Environmental Impact Statement on the Central Phoenix /East Valley Light Rail Transit System

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

Environmental Impact Statement on the Central Phoenix /East

Valley Light Rail Transit System

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 the Phoenix

Regional Public Transportation Authority (RPTA), in cooperation with

the cities of Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa intend to prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) on the proposed Central Phoenix/East

Valley light rail transit project in Maricopa County, Arizona. The EIS

will evaluate the following alternatives: a no-build alternative and

light rail transit alignment options (including station locations,

support facilities, and a supporting bus system) plus any additional

alternatives that emerge from the scoping process. Scoping will be

accomplished through correspondence and discussions with interested

persons, organizations, and Federal, State and local agencies, and

through public meetings.

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

and impacts to be considered should be sent to the RPTA, 302 N. First

Avenue, Suite 600, Phoenix, AZ 85003 by April 2, 1999.

Scoping Meetings: RPTA and the cities of Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa

will conduct public scoping meetings on the following dates and

locations:

Tuesday, March 16, 1999, 5:00 pm--7:00 pm--Program Room,

Tempe Public Library, 3500 S. Rural Road, Tempe, Arizona

Wednesday, March 17, 1999, 5:00 pm--7:00 pm--Music Room

(4th Floor), Central Phoenix/Main Library (Burton Barr Public Library),

1221 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona.

Thursday, March 18, 1999, 5:00 pm--7:00 pm, Saguaro Room,

(2nd Floor), Mesa Public Library, 64 East 1st Avenue, Mesa, Arizona and

Friday, March 19, 1999, 10:30 am--1:00 pm, Phoenix City

Hall Assembly Room, A&B, 200 W. Washington Street, Phoenix, Arizona.

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

Wulf Grote PE, Project Director, RPTA, 302 N. First Avenue, Suite 600,

Phoenix, AZ 85003. Scoping meetings will be at the locations stated

above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert E. Hom, Director, Office of

Planning and Program Development Federal Transit Administration, Region

IX, (415) 744-3133.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Scoping

The FTA and the RPTA, in cooperation with the cities of Phoenix,

Tempe and Mesa invite written comments until April 2, 1999.

During scoping, comments should focus on identifying specific

social, economic, or environmental impacts to be evaluated and

suggesting alternatives that are less costly or less environmentally

damaging which achieve similar objectives. Comments should focus on the

issues and alternatives for analysis, and not on a preference for a

particular alternative. Individual preference for a particular

alternative should be communicated during the comment period for the

Draft EIS. If you wish to be placed on the mailing list to receive

further information as the project continues, contact Mr. Wulf Grote at

the RPTA; (see ADDRESSES above). A scoping package describing the light

rail alignment alternative in greater detail is also available by mail

from Mr. Wulf Grote at (602) 262-7242.

II. Description of Study Area and Project Need

The proposed project for environmental review consists of

approximately a 25-mile total light rail transit system. An initial

operating segment consisting of approximately 13 miles, in the core of

the corridor, has been identified as the focus of the preliminary

engineering effort. The total corridor links Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa

from Mesa Drive in downtown Mesa, through Tempe, west to downtown

Phoenix and north along the Central Avenue Corridor to the vicinity of

19th Avenue and Bethany Home.

For the 25-mile segment, two terminal locations in Phoenix will be

evaluated during the NEPA process. One terminal location is in the

vicinity of Central Avenue and Camelback Road. The other is located in

the vicinity of 19th Avenue and Bethany Home Road, integrated with the

Chris-Town Mall. For the initial operating segment, the exact length of

the LRT segment, station locations, and supporting facilities would

also be determined during the NEPA process.

The new light rail transit alignment will be located either within

existing arterial streets or in the parallel Union Pacific Railroad

(UPRR) corridor or a combination of the alignment locations. The light

rail transit alignment provides the opportunity to connect several

regionally significant activity centers, entertainment venues, and

special event locations. In addition, the light rail project is being

coordinated with the City of Phoenix, Aviation Department and is

included as an integral mobility component of the Sky Harbor

International Airport master plan update. The light rail corridor also

parallels Interstate 10, Interstate 17, and US 60 (Superstition

Freeway) generally considered to be the spine of Maricopa County's

freeway transportation system, carrying the greatest number of people

and vehicles of any corridor in the region and serving many of the

region's primary activity centers. Congestion and delays along these

freeways and along the parallel arterial streets are now considered to

be the major transportation problem facing this rapidly growing region.

With the prospect of continued and accelerated growth in population and

tourism in Maricopa County, travel conditions will continue to

deteriorate at an increasing rate. Between 1990 and 1995, Maricopa

County grew by more than 15 percent to a current population of 2.7

million. By 2020, it is estimated that the population of Maricopa

County will exceed 4 million. The County's growth rate was the third

fastest among the nation's top fifty counties from 1980 through 1994.

In response to this need, the RPTA in cooperation with the cities

of Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa have completed a

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Major Investment Study (MIS) for the Central Phoenix/East Valley

corridor. The MIS study resulted in a recommended design concept and

scope consisting of a light rail transit alternative operating in one

of several alignment options and a supporting bus system to provide the

required mobility in the Central Phoenix/East Valley corridor and the

region. Copies of the MIS are available from Mr. Wulf Grote at the RPTA

(see Addresses above).

III. Alternatives

The alternatives proposed for evaluation include: (1) No-action,

which involves no change to transportation services or facilities in

the corridor beyond already committed projects, (2) a new light rail

transit alignment located either within the UPRR right-of-way or

selected surface streets or a combination of the UPRR corridor and

surface streets.

IV. Probable Effects

FTA and the RPTA in cooperation with the cities of Phoenix, Tempe,

and Mesa will evaluate all significant environmental, social, and

economic impacts of the alternatives analyzed in the EIS. Primary

environmental issues include: neighborhood protection, traffic

diversion, business access, aesthetics, bicycle facilities,

contamination, alternative modes of transportation, stormwater

management, and archaeological and cultural resources. Environmental

and social impacts proposed for analysis include land use and

neighborhood impacts, traffic and parking impacts near stations, visual

impacts, impacts on cultural resources, and noise and vibration

impacts. Impacts on natural areas, air quality, groundwater and

potentially contaminated sites will also be covered. The impacts will

be evaluated both for the construction period and for the long-term

period of operation. Measures to mitigate any significant adverse

impacts will be developed.

V. FTA Procedures

The EIS for the Central Phoenix/East Valley project will be

prepared simultaneously with preliminary engineering for the

approximately 13-mile initial operating segment in the core of the

corridor. The EIS/preliminary engineering process will assess the

social, economic, and environmental impacts of the proposed

alternatives while refining their design to minimize and mitigate any

adverse impacts. After its publication, the Draft EIS will be available

for public and agency review and comment, and a public hearing will be

held. Based on the Draft EIS and comments received, the RPTA and the

cities of Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa will select a preferred alternative

to be further detailed in the Final EIS.

Issued on: February 24, 1999.

Leslie T. Rogers,

Regional Administrator.

[FR Doc. 99-5000 Filed 2-26-99; 8:45 am]

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