Environmental Impact Statement: I-80/I-215 Parley's Interchange, Salt Lake County, Utah

Topics:  Interstate Highway System

Ivan Marrero
Federal Highway Administration
9 February 2018

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 28 (Friday, February 9, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5824-5825]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02609]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: I-80/I-215 Parley's Interchange, 
Salt Lake County, Utah

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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[[Page 5825]]

SUMMARY: FHWA, on behalf of the Utah Department of Transportation 
(UDOT), is issuing this notice to advise the public that an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for proposed 
transportation improvements to the I-80/I-215 Parleys Interchange in 
Salt Lake County, Utah.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Naomi Kisen, Environmental Program 
Manager, Environmental Services Division, UDOT 4501 South 2700 West, 
P.O. Box 141265, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-1265 Telephone: (801) 965-
4603, email: nkisen@utah.gov. Rebecka Stromness, Parley's Interchange 
Project Manager, UDOT Region 2, 2010 South 2760 West, Salt Lake City, 
UT 84104-4592; Telephone: (801) 887-3470, Email: rstromness@utah.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The environmental review, consultation, and 
other actions required by applicable federal environmental laws for 
this project are being or have been carried out by UDOT pursuant to 23 
U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated January 17, 2017, 
and executed by FHWA and UDOT. UDOT, as the assigned National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) agency, will prepare an EIS for a 
proposal to address safety and current and projected traffic demand on 
the I-80/I-215 Parley's interchange in Salt Lake County, Utah. The 
proposed project study area extends on I-80 from 1300 East to the Mt. 
Aire Canyon Road interchange, on I-215 from the I-80/-215 interchange 
to 3900 South, on Foothill Drive from the I-80/-215 interchange to 
Stringham Avenue, and on Parley's Way from the I-80/I-215 interchange 
to Wilshire Drive. Safety and transportation improvements are needed to 
address current identified design deficiencies and current and 
projected 2050 travel demand at the interchange. To address these 
needs, UDOT is proposing to upgrade the interchange, including 
potentially adding capacity to the interchange and the surrounding road 
network to make the interchange operate efficiently. If implemented as 
proposed, the project will require FHWA to approve an Interchange 
Access Change Request from UDOT for modifications to the interchange.
    UDOT will consider a range of alternatives based on the purpose of 
and need for the project and taking into account agency and public 
input. The currently contemplated alternatives include: (1) Taking no 
action (no-build); (2) the proposed action, i.e., upgrading the 
interchange, including potentially adding capacity to the interchange 
and the surrounding road network to make the interchange operate 
efficiently; (3) using alternate travel modes; (4) using transportation 
demand management to improve the efficiency of the existing road 
network; (5) combinations of any of the above; and (6) other reasonable 
alternatives if identified during the scoping process. Alternatives 
that do not meet the project purpose and need or that are otherwise not 
reasonable will not be carried forward for detailed consideration.
    A Coordination Plan is being prepared to define the agency and 
public participation procedure for the environmental review process. 
The plan will outline (1) how agencies and the public will provide 
input during the scoping process; (2) the development of the purpose 
and need; and (3) alternatives development.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, state, and local agencies as well as to 
Native American tribes and to private organizations and citizens who 
have previously expressed, or who are known to have, an interest in 
this proposal. A public scoping meeting will be held in the study area 
from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on March 6, 2018 at Highland High School, 
2166 S 1700 E, Salt Lake City, Utah. Public notices announcing the 
meeting will be published in the region. Information regarding this 
meeting and the project may also be obtained through a public website 
maintained by UDOT at www.udot.utah.gov/parleysEIS.
    During the NEPA process, other public meetings will be held as 
appropriate to allow the public, as well as Federal, state, and local 
agencies, and tribes, to provide comments on the purpose of and need 
for the project, potential alternatives, and social, economic, and 
environmental issues of concern.
    In addition, a public hearing will be held following the release of 
the Draft EIS. Public notice advertisements and direct mailings will 
notify interested parties of the time and place of the public meetings 
and the public hearing. The Draft EIS will be available for public and 
agency review and comment prior to the public hearing.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
action is addressed and all significant issues are identified, comments 
and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Written 
comments or questions concerning this proposed action and the EIS 
should be directed to UDOT representatives at the mail or email 
addresses provided above by March 30, 2018. For additional information 
please visit the project website at www.udot.utah.gov/parleysEIS. 
Information requests or comments can also be provided by email to 
parleysEIS@utah.gov. (Catalog of Federal and Domestic Assistance 
Program Number 20.205, Highway Research, Planning and Construction. The 
regulations implementing Executive Order 12372 regarding 
intergovernmental consultation on Federal programs and activities apply 
to this program.)

    Dated: January 31, 2018.
Ivan Marrero,
Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Salt Lake City, 
Utah.
[FR Doc. 2018-02609 Filed 2-8-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-22-P