Environmental Impact Statement for the North Shore-CBD Transportation Corridor in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

Environmental Impact Statement for the North Shore-CBD

Transportation Corridor in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

(EIS).

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Federal Highway

Administration (FHWA) (the Federal co-lead agencies) and the Port

Authority of Allegheny County (the local lead agency), in cooperation

with the City of Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania Department of

Transportation, intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

(EIS) for transportation improvements in the North Shore-Central

Business District (CBD) Corridor in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The EIS

is being prepared in conformance with the National Environmental Policy

Act (NEPA) and will also satisfy the requirements of the 1990 Clean Air

Act Amendments (CAAA).

The City of Pittsburgh and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Regional

Planning Commission (SPRPC) initiated the North Shore/CBD

Transportation Corridor Major Investment Study (MIS) in Fall 1997.

Under the MIS, a long list of road and transit alternatives were

generated and analyzed for their physical feasibility and ability to

serve the needs of the corridor. This list was screened to a short list

of alternatives which will be analyzed under the EIS.

The EIS will evaluate a No-Build Alternative, a Transportation

System Management (TSM) Alternative which includes enhanced bus service

and pedestrian facilities, and the Build Alternatives which would

include one or more of the following transportation projects: two

Intermodal Transportation Centers (ITC's), a ramp from an ITC to a

highway, a people mover system including a possible low-speed Maglev

technology, and an extension of Port Authority's existing light rail

transit line into the North Shore.

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

alternatives and impacts to be considered must should be sent to Port

Authority by February 19, 1999. Public Scoping Meetings will be held on

Tuesday, February 2, 1999 at 12:00 and at 6:00 p.m. at the Southwestern

Pennsylvania Commission, 31st Floor. See ADDRESSES below.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the project scope should be sent to Mr.

Bruce W. Ahern, Assistant General Manager of Business Development and

Planning, Port Authority of Allegheny County, 2235 Beaver Avenue,

Pittsburgh, PA 15233. Two Public Scoping Meetings will be held at the

following location: Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, 31st Floor;

425 Sixth Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh, 15219. See DATES above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Garrity, Federal Transit

Administration, Region III, (215) 656-7100 or Anthony L. Mento, Federal

Highway Administration, Pennsylvania Division, (717) 221-3461.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Scoping

The FTA, FHWA, and the Port Authority invite interested

individuals, organizations, and federal, state, and local agencies to

participate in establishing the purpose, scope, framework, and approach

for the environmental analysis of the alternatives and identifying any

significant social, economic, or environmental impacts to be evaluated.

At the two Scoping Meetings, presentations will be made which will

provide a description of the proposed scope of the study as well as a

plan for an active citizen involvement program, a work schedule, and an

estimated level of effort and detail of the analysis. Scoping comments

may be made at the Public Scoping Meeting or in writing within thirty

days after publication of this notice. See the ``Scoping Meetings''

under the DATES and ADDRESSES sections above for locations and times.

The Scoping Meeting will begin with an ``open house'' where

attendees will be able to view graphics and discuss the project with

staff involved in the study. A presentation on the project will be

given at 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., followed by an additional

opportunity for questions and answers. Scoping material will be

available at the meeting or in advance of the meeting by contacting Mr.

David E. Wohlwill, Project Manager at (412) 237-7338. A sign language

interpreter will be available for the hearing impaired. A TDD number

(412) 231-7007 is also available. The meeting location is accessible to

persons with disabilities.

[[Page 3149]]

II. Description of the Study Area and Project Need

The corridor extends roughly from 13th Street in the Strip

District, through the Golden Triangle between Liberty Avenue and Fort

Duquesne Boulevard, and into the North Shore from the Fort Wayne

Railroad Bridge to the West End Bridge south of I-279 and Route 65.

Recently, this area has experienced new development and redevelopment

such as the Western Pennsylvania History Center, the Cultural District,

Andy Warhol Museum, new Alcoa Headquarters, and Lincoln Housing.

Significant new development is proposed or underway including expansion

of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, new hotels, the O'Reilly

Theater, PNC Ballpark, new Steelers Stadium, Carnegie Science Center

expansion, a North Shore amphitheater, new parking facilities, and new

retail and office development. The vision is to expand Downtown from

its traditional Golden Triangle confines across the Allegheny River

into the North Shore.

