Environmental Impact Statement for the Northeast Corridor Project in Dallas, TX

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

Environmental Impact Statement for the Northeast Corridor Project

in Dallas, TX

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

(EIS).

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in cooperation with

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) intends to prepare an Environmental

Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the National Environmental

Policy Act (NEPA). The EIS will be prepared following completion of a

Major Investment Study (MIS) of transportation improvements in the

Northeast Corridor of the Dallas metropolitan area. The MIS will

conclude with the selection of a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA)

for implementation in the corridor. The EIS will assess the potential

impacts of the LPA, No Build and TSM alternatives. DART is working

cooperatively with the North Central Texas Council of Governments

(NCTCOG), the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the US

Department of Transportation (US DOT-FTA and FHWA), and the Cities of

Dallas, Garland, and Rowlett to identify an affordable and cost-

effective alternative for improving mobility in the corridor.

The sequence of events for the planning and development for this

project include the following major milestones:

Scoping Process--early opportunity for public input to the study

scope

Major Investment Study (MIS)--evaluation of proposed improvement

alternatives, early consideration of environmental factors, concluding

with the selection of a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA)

LPA Refinement and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)--detailed

definition of the LPA's physical features, assessment of potential

impacts, development of mitigation measures, preparation and

circulation of the Draft EIS, public hearings and completion of a Final

EIS.

Scoping will be accomplished through correspondence with interested

persons, organizations, and federal, state, and local agencies and

through public meetings. See the information below for further details.

DATES: Comment Due Date: Written comments on the scope of the EIS and

impacts to be considered should be sent to DART by November 2, 1994.

See ADDRESSES below. Scoping Meetings: Public Scoping Meeting will be

held on Monday October 3, 1994 and Wednesday October 5, 1994 starting

at 7:00 p.m. in Garland and Dallas. See ADDRESSES below.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Jack Wierzenski, Project

Manager, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, 1401 Pacific Avenue; Dallas, Texas

75266-7232. The Scoping meetings will be held at the following

locations:

1. October 3, 1994

Garland Center for the Performing Arts, 5th and Austin, Garland, Texas

2. October 5, 1994

Lake Highlands High School (Student Center), 9449 Church Road, Dallas,

Texas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Peggy Crist, FTA Region VI; (817)

860-9663.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Scoping

FTA and DART invite interested individuals, organizations,

businesses and federal, state and local agencies to participate in

defining the alternatives to be evaluated and identifying any

significant social, economic, or environmental issues related to the

alternatives. Comments on the appropriateness of the alternatives and

impact issues are encouraged. Specific suggestions on additional

alternatives to be examined and issues to be addressed are welcome and

will be considered in the development of the final study scope.

Comments may be made orally at the meetings or in writing not later

than November 2, 1994.

DART and NCTCOG staff will be present at the scoping meetings to

describe the corridor alternatives, answer any questions and receive

comments. Additional public meetings will be scheduled throughout the

project to review results and provide input. Interested persons will be

notified of project progress through ongoing community information

distributed to the project mailing list which will include all scoping

participants.

Additional information on the EIS process, alternatives, and impact

issues to be addressed by the study is contained in a ``Scoping

Information Document.'' Copies of the document have been sent to

affected Federal, State of Texas, local government agencies, and

interested parties currently on record. Others may request the document

from DART. See ADDRESSES above.

II. Description of the Study Area and the Purpose and Need for a

Corridor Improvement

As part of the regional mobility planning effort, and as of June,

1994, DART initiated the process of updating the 1989 Transit System

Plan. The Transit System Plan update effort has been coordinated with

the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) Mobility 2010

Plan Update and is DART's strategic plan of services and facilities for

meeting mobility goals. Elements of the plan currently being

implemented include efficient delivery of bus service; construction of

the 20-mile LRT Starter System; commuter rail in the Dallas/Ft. Worth

RAILTRAN corridor; and, High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes. For the

Northeast Corridor, DART's Draft System Plan contains recommendations

for Intermediate Capacity Light Rail Transit; HOV lanes on I-635; a

Travel Demand Management program; and, enhanced bus service.

