    Dated: April 2, 2007.
Jeff Graham,
Operations Engineer, FHWA Oregon Division.
[FR Doc. E7-6580 Filed 4-6-07; 8:45 am]
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