Environmental Impact Statement on the Introduction of Transportation Improvements on the East Side of New York County, NY

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

Environmental Impact Statement on the Introduction of

Transportation Improvements on the East Side of New York County, NY

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FTA, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the New

York City Transit Authority (NYC Transit) are issuing this notice to

advise the public and all other interested parties that in accordance

with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), an Environmental

Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for transportation improvements

that will improve mobility on the east side of the island of Manhattan

within the City of New York. NYC Transit will ensure that the EIS also

satisfies the requirements of the State of New York Environmental

Quality Review Act and the intent of the City of New York Environmental

Quality Act. The Draft EIS (DEIS) will include a Major Investment Study

(MIS) in accordance with the joint FTA/FHWA Metropolitan Planning

Requirements, 23 CFR part 450.

High levels of auto congestion in the study area influence the

region's ability to meet National Ambient Air Quality standards. The

MIS/DEIS process will clearly identify these and other mobility

problems in the study area and evaluate any alternative actions

generated through the scoping process. Among the alternatives that the

MIS/DEIS effort will evaluate are the No-Action and

[[Page 34321]]

Transportation Systems Management (TSM) alternatives; a new subway

line; light rail transit; elevated rail transit, jitney bus services

and ferry services; special bus lanes and fixed bus guideways,

including along the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Drive; buses powered by

overhead wires; and feasible combinations of options. Scoping will be

accomplished through correspondence and meetings with interested

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

culminate with centrally located afternoon and evening public meetings.

DATES: Comment Due Date: Written comments on the scope of alternatives

and impacts to be considered should be sent to James Dubbs, Assistant

Director of Government and Community Relations (718) 694-5141, NYC

Transit, 130 Livingston St., Room 3011D, Brooklyn, NY 11201 by August

7, 1995. Scoping Meetings: Public scoping meetings will be held on

Tuesday, July 26, 1995, 3 pm and 6 pm, at Metropolitan Transportation

Authority Headquarters, 347 Madison Avenue (between 44th and 45th St.),

5th floor, New York, NY 11007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Dubbs, NYC Transit Assistant

Director of Government and Community Relations at the above address,

PHONE: (718) 694-5141, FAX: (718) 488-6539; Letitia Thompson, FTA

Deputy Regional Administrator, 26 Federal Plaza, Suite 2940, NY, NY

10278, PHONE: (212) 264-8162, FAX: (212) 264-8973; or Harold Brown,

FHWA Division Administrator, Leo O'Brian Federal Building, Albany, NY

12207, PHONE: (518) 431-4127, FAX: (518) 431-4121.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Scoping

FTA, FHWA and the NYC Transit invite interested individuals,

organizations, and federal, state and local agencies to participate in

defining the alternatives to be evaluated in the EIS and identifying

any significant social, economic, or environmental issues related to

the alternatives. An information packet describing the purpose of the

project, the proposed alternatives, the impact areas to be evaluated,

the citizen involvement program, and the preliminary project schedule

is being mailed to affected federal, state and local agencies and to

interested parties on record. Others may request the scoping materials

by contacting James Dubbs at the NYC Transit office at the address

above or by calling him at (718) 694-5141. Scoping comments may be made

verbally at either of the public scoping meetings or in writing. See

the DATES section above for locations and times. During scoping,

comments should focus on identifying specific social, economic or

environmental impacts to be evaluated and suggest alternatives which

are less costly or less environmentally damaging while achieving

similar transit objectives. Anyone wishing to be placed on a mailing

list to receive further information as the project develops should

contact James Dubbs as previously described.

Description of the Study Area and Project Need

The study area is approximately 12 miles in length extending in a

north/south direction along the east side of the Borough of Manhattan

from South Ferry in Manhattan to 164th Street in the Bronx. In the

Bronx, the study area boundaries are from St. Ann's Avenue west to the

Harlem River. In Manhattan, from 125th Street to Washington Square

North, the study area boundaries are from the East River to Fifth

Avenue. From Washington Square North (Waverly Place) to Battery Park,

the Study Area boundaries are from the East River to Broadway. The

Study Area will also include the route of the NYCT Broadway Line (N,R)

from 63rd Street to the Whitehall St. South Ferry Station. There are a

number of surface and rapid transit routes that enter the Study Area

from regions outside the Study boundaries. The Study Area boundaries

outlined herein provide a rough guide and are to be considered flexible

and dependent upon the outcome of the scoping process.

