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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

Federal Transit Administration

Final 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 the FTA, in cooperation with the Colorado Department

of Transportation (CDOT) and the Regional Transportation District

(RTD), have jointly prepared a Final 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

Final EIS identifies a preferred alternative and the associated

environmental impacts of the proposed preferred alternative. Interested

citizens are invited to review the Final EIS and submit comments.

Copies of the Final EIS may be obtained by telephoning or writing the

contact person list below under Addresses. Public reading copies of the

Final EIS are available at the locations listed under Supplementary

Information.

DATES: A 30-day public review period will begin on December 23, 1999,

and conclude on January 28, 2000. Written comments on the preferred

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

January 28, 2000. A public hearing to receive oral comments on the

Final EIS will be held in one location in Denver. See Supplementary

Information section for hearing date and location.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the Final 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 Final 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

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

inspection and review. See Supplementary Information section for

locations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request copies of the Final 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 Date and Location:

January 12, 2000, Most Precious Blood Catholic School,

2250 South Harrison Street, Denver, CO 80237, 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Copies of the Final EIS 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.

Aurora Central Library, 14949 East Alameda Drive, Aurora,

CO 80012, 303-739-6600.

Aurora Planning Office, 1470 South Havana St., Room 608,

Aurora, CO 80012, 303-739-7250.

Douglas Public Library District-Philip S. Miller Branch,

961 South Plum Creek Blvd., Castle Rock, CO 80104, 303-688-5157.

Copies of supporting technical reports and engineering plan sheets are

available at:

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

80222, 303-757-9372.

Southeast Corridor Project Office (Carter & Burgess), 216

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

Background

The Final EIS evaluated a No-Action, and a Preferred Alternative

(including transportation management solutions) in the Southeast

Corridor and determined the estimated costs and potential impacts

associated with each. The project study limits are on I-25 from

Broadway Avenue to Lincoln Avenue, which includes I-225 from I-25 to

Parker Road. CDOT was the local lead agency for the preparation of the

Final EIS.

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 generally consistent with the

Southeast Corridor Major Investment Study completed in July 1997. It

begins at approximately I-25 and Broadway Avenue 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,

businesses, and commuters. 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

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that improvements be made to the highway system and that public transit

be provided.

The alternatives evaluated in the Final 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 Preferred Alternative generally will use the I-25 right-of-

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

way between I-25 and Parker Road. There are 19.12 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. Thirteen light rail stations are planned.

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 included 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, (49 U.S.C.

5301 et seq.) and FHWA and FTA policy, the Final EIS was prepared with

required engineering design studies necessary to complete the document.

On the basis of the Final EIS and the comments received, a 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)

James Daves,

Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Lakewood,

Colorado.

Louis F. Mraz Jr.,

Regional Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, Region VIII,

Denver, Colorado.

[FR Doc. 99-32984 Filed 12-22-99; 8:45 am]

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