The Corridor includes portions of three cities in the DART service

area : Dallas, Garland and Rowlett. The Corridor's southern boundary is

Mockingbird Lane in the vicinity of the LRT station on the North

Central line of the Starter System. The Mockingbird Station and the

North Central line are currently under construction. The Corridor

generally follows the MKT Railroad to the north and east. Skillman Road

is considered the northwest study corridor boundary; Mockingbird Lane/

Northwest Highway/Garland Road form the southeastern boundary of the

study area.

The Corridor is approximately 15 miles in length from Mockingbird

Lane to Rowlett Road in Rowlett. The corridor includes popular

recreation and leisure spots such as White Rock Lake and Park,

Ridgewood Park, and Lake Ray Hubbard. A significant industrial sector

is located along I-635/LBJ Freeway where the MKT Railroad right-of-way

is crossed by the AT&SF Railroad. Both railroad lines have active

freight service.

It is not anticipated that there will be significant new roadway

construction to meet the increase in travel demand. The regional

mobility plan for the area calls for a combination of modes including

roadway improvements and investment in transit improvements such as

light rail, commuter rail, HOV lanes, as well as TSM and TDM

improvements.

III. Alternatives

Alternatives proposed for consideration include:

No-Build--The No-Build Alternative consists of the Mobility Plan

for 2010 as adopted by NCTCOG with the exception of improvements in the

Northeast Corridor.

TSM--The Transportation System Management (TSM) Alternative

includes all of the improvements included in the No-Build Alternative

plus a number of low-to-moderate-cost travel efficiency and travel

demand management (TDM) strategies.

LRT--Light Rail Transit along the MKT Railroad corridor connecting

with the LRT Starter System station at Mockingbird Lane and continuing

to the Central Garland Transit Center in downtown Garland with a

possible extension to a station in downtown Rowlett will be considered.

Consideration is also being given to the concept of Intermediate

Capacity Light Rail Transit, which is a staged implementation phase of

the ultimate double track LRT alternative. The Intermediate Capacity

LRT option would consist of a single-track LRT alignment along the MKT

with passing sidings at key points.

Commuter Rail--This alternative involves the use of the MKT

Railroad right-of-way to provide service to the Garland and Rowlett

areas. The commuter rail alternative is generally described in the

NCTCOG 2010 Mobility Plan. This alternative would follow the MKT

Railroad right-of-way from the Mockingbird Station to Garland with a

possible extension to Rowlett.

IV. Potential Impacts For Analysis

The subjects and level of detail addressed in the EIS will be

consistent with the requirements of the joint FTA/FHWA environmental

regulations (Environmental Procedures for Project Development, 23 CFR

771 and 40 CFR 1500-1508) and other related regulations. The EIS will

evaluate the following: local and regional economic concerns;

transportation service including future corridor capacity; transit

cost; transit ridership and effect on traffic movement community

impacts, including land use, displacements, noise, neighborhood

compatibility, and aesthetics; cultural resource impacts including

impacts on historic and archaeological resources and parklands; natural

resource impacts including air quality, wetlands, water resources, and

wildlife; and transit financial implications.

The proposed impact assessment and evaluation will take into

account both positive and negative impacts, direct and indirect

impacts, short term (construction) and long term impacts, and site

specific and corridor wide impacts. Evaluation criteria will be

consistent with all Federal, State of Texas and local criteria,

regulations and policies. Mitigation measures will be identified for

any adverse environmental impacts.

Other potential impact issues may be added as a result of scoping

and agency coordination efforts.

Issued on: September 30, 1994.

Scott E. Tuxhorn,

Deputy Regional Adminstrator.

[FR Doc. 94-24691 Filed 10-5-94; 8:45 am]

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