Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 211 / Friday, October 31, 1997 / Notices 59023

Issued in Washington, DC, on October 27,

1997.

Louis C. Cusimano,

Assistant Executive Director for General

Aviation Operations, Aviation Rulemaking

Advisory Committee.

[FR Doc. 97–28944 Filed 10–30–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

Environmental Impact Statement:

Smith County, TX

AGENCY: Federal Highway

Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this

notice to advise the public that an

environmental impact statement (EIS)

will be prepared for a proposed new

location highway project in Smith

County, Texas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John

Mack, P.E., Acting District Engineer,

Federal Highway Administration, Room

826, Federal Office Building, 300 East

8th Street, Austin, Texas 78701. Randy

Hopman, P.E., Director of

Transportation Planning and

Development, Texas Department of

Transportation, PO Box 2031, Tyler,

Texas 75710.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

FHWA, in cooperation with the Texas

Department of Transportation (TxDOT),

will prepare an environmental impact

statement (EIS) on a proposal to

construct the western section of Loop

49, an approximately 40 mile

circumferential controlled access

highway around the urbanized area of

Tyler in Smith County, Texas. The

western section of the proposed Loop 49

extends from State Highway 155

northward to Interstate Highway 20 in

western Smith County. The length of the

project varies, depending on the

selected alternative, averaging

approximately 28.3 kilometers (17

miles). The proposed action is intended

to provide access and increased

mobility to the western Tyler/Smith

County area and the Northeast Texas

region; and to provide a safer, more

convenient route for traffic traveling

through the Tyler area.

Alternatives to the proposed action to

be discussed in the EIS consist of (1)

taking no action; and (2) improving

existing roadways in the urbanized

areas of Smith County. The build

alternatives include five alternative

alignments along new location rights-ofway connecting State Highway 155 to

Interstate Highway 20.

Impacts caused by the construction

and operation of Loop 49 will vary

according to the alternative alignments

utilized. Generally, impacts would

include the following: Transportation

impacts (construction detours,

construction traffic, and mobility

improvement), air and noise impacts

from construction equipment and

operation of the roadway, water impacts

from construction area and roadway

storm water runoff, impacts to waters of

the United States including wetlands

from right-of-way encroachment,

wildlife habitat impacts, and impacts to

residents and businesses including

potential relocations.

Letters describing the proposed action

and soliciting comments have been sent

to appropriate Federal, State and local

agencies, and to private organizations

and citizens who have previously

expressed interest in the proposal. A

Major Investment Study has been

completed in compliance with the

Intermodal Surface Transportation

Efficiency Act. In addition, several

meetings have been held by the Loop 49

Steering Committee, composed of

representatives of local governments,

agencies, and interested organizations

and citizens. A public meeting was held

on August 28, 1997, at the Harvey

Convention Center in Tyler, Texas, at

which public comments on the

proposed action and alternatives were

requested. In addition, a public hearing

will be held after 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 are

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 or TxDOT at the

addresses provided above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Number 20.205, Highway Research

Planning and Construction. The regulations

implementing Executive Order 12373

regarding intergovernmental consultation on

Federal programs and activities apply to this

program)

Issued on: October 21, 1997.

John Mack,

Acting District Engineer, Austin, Texas.

[FR Doc. 97–28865 Filed 10–30–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–22–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

Environmental Impact Statement:

Travis and Williamson Counties, TX

AGENCY: Federal Highway

Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this

notice to advise the public that an

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

will be prepared for a proposed highway

project in Travis and Williamson

Counties, Texas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. John Mack, P.E., Federal Highway

Administration, 826 Federal Office

Building, 300 E. 8th Street, Austin,

Texas 78701, and Ms. Dianna Noble,

P.E., Director, Environmental Affairs

Division, Texas Department of

Transportation, 125 E. 11th St., Austin,

Texas 78701.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

FHWA, in cooperation with the Texas

Department of Transportation (TxDOT),

is considering an upgrade to the existing

road network in Travis and Williamson

Counties. Under this proposed action

State Highway 45 (SH 45) would be

constructed within a corridor beginning

FM 685 north of Pflugerville, Texas, and

running west to a terminus with U.S.

Highway 183, a distance of

approximately 14 miles. Improvements

to be considered in this project include

constructing a roadway on new or

existing locations, and/or improving

alternative transportation modes in the

community. The proposed SH 45 would

extend west from FM 685 along a new

location right-of-way to Louis Henna

Boulevard. The proposed roadway

would follow Louis Henna Boulevard to

its interchange with IH 35, briefly

follow FM 1325 west from its

intersection with IH 35, and then utilize

new right-of-way location to connect

with RM 620 west of Round Rock,

Texas. The SH 45 roadway would

follow RM 620 to its western terminus

at U.S. Highway 183. Ultimate facility

design is anticipated to be a six-lane

roadway with frontage roads and

overpasses at major thoroughfares and

direct connection ramps at IH 35, Loop

1 and SH 130.

An EIS will be prepared for this

project pursuant to 23 CFR part 771 and

40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508. The

corridor being considered for SH 45

closely parallels a needed transportation

corridor identified by the Austin

Transportation Study. Two preliminary

Draft EIS’s were prepared in 1990 as

part of the SH 45 planning process.