Environmental Impact Statement on the Northstar Corridor Project Located Between Minneapolis and the St. Cloud Area, Minnesota

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

Environmental Impact Statement on the Northstar Corridor Project

Located Between Minneapolis and the St. Cloud Area, Minnesota

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration is issuing this notice to

advise interested agencies and the public that a Draft Environmental

Impact Statement (DEIS) is being prepared for transit elements of the

Northstar Corridor project located in the Trunk Highway 10/47 (TH 10/

47) corridor between Minneapolis and the St. Cloud area, Minnesota.

DATES: Interagency and public scoping and information meetings will be

held on Thursday, July 29, 1999 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., and from

4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on July 27, 28 and 29, respectively.

Interagency Scoping Meeting

Thursday, July 29, 1999 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Fridley City Hall,

6431 University Avenue Northeast, Fridley, MN 55432

Public Scoping Meetings

Tuesday, July 27, 1999 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Whitney Senior

Community Center, 1527 Northway Drive, St. Cloud, MN 56303

Wednesday, July 28, 1999, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m, Sherburne County

Courthouse, 13880 Highway 10, Elk River, MN 55330

Thursday, July 29, 1999 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Fridley City Hall,

6431 University Avenue Northeast, Fridley, MN 55432

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of analysis and impacts to be

considered should be sent by August 20, 1999 to: Mr. Tim Yantos,

Project Director, Northstar Corridor Development Authority, 2100 Third

Avenue, Anoka, MN 55303

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Joel P. Ettinger, FTA Region 5,

200 West Adams Street, Suite 2410, Chicago, IL 60606, Telephone: (312)

353-2789.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA)

(the federal lead agency) in cooperation with the Northstar Corridor

Development Authority (NCDA), a joint powers board (local lead agency),

will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Northstar

Corridor project.

I. Scoping

The FTA and the NCDA invite interested individuals, organizations

and federal, state and local agencies to participate in defining the

alternatives to be evaluated in the EIS; in identifying social,

economic or environmental impacts to be evaluated; and suggesting

alternatives that are less costly or have fewer environmental impacts

while achieving similar transportation objectives. An information

packet, referred to as the Scoping Booklet, will be circulated to all

federal, state or local agencies having jurisdiction in the project,

and all interested parties currently on the NCDA mailing list.

Others may request this Scoping Booklet by contacting:

Stephanie Eiler, Anoka County, 1440 Bunker Lake Boulevard, Andover, MN

55304, Phone: 612/862-4230, Fax: 612/862-4201, E-Mail:

[email protected]

Four public scoping meetings will be held in the study area. An

interagency scoping meeting will be held on July 29, 1999 from 1:00

p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Fridley City Hall, and three public scoping

meetings will be held on July 27, 28 and 29, 1999 from 4:00 to 7:00

p.m. at the Whitney Senior Community Center, the Sherburne County

Courthouse and the Fridley City Hall, respectively. People with special

needs should call Stephanie Eiler at 612-862-4230. The buildings are

accessible to people with disabilities.

Scoping comments may be made at the Public Scoping Meetings or in

writing by August 20, 1999. Comments or questions should be directed to

Mr. Tim Yantos at the address provided above.

II. Description of the Study Area and Transportation Needs

The Northstar Corridor study area can be described as a long,

narrow 70-mile transportation corridor that extends from downtown

Minneapolis to the St. Cloud area along TH 10/47 and the Burlington

Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad. The study area is bordered by the

Mississippi River on the west and extends approximately 3 to 5 miles to

the east of TH 10/47. The proposed Corridor would connect to the

Hiawatha Light Rail Transit (LRT) in downtown Minneapolis. The Hiawatha

LRT line would continue to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport and the

Mall of America.

The NCDA initiated a Major Investment Study (MIS) in May of 1998,

pursuant to federal regulations, and conducted a feasibility study of

commuter rail in the Corridor. Phase I of this process focused on

identifying the purpose and need for transportation improvements in the

Corridor, identifying and screening the alternative transportation

solutions, and evaluating the feasibility of commuter rail service in

the Corridor.

During Phase I of the Study, the issues identified in the Northstar

Corridor that relate to transportation include: a lack of coordination

between transportation investments and land use development; a high

accident rate along the TH 10/47 corridor; decreasing mobility on TH

10/

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47; a lack of corridor-wide transit service; and the lack of

alternative transportation modes.

