Major Investment Study and Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the Proposed Schuylkill Valley Metro Project Between the City of Philadelphia and the City of Reading and the Borough of Wyomissing, Berks County, PA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

Major Investment Study and Draft Environmental Impact Statement

on the Proposed Schuylkill Valley Metro Project Between the City of

Philadelphia and the City of Reading and the Borough of Wyomissing,

Berks County, PA

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to conduct a Major Investment Study and

prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), as Federal lead

agency, and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority

(SEPTA), as local lead agency, in conjunction with the Berks Area

Reading Transportation Authority (BARTA) intend to conduct a Major

Investment Study (MIS) and prepare a Draft Environmental Impact

Statement (DEIS) on a proposed investment strategy to improve mobility

in the Schuylkill Valley Corridor (Corridor). The Corridor is

approximately 62 miles long and varies from one half to two miles in

width from the City of Philadelphia to the City of Reading and the

Borough of Wyomissing in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Among the alternatives that the MIS/DEIS will evaluate are: (1) No

Build Alternative. This alternative involves no change to

transportation services or facilities in the Corridor beyond already

committed projects. (2) Transportation Systems Management (TSM)

Alternative. This alternative would optimize existing transportation

facilities with low-cost investments to meet the travel demand expected

over the next 20 years. Components of this alternative that will be

investigated include selected highway capacity enhancements and express

bus service. (3) Commuter Rail Alternative. This alternative would

utilize existing rail rights-of-way from Philadelphia to Reading and

share trackage with freight rail operations. (4) Light Rail

Alternative. This alternative would require dedicated trackage and

utilize existing rights-of-way for most of its length. Street running

of light rail vehicles through selected portions of Philadelphia may be

necessary. Other alternatives or revisions to the above alternatives

generated through the scoping process will also be considered.

Scoping will be accomplished through correspondence with interested

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

three public meetings.

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

alternatives and impacts to be considered should be submitted by

February 26, 1999. Written comments should be sent to Mr. Jim Fritz,

Senior Operations Planner and Project Manager, SEPTA, 1234 Market

Street, 9th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3780. Written comments may

also be provided at the public scoping meetings scheduled below: The

public scoping meetings will take place on: (1) February 9, 1999, (2)

February 10, 1999 and (3) February 11, 1999. See ADDRESSES below.

People with special needs should contact Mr. Jim Fritz at SEPTA at

the address below or by calling (215) 580-7438. The buildings in which

the scoping meetings will be conducted are accessible to people with

disabilities, and provisions will be made for the hearing impaired.

The meetings will be held in an ``open-house'' format, and

representatives will be available to discuss the project throughout the

time periods given. Informational displays and written material will

also be available throughout the time periods given.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Mr. Jim Fritz, Senior

Operations Planner and Project Manager, SEPTA, 1234 Market Street, 9th

Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3780. Written comments may also be made

at the public scoping meetings. The meetings will be held at the

following locations:

(1) February 9, 1999 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at Winnet Student Life

Building Great Hall, Room S219, Philadelphia Community College, 1700

Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130.

(2) February 10, 1999 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at Upper Merion Township

Building Freedom Hall, 175 West Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia, PA

19406.

(3) February 11, 1999 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at Berks County Services

Center Multi-purpose Room, 2nd Floor, Berks County Courthouse, 633

Court Street, Reading, PA 19601.

[[Page 1873]]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jim Fritz, Senior Operations

Planner and Project Manager, SEPTA, 1234 Market Street, 9th Floor,

Philadelphia, PA 19107-3780, (215) 580-7438, or fax (215) 580-7163.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Scoping

FTA, SEPTA, and BARTA invite interested individuals, organizations,

and Federal, State, and local agencies to participate in defining

transportation alternatives to be evaluated in the MIS/DEIS and

identifying any significant social, economic, or environmental issues

related to the alternatives. An information packet describing the

results of the Schuylkill Valley Metro Feasibility Report, the need for

improved mobility in the Corridor, the study area, the proposed

alternatives, and the impact areas to be evaluated is being mailed to

affected Federal, State, and local agencies. Other interested parties

may request the scoping materials by contacting Mr. Jim Fritz, Senior

Operations Planner and Project Manager, SEPTA, 1234 Market Street, 9th

Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3780, (215) 580-7438, or fax (215) 580-

7163. Scoping comments may be made in writing at the public scoping

meetings or may be sent to Mr. Fritz at the above address. See the

Scoping meeting DATES section above for the locations and times. During

scoping, comments should focus on identifying social, economic, or

environmental impacts to be evaluated and suggesting alternatives that

meet the identified mobility needs in a cost-effective manner. However,

scoping is not the appropriate time to indicate a preference for a

particular alternative. Comments on the preferences should be

communicated after the MIS/DEIS has been completed. If you wish to be

placed on the mailing list to receive further information as the

project develops, contact Mr. Jim Fritz, Senior Operations Planner and

Project Manager, SEPTA, 1234 Market Street, 9th Floor, Philadelphia, PA

19107-3780, (215) 580-7438, or fax (215) 580-7163.