This corridor experiences significant congestion during peak

periods and when there is an event at Three Rivers Stadium. Demand for

parking exceeds supply, a condition which will be exacerbated when some

land presently being used for parking will be developed for other

purposes. The North Shore area is perceived is difficult to access.

Improved transportation facilities will be required to support new

development in the corridor. Transit linkages between the major

attractions need to be improved.

III. Alternatives

The following describes the No-Build, TSM, and Build Alternatives

that were evaluated in the MIS and are being presented for further

study in the North Shore/CBD Transportation Corridor DEIS:

1. No-Build Alternative--Existing transit service and programmed

new transportation facilities with level of transit service expanded as

appropriate to meet projected year 2020 travel demand.

2. TSM Alternative--Enhanced bus service including: high-frequency

shuttle bus service connecting the major attractions and hotels in the

corridor; routing of regional bus services through the North Shore; and

a network of regional express buses serving Steelers and Pirates

events. To ensure service reliability and improve bus speeds, exclusive

bus lanes and bus priority treatments are proposed for periods of high

congestion (i.e., post-game events). New pedestrian facilities linking

the North Shore with adjacent communities are also included in this

alternative.

3. Build Alternatives: The set of build alternatives being

considered in the DEIS include the following:

a. Intermodal Transportation Centers--Two Intermodal Transportation

Centers (ITC's) are proposed: one at Federal and General Robinson

Streets (ITC #1) and the other near Reedsdale Street and Allegheny

Avenue (ITC #2). These would be high-capacity (2,000+) parking garages

connected by a rapid transit line to the Golden Triangle.

b. Roadway Improvement--A ramp from ITC #1 to Route 28.

c. People Mover Gateway Alignment--Automated people-mover operating

primarily on elevated guideways using vehicles with rubber tires or

low-speed Maglev technology. This alignment begins at Fifth and Liberty

Avenues, traverses Cecil Way, crosses over Fort Duquesne Boulevard,

extends across the Allegheny River on a new bridge, and terminates at

ITC #1.

d. People Mover Fort Wayne Alignment--Automated people-mover

operating primarily on elevated guideways using vehicles with rubber

tires or low-speed Maglev technology. This alignment begins at the

Steel Plaza LRT Station, uses a portion of the Penn Park Line, crosses

the Allegheny River either on the lower deck of the Fort Wayne Railroad

Bridge or on a new bridge just east of the Fort Wayne Bridge and then

turns west to terminate at ITC #1.

e. LRT Gateway Alignment--This alignment extends from the existing

Gateway LRT Station in the Golden Triangle in a subway under the

Allegheny River to a station at or near ITC #1 and then west to the

Carnegie Science Center and ITC #2.

f. LRT Fort Wayne Alignment--This alignment connects with the

existing LRT system at the Steel Plaza Station, uses a portion of the

Penn Park Line and crosses the Allegheny River on either the lower deck

of the Fort Wayne Railroad Bridge or a new bridge just east of the Fort

Wayne Bridge, and turns west to ITC #1 and further west to ITC #2.

IV. Probable Effects

The FTA, FHWA, and Port Authority will evaluate all significant

environmental, social, and economic impacts of the alternatives

analyzed in the EIS. Primary environmental issues include: land use,

neighborhood enhancement, parklands, traffic and parking, visual

impacts and aesthetics, archeological, cultural and historic resources,

navigation impacts of new river crossings, and geotechnical issues

associated with tunnels. Other issues to be considered are floodplains,

wildlife and vegetation including endangered species, safety, air and

water quality, hazardous wastes, displacements, and energy impacts. The

impacts will be considered for both construction and operating and

maintaining the new facilities. Measures to mitigate any adverse

impacts will be developed for consideration.

V. FTA Procedures

In accordance with the federal transportation planning regulations

(23 CFR Part 450) and the federal environmental impact regulations and

related procedures (23 CFR 771), the Draft EIS will be prepared to

include an evaluation of the social, economic, and environmental

impacts of the alternatives. The DEIS will consider the public and

agency comments received. Port Authority, in concert with the City of

Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and other

affected agencies will select the preferred alternative. Then Port

Authority, as the lead agency, will continue with the preparation of

the Final EIS. Opportunity for additional public comment will be

provided throughout all phases of project development.

Issued on: January 14, 1999.

Sheldon A. Kinbar,

Regional Administrator, Federal Transit Administration.

[FR Doc. 99-1234 Filed 1-19-99; 8:45 am]

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