A public involvement program was conducted during Phase I of the

project to receive input from the public and stakeholders in the

Corridor. Public outreach presentations were given to over 30 community

groups. Communications to the public were via a newsletter and a

monthly Project Update to the NCDA distribution list of approximately

1000 names/addresses, a Web Site, and a series of three public

information open houses.

III. Alternatives

Phase I of the MIS process defined and evaluated eight transit

technologies for the Northstar Corridor: bus, commuter rail, light rail

transit (LRT), diesel multiple unit (DMU), heavy rail, monorail,

automated guideway transit (AGT), and personal rapid transit (PRT).

Each of these transit technologies was reviewed based on the following

evaluation parameters: capital cost, proven technology, operating

environment, ability to accommodate at-grade station access, optimal

station spacing distance, environmental impacts, and other

considerations such as ridership potential and implementation. Based on

this transit technology screening analysis, the following transit

technologies have been recommended for further analysis: Bus, LRT and

Commuter Rail. The scoping process will review the full range of modal

technologies considered and the evaluation process followed.

The alternatives proposed for consideration in the Northstar

Corridor DEIS include:

1. No-Build Alternative--No change to transportation services or

facilities in the Corridor beyond already committed projects. This

includes only those roadway and transit improvements defined in the

appropriate agencies' Long Range Transportation Plans and Transit

Development Plans for which funding has been committed.

2. Transportation Systems Management Alternative--Low cost

infrastructure and bus transit improvements, Intelligent Transportation

Systems (ITS), Travel Demand Management, bus operations, and

Transportation Systems Management improvements will be included in this

alternative.

3. Commuter Rail Alternative--A commuter rail line on the existing

BNSF rail line to include all facilities associated with the

construction and operations of the commuter rail line, including right-

of-way, structures, track, stations, park-and-ride lots, storage and

maintenance facilities as well as the respective rail and bus operating

plans will be elements of the alternative. The extension of the

Hiawatha Corridor LRT service to the commuter rail line will be

included in this alternative. The Commuter Rail Alternative will also

incorporate the elements of the No-Build Alternative and will include

feeder bus improvements to provide access from local and regional land

uses to the commuter rail connection.

IV. Probable Effects/Potential Impacts for Analysis

The FTA and the NCDA will evaluate significant environmental,

social and economic impacts of the alternatives analyzed in the EIS.

Primary environmental issues include: land use, historic and

archeological resources, traffic and parking, noise and vibration,

neighborhoods and environmental justice, floodplain encroachment,

coordination with ongoing related transportation and economic

development projects, and construction impacts. Other issues the EIS

will address include natural areas, rare and endangered species, air

and water quality, groundwater, energy, potentially contaminated sites,

displacements and relocations, ecosystems, water resources, hazardous

waste, parklands, and energy impacts. The impacts will be evaluated

both for the construction period and for the long-term period of

operation of each alternative. In addition, cumulative effects of the

proposed project and any irreversible or irretrievable commitment of

resources will be identified. Measures to avoid or mitigate any

significant adverse impacts will be developed.

V. Procedures

In accordance with the regulations and guidance established by the

Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), as well as 23 CFR 450 and 23

CFR 771 of the FHWA/FTA planning and environmental regulations and

policies, the DEIS will include an evaluation of the social, economic

and environmental impact of the alternatives. The EIS will also comply

with the requirements of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA)

and with the Executive Order 12898 on Environmental Justice. The EIS

will also meet the requirements of the US Environmental Protection

Agency's transportation conformity regulations (40 CFR 93 and 23 CFR

450.322(b)(8)). After its publication, the DEIS will be available for

public and agency review and comment. Public hearings will be held on

the DEIS.

The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) will consider the

public and agency comments received during the public and agency

circulation of the DEIS and the NCDA will select the preferred

alternative. Then the NCDA, with FTA as federal lead agency, will

continue with the preparation of the FEIS. Opportunity for additional

public comment will be provided throughout all phases of project

development.

Issued on: June 1, 1999.

Donald Gismondi,

Deputy Regional Administrator.

[FR Doc. 99-14325 Filed 6-4-99; 8:45 am]

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