Environmental Impact Statement: Douglas County, CO

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

Environmental Impact Statement: Douglas County, CO

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advice the public that an

environmental impact statement/4(f) evaluation will be prepared for

transportation improvements in Douglas County, Colorado.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Joe Duran, FHWA, Colorado Division, 555 Zang Street, Room 250,

Lakewood, CO, 80228, Telephone: (303) 969-6730 extension 385, or Ms.

Theresa Tiehen, Colorado Department of Transportation, Region 1, 18500

East Colfax Avenue, Aurora, CO 80011, Telephone: (303) 757-9285.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA in cooperation with the Colorado

Department of Transportation (CDOT) will prepare an environmental

impact statement (EIS)/Section 4(f) evaluation for transportation

improvements on Interstate 25 (I-25) between the I-25/Lincoln Avenue

interchange (I-25 Milepost 193) and south of Castle Rock (I-25 Milepost

178) a distance of approximately 15 miles and on Colorado State Highway

85 (SH 85) as an alternative route between the Colorado 470 (C-470) (SH

85 Milepost 200) and the SH 85/I-25 interchange in Castle Rock (SH 85

Milepost 184) a distance of approximately 16 miles. The EIS will be

conducted in conjunction with a major investment study (MIS) for the I-

25 and SH 85 north-south corridor between Castle Rock and Denver. The

proposed improvements will be identified in the MIS and the EIS/Section

4(f) evaluation.

The MIS and EIS/Section 4(f) evaluation will evaluate improvement

alternatives to compare to the No-Build Alternative. These alternatives

include additional general purpose lanes on I-25 and SH 85, toll

facility lanes on I-25, exclusive bus/carpool lanes on I-25, rail

alternatives along I-25 and SH 85, transportation management options

(such as transportation systems management, transportation demand

management and intelligent transportation systems), new or improved

interchanges on I-25, and combinations of the various alternatives. The

EIS will satisfy the requirements of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments.

Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will

be sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies. Project

scoping will be accomplished through coordination with affected

parties, organizations, federal, state, and local agencies and through

public meetings in the project corridor. Information on the time and

place of the public scoping meetings will be provided in the local

newspapers. To be placed on the public mailing list to receive

additional project information, contact Theresa Tiehen at the address

previously provided. The MIS and draft EIS/Section 4(f) evaluation will

be available for public and agency review and comment prior to the

public hearing.

To ensure that a full range of issues related to the 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/Section 4(f)

evaluation should be directed to Theresa Tiehen at the CDOT address

previously provided.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205,

Highway Planning and Construction. The regulations implementing

Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental consultation on

Federal programs and activities apply to this program)

Issued on: October 20, 1998.

Ronald A. Speral,

Environmental/ROW Program Manager, Colorado Division, Federal Highway

Administration, Lakewood, Colorado.

[FR Doc. 98-29713 Filed 11-5-98; 8:45 am]

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