[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 83 (Tuesday, May 1, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23881-23882]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-8250]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: State Route 71, South Knoxville 
Boulevard, From Governor John Sevier Highway (State Route 168) to Moody 
Avenue, Knox County, TN

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is issuing this 
notice to advise the public that an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) will be prepared for a proposed highway project in Knox County, 
Tennessee.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Karen M. Brunelle, Planning and 
Program Management Team Leader, Federal Highway Administration--
Tennessee Division Office, 640 Grassmere Park Road, Suite 112, 
Nashville, TN 37211. 615-781-5772.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A Final EIS (FEIS) was approved for the 
South Knoxville Boulevard project on June 24, 1977. That FEIS covered a 
project that started at Chapman Highway (U.S. 441/SR-71) near Longvale 
Drive and extended northward to State Route 158 (the Central Business 
District (CBD) Loop) in Knoxville. The segment of that project from the 
CBD Loop southward to Moody Avenue has been constructed as a four-lane, 
median divided freeway section, and opened to traffic. Construction 
plans were prepared for the approved alignment from Moody Avenue 
southward to Old Sevierville Pike, but this part of the project has not 
been constructed. The segment of the approved South Knoxville Boulevard 
alignment between Old Sevierville Pike and Chapman Highway was 
subsequently determined to have engineering constraints due to several 
sinkholes along the route.
    An Environmental Assessment (EA) was prepared to address an 
alternate alignment between Old Sevierville Pike and Chapman Highway. 
The EA was approved by the FHWA on April 25, 2001. A Corridor and 
Design Public Hearing was conducted on July 31, 2001. A final 
environmental decision document was not issued. In the spring of 2003, 
the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) commissioned the 
University of Tennessee Center for Transportation to review fifteen 
proposed TDOT projects across the state. The James White Parkway (also 
known as South Knoxville Boulevard) Extension was included in those 
projects. Based on the results of this

[[Page 23882]]

review, TDOT, in November 2003, referred the project back to local 
officials for further review. The James White Parkway--Chapman Highway 
Corridor Study Task Force, with technical support from the Knoxville--
Knox County Metropolitan Planning Commission and the Knoxville Regional 
Transportation Planning Organization, conducted an extensive review of 
the project. The task force was authorized by the Knoxville City 
Council in January 2002 and was expanded in the spring of 2004 to 
include a broad cross-section of stakeholders from both the City of 
Knoxville and Knox County. In January 2005, the task force recommended 
that additional alternatives be studied for extending James White 
Parkway, including extending the southern terminus to Governor John 
Sevier Highway (SR-168).
    During preparation of the EA for the segment of the project between 
Old Sevierville Pike and Chapman Highway, several environmental issues 
were identified that suggested other alternative alignments should be 
studied and evaluated. These identified issues could result in 
potential significant impacts. Therefore, due to potential 
environmental impacts in the study area, community concerns, and the 
desire to extend the project's south terminus, the FHWA in cooperation 
with TDOT will now prepare an EIS. The EIS will be for a proposal to 
complete State Route 71, South Knoxville Boulevard, from Governor John 
Sevier Highway (State Route 168) to Moody Avenue in Knox County, 
Tennessee, a distance of approximately four miles, depending upon the 
alternative alignment that could be selected.
    Alternatives to be considered include: (1) No-build; (2) a 
Transportation System Management alternative; (3) one or more build 
alternatives that could include constructing a roadway on a new 
location, upgrading existing Chapman Highway (U.S. 441/State Route 33/
71), or a combination of both; and (4) other alternatives that may 
arise from public input. Public scoping meetings will be held for the 
project corridor. As part of the scoping process, Federal, State, and 
local agencies and officials; private organizations; citizens; and 
interest groups will have an opportunity to identify issues of concern 
and provide input on the purpose and need for the project, range of 
alternatives, methodology, and the development of the EIS. A 
Coordination Plan will be developed to include the public in the 
project development process. This plan will utilize the following 
outreach efforts to provide information and solicit input: newsletters; 
an internet website; e-mail and direct mail; informational meetings and 
briefings; public hearings; and other efforts as necessary and 
appropriate. A public hearing will be held upon completion of the Draft 
EIS and 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 hearings.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
action are identified and taken into account, comments and suggestions 
are invited from all interested parties. Comments and questions 
concerning the proposed action should be directed to the FHWA contact 
person at the address provided above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, 
Highway Planning and Construction. The regulations implementing 
Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental consultation on 
Federal programs and activities apply to this proposed program.)

    Issued on: April 25, 2007.
Karen M. Brunelle,
Planning and Program Mgmt. Team Leader, Nashville, TN.
[FR Doc. E7-8250 Filed 4-30-07; 8:45 am]
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