Draft Environmental Impact Statement; Denver, Arapahoe, and Douglas Counties

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

Federal Transit Administration

Draft Environmental Impact Statement; Denver, Arapahoe, and

Douglas Counties

AGENCIES: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit

Administration (FTA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of

1969, the FHWA and FTA, in cooperation with the Colorado Department of

Transportation (CDOT) and the Regional Transportation District (RTD),

have jointly prepared a Draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for

proposed transportation improvements in the Southeast Corridor of the

Denver, Colorado metropolitan area. The project is within the

municipalities of Denver, Arapahoe and Douglas Counties. The Draft EIS

identifies a preferred alternative and the associated environmental

impacts of the proposed preferred alternative. Interested citizens are

invited to review the Draft EIS and submit comments. Copies of the

Draft EIS may be obtained by telephoning or writing the contact person

listed below under Addresses. Public reading copies of the Draft EIS

are available at the locations listed under Supplementary Information.

DATES: A 45-day public review period will begin on August 20, 1999 and

conclude on October 5, 1999. Written comments on the scope of the

alternatives and impacts to be considered must be received by CDOT by

October 4, 1999. Public hearings to receive oral comments on the Draft

EIS will be held in two locations in Denver. See Supplementary

Information section for hearing dates and locations.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the Draft EIS should be addressed to Jim

Bumanglag, Project Manager, Colorado Department of Transportation,

Southeast Corridor, 4201 East Arkansas, Denver, CO 80222. Requests for

a copy of the Draft EIS may be addressed to Mr. Bumanglag at the

address above. Please see Supplementary Information section for a

listing of the available documents and formats in which they may be

[[Page 45585]]

obtained. Copies of the Draft EIS are also available for public

inspection and review. See Supplementary Information section for

locations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request copies of the Draft EIS or

for additional information, contact: Mr. Vincent P. Barone, FHWA

Colorado Division, 555 Zang Street, Room 250, Denver, CO 80228,

Telephone (303) 969-6730, extension 369; or Mr. David L. Beckhouse, FTA

Region VIII, 216 16th Street Mall, Suite 650, Denver, CO 80202,

Telephone (303) 844-3242

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Hearing Dates and Locations:

Thursday, September 9, 1999, Most Precious Blood Catholic

School, 2250 South Harrison Street, Denver, CO 80237, 4:00 p.m. to 7:00

p.m.

Thursday, September 16, 1999, Calvary Baptist Church, 6500

East Girard Avenue, Denver, CO 80224, 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Copies of the Draft EIS, supporting technical reports and

engineering plan sheets are available in hard copy format for public

inspection at:

CDOT Region 6 Office, 2000 South Holly Street, Denver, CO

80222, 303-757-9372

CDOT Environmental Services, 1325 S. Colorado Boulevard,

Denver, CO 80222, 303-757-9259

RTD Administrative Services, 1600 Blake Street, Denver, CO

80202, 303-299-2484

Denver Public Library, 10 West 14th Avenue, Denver, CO

80203, 303-640-6220

Castlewood Public Library, 6739 South Uinta Street,

Denver, CO 80237, 303-771-3197

Southeast Corridor Project Office (Carter & Burgess), 216

16th Street Mall, Suite 1700, Denver CO 80202, 303-820-5278

The Draft EIS evaluated a No-Action, and a Preliminary Preferred

Alternative (including transportation management solutions) in the I-25

Southeast Corridor study limits from Broadway to Lincoln Avenue, which

includes I-225 from I-25 to Parker Road, and determined the estimated

costs and potential impacts associated with each. CDOT was the local

lead agency for the preparation of the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS

satisfies the requirements of the 1999 Clean Air Act Amendments.

The FHWA, the FTA, the CDOT, the RTD and other local agencies

invite interested individuals, organizations, and Federal, State and

local agencies to comment on the identified preferred alternative and

associated social, economic, or environmental impacts related to the

alternatives.

The preferred alternative is consistent with the Southeast Corridor

Major Investment Study completed in July, 1997. It begins at

approximately I-25 and Broadway and proceeds south and southeast to

Lincoln Avenue following the general alignment of I-25. Also included

is a segment along I-225 from I-25 to Parker Road. The preferred

alternative excludes any proposed roadway improvements near I-25 from

6th Avenue to approximately the Logan Street crossing including the I-

25 interchanges at Alameda, Santa Fe, and Broadway. The primary purpose

of the Southeast Corridor Multi-Modal Project is to improve travel time

and enhance safety along these two transportation corridors, while

causing the least disruption to neighboring residents and businesses.

The Southeast Corridor is the most heavily congested corridor on a

daily basis, in the State of Colorado. It has been the focus of study

for twenty years. These studies have consistently recommended that

improvements be made to the highway system and to the provision of

public transit.

The alternatives evaluated in the Draft EIS include the following:

1. The No-Action alternative served as the baseline for

environmental analysis and consists of the existing transit and highway

systems and all projects contained in the federally approved

Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for the Denver metropolitan

area.

2. The Preliminary Preferred Alternative generally used the I-25

right-of-way between Broadway and Lincoln Avenue, and the I-225 right-

of-way between I-25 and Parker. There are 17.9 miles of double tracked

light rail transit beginning at the existing Broadway Station and

ending at Lincoln Avenue on the west side of I-25. Light rail will also

be added to the median of I-225, from I-25 to the existing Nine Mile

Park-n-Ride. There will be thirteen stations. Improvements to I-25 and

I-225 consist of one additional lane in each direction on I-25 from

Logan Avenue to I-225, two additional lanes in each direction on I-25

from I-225 to C-470/E-470 and one additional lane in each direction on

I-225 from I-25 to Yosemite. This alternative is designed to

accommodate future transportation needs and includes improvements to

the highway, transportation systems management, and pedestrian and

bicycle facilities in the study area.

The FHWA, the FTA, the CDOT and the RTD evaluated all significant

social, economic, and environmental impacts of the alternatives. The

primary areas of examination included transit ridership, the capital

outlays needed to construct the recommended alternative, the cost of

operating and maintaining facilities created by the project, and the

financial requirements on the funding agencies. Environmental and

social impacts evaluated in the analysis include land use and

neighborhood impacts, traffic and parking impacts near stations, visual

impacts, hazardous material impacts, impacts on cultural and

paleontological resources, and noise and vibration impacts. Impacts on

natural areas, threatened and endangered species, air and water

quality, and groundwater are also covered. Right-of-way impacts are

also identified. Impacts were also evaluated both for the construction

period and for the long-term period of operation. Measures to mitigate

adverse impacts were developed.

In accordance with the Federal Transit Act, as amended, and FHWA

and FTA policy, the Draft EIS was prepared with required engineering

design studies necessary to complete the document. On the basis of the

Draft EIS and the comments received, a preferred alternative will be

selected and preparation of the Final EIS and Record of Decision will

proceed.

(23 U.S.C. 315; 49 U.S.C. 107, 5301 et seq.; 49 CFR 1.48 and 1.51)

Issued on August 12, 1999.

James Daves,

Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Lakewood,

Colorado.

Louis F. Mraz, Jr.,

Regional Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, Region VIII,

Denver, Colorado.

[FR Doc. 99-21395 Filed 8-19-99; 8:45 am]

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