[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 82 (Friday, April 26, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18638-18639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-10323]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Pierce County, WA

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA, Washington State Department of Transportation 
(WSDOT), and Pierce County are issuing this notice to advise the public 
that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for a 
proposed new roadway project in Pierce County, Washington between 
Interstate 5 and State Route 7 (Pacific Avenue).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Leonard, Area Engineer FHWA, 
Olympia, Washington 98501 Phone Number (360) 753-9558.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with WSDOT and 
Pierce County, will prepare an EIS on a proposal to build a new roadway 
between Interstate 5 at the Thorne Lane interchange and State Route 7 
(Pacific Avenue) at 176th Street South. The proposed roadway corridor 
passes through a residential area in the City of Lakewood known as 
American Lake Gardens and portions of the Fort Lewis Military 
Reservation and McChord Air Force Base. The EIS will include a Major 
Investment Study (MIS) that examines the overall need for the project 
and alternative means of reducing or meeting the demand for additional 
transportation capacity.
    The purpose of the proposed facility is to reduce congestion on 
existing arterial streets and highways and to provide a more direct 
connection for the movement of goods and people between Interstate 5 
and mid-Pierce County. The corridor must also maintain security and 
accommodate existing and planned operations on both military 
installations. Recent and planned residential and industrial 
development in the Lakewood, Spanaway, Fredrickson, American Lake, and

[[Page 18639]]

Dupont areas is creating traffic volumes in excess of current system 
capacity. Under current land use plans, the areas on the east and west 
ends of the corridor are expected to become major new employment 
centers within the next 20 years. At present, the only connections 
between these areas and Interstate 5 are SR 512, SR 507 and SR 510, and 
Perimeter Road. Roads connecting mid-Pierce County to SR 512 are 
already congested (LOS E/F at many intersections during peak hours), 
and peak hour LOS on SR 512 is currently LOS D and projected to be LOS 
E/F by 2017 if additional east-west capacity is not added. Reaching 
Interstate 5 from mid-Pierce County via SR 507 and SR 510 requires over 
30 miles of travel, compared to 13 miles via SR 512. Perimeter Road is 
owned by McChord Air Force Base and may be closed whenever necessary to 
maintain military security.
    The alternatives under consideration include roadway alternatives, 
transportation system management, transportation demand management, and 
the no-action alternative. The roadway alternatives corridor is 
approximately six miles long. The proposed roadway would be four to six 
lanes with limited access. Access would be considered at two locations 
in the American Lake Gardens area (possible locations include 150th 
Street SW, Spring Street [76th Avenue SW], Woodbrook Road, and the Fort 
Lewis Logistics Center), A Street, and Spanaway Loop Road.
    Roadway alternatives to be considered include three alignments in 
the American Lake Gardens area. One alignment follows Murray Road and 
turns east to follow the northern border of Fort Lewis on military 
property. The second alignment passes diagonally through American Lake 
Gardens from the Thorne Lane interchange, across 150th Street SW, 
reaching the northern edge of Fort Lewis west of Woodbrook Road and 
continuing east on military property. The third alignment also passes 
diagonally through American Lake Gardens from the Thorne Lane 
interchange, and follows 150th Street SW east past Lake Mondress where 
it turns south to join the other alignments. Between American Lake 
Gardens and the Spanaway Lake area, the Corridor passes through Fort 
Lewis and McChord Air Force Base. In this area, only one alignment will 
be evaluated. This is because the proposed corridor is constrained by 
the need to maintain security at both installations, to accommodate 
existing and proposed military operations including the McChord Air 
Force Base runway, and to avoid sensitive environmental areas. On the 
east end of the corridor, the alignment follows south of 176th Street 
South on Fort Lewis property. This alignment allows 176th Street South 
to continue as local access and avoids direct impacts to adjacent 
residential areas.
    The MIS/EIS will consider Transportation System Management (TSM) 
and Transportation Demand Management (TDM) methods as part of all 
roadway alternatives. These methods would include dedicated lanes for 
high-occupancy vehicles (HOV) and intelligent transportation systems 
(such as variable message signs, incident response systems, and 
emergency telephones). Additional strategies to be evaluated include 
employer-based TDM programs such as subsidized transit passes, 
vanpools, ridesharing, and alternative work schedules.
    A newsletter describing the proposed roadway was mailed to all 
postal patrons and residential and non-residential property owners in 
the project vicinity in January, 1996. Public informational (pre-
scoping) meetings on the proposed project were held on February 15, 
1996 in American Lake Gardens and February 20, 1996 in the Spanaway 
Lake area. At these meetings, information was provided on six 
alternative alignments through the American Lake Gardens area, 
including the three described above. Two alignments on 176th Street 
South near Pacific Avenue were described, also including the alignment 
described above. In addition, maps and descriptive information on the 
entire corridor were provided. Comments on the project, and especially 
on which alternatives should be evaluated in the MIS/EIS were taken 
orally and in writing. These public comments were considered in 
selecting the three American Lake Garden alignments and 176th Street 
South alignment that will be evaluated in the MIS/EIS. Announcements 
for the meetings and the information distributed stated that comments 
received would be considered part of the MIS/EIS scoping process.
    The scoping process for the MIS/EIS will include press releases and 
advertisements in local newspapers inviting further comments on the 
proposed alternatives and their potential impacts. Agencies and 
organizations potentially interested in or with jurisdiction over 
specific environmental features related to the project will be 
contacted by letter and offered briefings upon their request. 
Additional newsletters will be distributed to continue to inform the 
public about the project and invite further comment. To ensure the full 
range of issues related to this proposed action are addressed and all 
significant issues identified, comments or questions concerning this 
proposed action and the EIS should be directed to the FHWA at the 
address listed 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: April 19, 1996.
Jose M. Miranda,
Environmental Program Manager, Olympia, Washington.
[FR Doc. 96-10323 Filed 4-25-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M