Environmental Impact Statement on the Hartford to New Britain Busway Project, Hartford County, Connecticut

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 171 (Friday, September 3, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48450-48451]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23005]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Environmental Impact Statement on the Hartford to New Britain 
Busway Project, Hartford County, Connecticut

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 Connecticut 
Department of Transportation (CTDOT) intend to prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) on the proposed construction of a busway along an 
existing rail right-of-way corridor, known as the Hartford West 
Corridor, between Union Station in Hartford, CT and downtown New 
Britain, CT.
    The EIS will evaluate a no-build alternative and a busway 
alternative, options recommended in a Major Investment Study (MIS) 
completed by the CTDOT and participating agencies for the Hartford West 
Corridor. Further scoping will be accomplished through public meetings 
and hearings, neighborhood meetings, cable news segments, a newsletter, 
and correspondence with interested persons, organizations, the general 
public, federal, state and local agencies.

DATES: Comment Due Date: Written comments on the scope of alternatives 
and impacts to be considered should be sent to the FTA or CTDOT by 
October 18, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the project scope should be sent to Mr. 
Edgar T. Hurle, Connecticut Department of Transportation, 2800 Berlin 
Turnpike, P.O. Box 317546, Newington, CT, 06131-7546, Telephone (860) 
594-2920 or Mr. Richard H. Doyle, Federal Transit Administration, 55 
Broadway, Cambridge, MA, 02142, Telephone (617) 494-2055.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Mary Beth Mello, Deputy Regional 
Administrator, Federal Transit Administration Region I, (617) 494-2055.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Description of Study Area and Project Need

    The proposed project corridor, known as the Hartford West corridor, 
extends from Union Station in Hartford, Connecticut along an existing 
rail-right-of-way to downtown New Britain, Connecticut. The proposed 
busway would extend nine miles and include twelve station locations.
    The heavily urbanized Hartford West corridor is anchored by the 
City of Hartford and the City of New Britain. The corridor has been 
broadly defined to include not only I-84 but also the surrounding 
neighborhoods, parallel arterial roadways, and two rail lines, the 
Bristol-Hartford line and the New Haven-Hartford line. The corridor 
encompasses portions of five communities: Hartford, West Hartford, 
Farmington, Newington and New Britain.
    To address the transportation needs in the Hartford West Corridor 
and evaluate the effectiveness of various transportation system 
improvement alternatives, the CTDOT, the Capitol Region Council of 
Governments (CRCOG), and the Central Connecticut Regional Planning 
Agency (CCRPA) undertook a Major Investment Study (MIS) for the area. 
During the MIS phase, the three agencies conducted an extensive public 
outreach effort and evaluated a full range of alternatives including, 
but not limited to, transit fixed guideway (light rail, commuter rail, 
and busway), a high occupancy vehicle lane, expressway reconstruction 
and operational lanes, expressway widening, transportation system 
management improvements and a no-build option. Based on input from the 
public, state and local agencies, the CTDOT identified the goals of 
improved mode choice, congestion reduction, improved public health and 
safety, community livability and quality of life, and economic 
expansion to guide the MIS effort.
    Early in the process, the addition of travel lanes on I-84 was 
dropped as an alternative due to significant local opposition and cost. 
The remaining build alternatives included light rail service in the I-
84 median; an exclusive busway in the I-84 median; a high occupancy 
lane added to I-84; light-rail service on Farmington Avenue (one of the 
arterial highways); and either light rail service or exclusive bus 
service in the unused half of the Amtrak inland route main line from 
Union Station in Hartford to New Britain. The MIS analysis indicated 
that a busway in the Amtrak corridor was the optimal choice. The 
flexibility of the busway service is

[[Page 48451]]

projected to produce the highest level of ridership, increased levels 
of mode choice, and congestion relief on both local arterials and I-84.

II. Probable Effects

    The FTA and the CTDOT will evaluate all significant environmental, 
social and economic impacts of the alternatives analyzed in the EIS. 
Primary environmental issues include: station location and community 
impacts, construction impacts, visual/aesthetic impacts and bicycle/
pedestrian access. In addition, the EIS will evaluate issues raised 
through a continuation of the scoping process begun under the MIS. 
Measures to mitigate any significant adverse impact will be developed. 
Throughout the EIS phase, the CTDOT will seek public input through 
meetings and hearings, newsletters and cable news, to further define 
the issues and impacts of alternatives.

    Issued on: August 31, 1999.
Richard H. Doyle,
Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 99-23005 Filed 9-2-99; 8:45 am]
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