Proposed American River Bridge Crossing Project, Folsom, California

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

[FES 9649]

Proposed American River Bridge Crossing Project, Folsom,

California

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of final environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental

Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (as amended), the Bureau of Reclamation

(Reclamation) has prepared a final environmental impact statement

(FEIS) for the American River Bridge Crossing Project in Folsom,

California. The Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service are cooperating agencies under NEPA.

The purpose of the FEIS is to address the environmental impacts of

constructing a bridge across the American River in the City of Folsom

in eastern Sacramento County. The FEIS describes the environmental

effects of five alternatives, including no action. The purpose of the

American River Bridge crossing project alternatives are:

To relieve traffic on Rainbow Bridge, currently operating

at design capacity;

To relieve traffic congestion on the bridge approach

roadways and intersections in the immediate vicinity of the bridge;

To improve traffic circulation throughout Folsom;

To provide additional cross-river transportation

facilities to accommodate present and future commute traffic in area

communities; and

To improve automobile, bicycle, and pedestrian safety in

the vicinity of Rainbow Bridge.

The FEIS also includes all comments received on the Draft

Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report and

responses to those comments.

DATES: No decision will be made on the proposed action until 30 days

after release of the FEIS. After the 30-day waiting period, Reclamation

will complete a Record of Decision which states the action that will be

implemented and will discuss all factors leading to the decision.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FEIS may be requested from Reclamation at the

following address: Regional Director, Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-

Pacific Regional Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Attention: MP-152,

Sacramento, CA 95825-1898; Telephone: (916) 979-2482.

Copies of the FEIS are also available for inspection at the above

address and at the following libraries

City of Folsom Planning Department, 50 Natoma Street,

Folsom CA 95630.

Natural Resources Library, U.S. Department of the

Interior, 1849 C Street, NW, Main Interior Building, Washington DC

20240-0001.

Library, Bureau of Reclamation, 6th Avenue and Kipling,

Room 167, Building 67, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225-0007.

California State University Library, Government

Publications Section, 2000 Jed Smith Drive, Sacramento CA 95819.

City of Folsom Public Library, 300 Persifer Street, Folsom

CA 95630.

Fair Oaks-Orangevale Community Library, 11601 Fair Oaks

Boulevard, Fair Oaks CA 95628.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Douglas Kleinsmith, U.S. Bureau of

Reclamation. Mid-Pacific Region, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-152, Sacramento

California 95825-1898, telephone (916) 979-2482.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Reclamation and the City of Folsom prepared

a joint draft environmental impact report/environmental impact

statement (DEIR/DEIS) for the American River Bridge Crossing Project in

March 1992. It was decided that a separate final environmental impact

report (FEIR) and a separate FEIS would be prepared, rather than a

joint FEIS/FEIR, because the NEPA process was delayed by meeting the

requirements of related Federal environmental laws. Pursuant to the

California Environmental Quality Act, the City of Folsom released and

certified the FEIR in July 1994. A supplement to the FEIR was released

November 1994. This FEIS incorporates the information contained in

those two documents and new information received since the release of

the Supplement to the FEIR.

The proposed action (preferred alternative) consists of a 2,300-

foot span bridge connecting Folsom Boulevard with Folsom-Auburn Road.

The bridge would be constructed to accommodate four vehicular lanes,

bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and right-of-way for a future high-

occupancy vehicle facility (such as light rail line or carpool lane).

The project would require roadway and intersection improvements in

Folsom's downtown historic district, widening Folsom Boulevard,

modifying the Greenback Lane/ Folsom-Auburn Road intersection for the

northern bridge approach, and raising an electrical transmission line

to meet clearance requirements over the northern bridge approach.

Because the bridge facility crosses federal land, the City of

Folsom must apply for an easement from Reclamation for construction.

Accordingly, Reclamation is the lead federal agency responsible for

NEPA compliance on the proposed action.

Other alternatives evaluated in detail in the FEIS are three other

bridge crossing sites in the City of Folsom and the no action

alternative. The other sites considered in detail are the Oak Avenue

Parkway extension and bridge upstream of Rainbow Bridge, a bridge

parallel to Rainbow Bridge with a connector to the Oak Avenue Parkway

extension, and a bridge below Folsom Dam.

Dated: September 18, 1996.

Kirk C. Rodgers,

Deputy Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 96-26196 Filed 10-10-96; 8:45 am]

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