Removal of elevated transit lines serving north/south routes along

Manhattan's east side in the 1940s and 1950s, combined with growth in

population and commercial development in that area, have resulted in

excess ridership demand on remaining transit facilities. In the 1960s,

planning and design work was conducted for a proposed subway line along

Second Avenue. Construction of the line was initiated in the 1970s.

Though some segments of the Second Avenue Subway were constructed, work

was suspended due to fiscal constraints. As a consequence, the demand

for subway service in the study area still exceeds supply.

Similar to the subway system, the local north-south arterials in

the study area and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) Drive are

overtaxed during the peak period. The high levels of auto congestion in

the study area influences the New York Metropolitan region's ability to

meet National Ambient Air Quality standards.

The purpose of the MIS/DEIS process is, in coordination with a

regional framework of transportation studies, to thoroughly examine the

long term needs and available options for improving mobility in the

north/south corridors on Manhattan's East Side and identify a preferred

investment strategy that will address the mobility needs in a cost-

effective, equitable, and publicly acceptable manner.

This MIS/DEIS effort is in its preliminary stages. While study

efforts over the past several months have included a significant amount

of data gathering, review of past work, and initial public involvement,

public involvement regarding issues and alternatives to be studied are

still being sought.

Alternatives

The alternatives proposed for evaluation include: No-Action which

involves no change to transportation services or facilities in the

corridor beyond already committed projects; the TSM alternative, which

consists of low-to-medium cost improvements to the facilities and

operations of existing transportation services; Lexington Avenue (4/5/

6) subway service improvements, which might include installing new

technology signals, higher capacity trains or stations; a north/south

subway route, which could extend along part or all of Manhattan's east

side (e.g. under Second Avenue); a commuter rail service extension

south of Grand Central Terminal; various bus strategies including fixed

busways and buses powered by overhead wires, including along the FDR

Drive; light rail service; elevated rail service; jitney services;

ferry services; and, the introduction of new stations on commuter rail

lines north of Grand Central Station and cross-town subway routes east

of Lexington Ave.

Other reasonable alternatives proposed during the scoping process

will also be considered.

Probable Effects/Potential Impacts for Analysis

FTA, FHWA and NYC Transit plan to evaluate in the MIS/DEIS all

social, economic, and environmental impacts of the proposed

alternatives. Among the primary issues are the expected increase in

transit ridership, impacts on highway and local street usage, the

capital outlays needed to construct the project, the cost of operating

and maintaining the facilities created by the project, and the

financial impacts on the funding agencies. Impacts to the markets

outside the study area will be examined as well. Environmental and

social impacts for

[[Page 34322]]

analysis include land use and neighborhood impacts, traffic and parking

impacts near stations, visual impacts, impacts on cultural resources,

and noise and vibration impacts. Impacts on natural areas, rare and

endangered species, air and water quality, groundwater, and geologic

forms will also be covered. The impacts will be evaluated both for the

construction period and for the long-term period of operation. Measures

to mitigate significant adverse impacts will be considered.

FTA and FHWA Procedures

In accordance with Federal Transit Laws, the Federal Aid Highway

Act and FTA/FHWA regulations and policies, the MIS/DEIS will be

prepared in conjunction with an analysis of alternatives and initial

Conceptual Engineering. After its publication, the MIS/DEIS will be

available for public and agency review and comment, and a public

hearing will be held. On the basis of the MIS/DEIS and the comments

received, and with input from the Project Steering Committee, The

Technical Advisory Committee, and the Public Advisory Committee, the

Metropolitan Transportation Authority will select a locally preferred

alternative for a major investment strategy. The Regional

Transportation Plan and Transportation Improvement Plan will be revised

to incorporate the selected strategy. Approval will be sought from FTA

and FHWA to continue with Preliminary Engineering and to prepare a

Final EIS.

Issued on: June 26, 1995.

Thomas J. Ryan,

Regional Administrator, Federal Transit Administration.

[FR Doc. 95-16151 Filed 6-29-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-57-P