II. Description of Study Area and Project Need

The study area, known as the Schuylkill Valley Corridor (Corridor),

extends approximately 62 miles from the central business district of

Philadelphia through Montgomery and Chester Counties to the City of

Reading and the Borough of Wyomissing in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

The axis of the Corridor is defined by the Schuylkill River, which runs

generally in a northwest-southeast orientation. Varying from one half

to two miles in width, the Corridor is comprised either wholly or

partially of 52 municipalities and portions of Philadelphia. Two

principal highways, the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) and the US Route

422 Expressway, form the Corridor's transportation spine.

The tremendous increase in population and employment over the past

two decades has established the Corridor as one of the primary growth

areas of southeastern Pennsylvania. As a result of rapid growth, the

Corridor's major highways and feeder roads are sustaining severe and

growing congestion. Land development has occurred rapidly and at low

densities resulting in the loss of farmland and open space. While most

new development and capital investment is occurring outside urbanized

areas, the older former industrial towns along the Schuylkill River are

in need of economic development. Public transportation in the study

area is limited, consisting of bus service oriented primarily toward

the ends of the Corridor and commuter rail service between Philadelphia

and Norristown.

The Corridor is a major employment destination in southeastern

Pennsylvania. High concentrations of jobs are found in the central

business districts of Philadelphia and Reading while major office,

industrial, and retail complexes are located along the Corridor's

highways.

The MIS/DEIS phase is the next step in transportation planning and

project development following the completion of the Schuylkill Valley

Metro Feasibility Report. The MIS/DEIS process employs a far-reaching

public involvement program, continuous coordination with affected and

interested agencies and community stakeholders, and a detailed

evaluation of a wide range of alternatives to meet the mobility needs

identified in the MIS/DEIS.

The MIS/DEIS process is designed to examine a number of

alternatives. Detailed analysis at a conceptual engineering level will

be performed for a set of multi-modal alternatives to identify cost,

ridership, cost-effectiveness measures, and environmental benefits and

impacts.

III. Alternatives

Among the alternatives that the MIS/DEIS will evaluate are: (1) No

Build Alternative. This alternative involves no change to

transportation services or facilities in the Corridor beyond already

committed projects. (2) Transportation Systems Management (TSM)

Alternative. This alternative would optimize existing transportation

facilities with low-cost investments to meet the travel demand expected

over the next 20 years. Components of this alternative that will be

investigated include selected highway capacity enhancements and express

bus service. (3) Commuter Rail Alternative. This alternative would

utilize existing rail rights-of-way from Philadelphia to Reading and

share trackage with freight rail operations. (4) Light Rail

Alternative. This alternative would require dedicated trackage over

most of its length and utilize existing rights-of-way for most of its

route. Street running of light rail vehicles through selected portions

of Philadelphia may be necessary. (5) Highway Alternative. Possible

improvements and/or additions to the existing highway network will be

considered. Other alternatives or revisions to the above alternatives

generated through the scoping process will also be considered.

IV. Probable Effects

FTA, SEPTA, and BARTA will evaluate, in the MIS/DEIS, all

significant social, economic, and environmental impacts at a level of

detail sufficient to identify alternatives and issues to be addressed

in the EIS. Among the primary transportation issues to be evaluated in

the MIS/DEIS are the expected increase in transit ridership including

recreational and work trips, the expected increase in mobility for the

transit dependent population, the support of the region's air quality

goals, the economic benefits, satisfying the overall transportation

needs of the Corridor, the capital outlays needed to construct the

project, the cost of operating and maintaining the facilities created

by the project, and the financial impacts on the funding agencies.

Potentially affected environmental and social resources to be evaluated

in the MIS/DEIS include, land use and neighborhood impacts, residential

and business displacements and relocations, traffic and parking impacts

near stations and along the alignments, visual impacts, noise and

vibration impacts, major utility relocation impacts, impacts on

cultural and archaeological resources, and impacts on wetlands and

parklands. Impacts on air quality, water quality, and hazardous 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 significant adverse impacts will be considered.

[[Page 1874]]

V. FTA Procedures

The MIS/DEIS will review alternatives on the basis of conceptual

engineering, assess the social, economic, and environmental impacts of

the proposed alternatives, and consider means of minimizing and

mitigating any adverse impacts associated with the alternatives. After

its publication, the MIS/DEIS will be available for public review and

comment, and public hearings will be held. On the basis of the MIS/DEIS

and comments received, SEPTA and BARTA will select a Locally Preferred

Alternative that will be carried into the Final EIS. Following this

action by SEPTA and BARTA, SEPTA and BARTA will request FTA

authorization to proceed with the Final EIS and to initiate preliminary

engineering activities.

Issued on: January 7, 1999.

Sheldon A. Kinbar,

Regional Administrator.

[FR Doc. 99-652 Filed 1-11-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-57-P