Environmental Impact Statement: Travis and Williamson Counties, TX

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

Environmental Impact Statement: Travis and Williamson Counties,

TX

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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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.

[[Page 59024]]

These previous studies identified the need for a new location, multiple

lane roadway with full control of access; however, these DEIS's were

never finalized. Much of the relevant information developed for these

studies will be utilized during the project development process for

proposed SH 45.

Major considerations in the EIS will include an analysis of the

costs of right-of-way, the numbers and types of relocations necessary,

engineering constraints and limitations due to topography, and

potential environmental impacts involving land use, socioeconomic

conditions, water resources, air quality, noise, traffic, ecological/

cultural resources, and hazardous materials sites. Multiple alignment

alternatives will be studied for the new location sections. At the

present stage of the EIS process, no preferred alternative has been

selected.

A public meeting was held on September 23, 1997, at the Cedar

Valley Middle School in Round Rock, Texas. In addition, a public

hearing will be held after the Draft EIS has been completed and made

available to the agencies and public. Other public involvement

opportunities include a newsletter to be sent periodically to update

the public on the EIS progress and the dates, times, and locations of

public meetings and hearings; and news releases to be prepared at

appropriate times during the EIS process to inform the public about the

EIS status and relevant dates, time, and locations of public meetings

and hearings. In addition, at appropriate times over the course of the

EIS process, presentations will be made to the Round Rock City Council,

Williamson County Commissioner's Court, numerous resource protection

agency personnel, and the Austin Transportation Study, which serves as

the region's Metropolitan Planning Organization.

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 address provided 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: October 21, 1997.

John Mack,

Acting District Engineer Austin, Texas.

[FR Doc. 97-28867 Filed 10-30-97; 8:45 am]

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