Environmental Impact Statement: Williamson County, Texas

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

Environmental Impact Statement: Williamson County, Texas

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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

SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a

Major Investment Study (MIS) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

will be prepared for a proposed U.S. Highway 183 corridor improvement

project in Williamson County, Texas. The study corridor includes the

existing U.S. Highway 183 alignment and the general area located east

of existing U.S. Highway 183. The study limits extend from

approximately Lakeline Boulevard, located north of RM 620 and south of

the City of Cedar Park, to north of the City of Leander, south of the

San Gabriel River.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Walter C. Waidelich, District Engineer, Federal Highway Administration,

Room 826, Federal Building, 300 East 8th Street, Austin, Texas 78701.

Stacey Benningfield, Texas Turnpike Authority, Texas Department of

Transportation, 125 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas 78701-2483.

[[Page 59621]]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Texas

Turnpike Authority Division (TTA) of the Texas Department of

Transportation, will prepare a joint MIS/EIS for a proposed project to

relieve traffic congestion on U.S. Highway 183 and within the Cities of

Cedar Park and Leander and adjacent portions of Williamson County,

Texas. Alternatives to be considered for this project include upgrading

the existing U.S. Highway 183 or constructing a traffic reliever route,

known as U.S. Highway 183A, on new location. If ultimately selected as

the recommended action, U.S. Highway 183A would be located parallel and

northeast of existing U.S. Highway 183, beginning at Lakeline

Boulevard, south of Cedar Park, Texas, and running north to a terminus

with existing U.S. Highway 183 north of Leander, Texas. If constructed,

the ultimate facility design for U.S. Highway 183A is anticipated to be

a six-lane controlled access roadway with intermittent frontage roads

and overpasses at major thoroughfares. The total length of U.S. Highway

183A would be approximately ten and one-half miles.

Other improvements to be considered within the U.S. Highway 183

corridor include implementing Transportation System Management (TSM)

and/or Travel Demand Management (TDM) improvements for U.S. Highway

183. The TSM alternative would involve implementing only those

activities which maximize the efficiency of existing U.S. Highway 183,

such as improved traffic signal timing, more efficient accident

removal, or the addition of turn lanes. TDM improvements could include

strategies such as flex time, telecommuting, or other control measures

to reduce travel time. Ongoing regional high occupancy vehicle (HOV)

studies, toll road studies, as well as the combination of a fixed

guideway facility (light rail) and/or commuter rail facility will be

considered for integration with the proposed U.S. Highway 183A.

The MIS portion of the study will analyze the various mobility

alternatives in the U.S. Highway 183 corridor as described above.

Information on the costs, benefits, and impact of the alternatives will

lead to decisions by TTA, FHWA, the Texas Department of Transportation

and the Austin Transportation Study, the metropolitan planning

organization for the Austin-area, on the design concept and scope of

the investment.

For all alternatives being considered, the DEIS will include an

analysis of the cost of the 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 material sites. At the

present stage of the planning process, no preferred alternative has

been selected. More in-depth studies will be conducted after a

preferred alternative is chosen to avoid and/or minimize impacts to

human, cultural and ecological resources. All studies will be

coordinated through appropriate local, state and federal agencies.

If construction of U.S. Highway 183A is ultimately selected as the

preferred alternative, the TTA will conduct a toll feasibility study to

evaluate the viability of developing U.S. Highway 183A as a toll road

and financing it, in whole or in part, through the issuance of revenue

bonds. The toll road designation will not influence the selection of a

preferred alternative. Proposed alternatives, including alternative

alignments for U.S. Highway 183A, will be evaluated for how well they

meet the established purpose and need for the proposed project. Any

impacts owing to the toll road designation will be discussed in the

environmental impact statement.

An initial public meeting for the proposed U.S. 183 project was

held in 1990. However, the project progression was slowed shortly after

that meeting due to resource and budget shortfalls. In 1995, the

project was revived and another public meeting was held on May 22,

1996. At the meeting, mobility concerns within the U.S. Highway 183

corridor were raised and a proposed corridor for U.S. Highway 183A was

shown. A Major Investment Study public initiation meeting was held on

May 12, 1998, in Cedar Park, Texas, that provided more information on

the modal alternatives for the corridor, alternative alignments being

considered for the corridor and some of the potential impacts

associated with each alternative.

In continuation of the scoping process for the proposed project, on

November 10, 1998, the TTA will conduct another public meeting to

discuss the proposed improvements within the U.S. Highway 183 corridor.

The purpose of the public meeting will be to receive comments on the

proposed project and possible alignments for the U.S. 183A alternative.

The meeting will be held in the gymnasium of Giddens Elementary School,

1500 Timberwood Drive, Cedar Park, Texas 78613. From 6 to 7 p.m.,

displays showing the project corridor and possible alignments for the

U.S. Highway 183A alternative will be available for review. During this

time, TTA staff will be available to answer questions. At 7 p.m. there

will be a formal project presentation followed by a public comment

period. All interested citizens are invited to attend this meeting.

A public hearing will be held after publication of the Draft MIS/

EIS. Public notice will be given of the time and place of the hearing.

The Draft MIS/EIS will be available for public and agency review and

comment prior to the public hearing.

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 MIS/EIS should be

directed to the FHWA or TTA at the addresses provided above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205,

Highway Research, Planning and Construction. The regulation

implementing Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental

consultation on Federal programs and activities apply to this

program)

Walter C. Waidelich,

District Engineer, Austin, Texas.

[FR Doc. 98-29526 Filed 11-3-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-22-M