Notice of Intent; Environmental Impact Statement: I-285 Top End Express Lanes in Cobb, Fulton, and DeKalb Counties, Georgia

Topics:  Interstate Highway System

Moises Marrero
Federal Highway Administration
4 November 2019

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 213 (Monday, November 4, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 59436]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24032]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Notice of Intent; Environmental Impact Statement: I-285 Top End 
Express Lanes in Cobb, Fulton, and DeKalb Counties, Georgia

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration, DOT.

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

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for a proposed 
project on I-285 in Cobb, Fulton, and DeKalb counties, Georgia. The 
Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is sponsoring the project 
to address the substantial congestion in this corridor that results in 
unreliable travel times and diminished accessibility to employment and 
activity centers.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    Moises Marrero, Division Administrator, Federal Highway 
Administration, 61 Forsyth Street, Suite 17T100, Atlanta, Georgia 
30303, Telephone: (404) 562-3630; email: Moises.Marrero@dot.gov.
    Tim Matthews, GDOT Project Manager, Georgia Department of 
Transportation, One Georgia Center, 600 West Peachtree Street NW, 25th 
Floor, Atlanta, Georgia 30308. Telephone: (404) 631-1713; email: 
tmatthews@dot.ga.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Georgia 
Department of Transportation (GDOT), will prepare an EIS for proposed 
express lanes across the top end of I-285 roughly between the I-75 and 
I-85 corridors. The FHWA intends to issue a combined Final EIS/ROD 
document pursuant to 23 CFR 771.124, unless FHWA determines the 
regulatory criteria or practicability considerations preclude issuance 
of a combined document.
    The proposed I-285 Top End Express Lanes project is being developed 
to improve mobility and offer predictable travel times along the I-285 
corridor and is a product of studies and recommendations included in 
the Atlanta Region Managed Lanes Systems Plan and Managed Lanes 
Implementation Plan. The total project length would be approximately 28 
miles. An evaluation under Section 4(f) of the DOT Act of 1966 may also 
be required due to the potential for impacts to public recreational 
areas and resources eligible for the National Register of Historic 
Places.
    A study corridor large enough to incorporate detailed studies for 
the full range of alternatives to be considered for the project will be 
evaluated. The EIS will be prepared in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.), 23 U.S.C. 139, Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) 
regulations implementing NEPA (40 CFR 1500-1508), FHWA regulations 
implementing NEPA (23 CFR 771.101-771.139) and other applicable 
Federal, State, and local governmental laws and regulations. In 
addition, the EIS will fulfill the applicable provisions of the Safe 
Accountable Flexible Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for 
Users (SAFETEA-LU); Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-
21); and Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.
    Ongoing and continuing agency coordination is outlined in the 
project Agency Coordination Plan (ACP). Additional information, 
including the project Need and Purpose, the ACP, and the Public 
Involvement Plan can be found on the project website at https://majormobilityga.com/projects/topend/. These documents are available for 
public and agency review and comment. This website also includes 
project schedules and information about past and upcoming meetings.
    Public involvement is also a critical component of NEPA project 
development. To ensure that the full range of issues related to this 
proposed action are addressed and all significant issues identified, 
public outreach and involvement will continue through project 
development. Comments and suggestions are invited from all interested 
parties. A public hearing will be held after the completion of the 
Draft EIS, and the EIS will be made available for review by federal and 
state resource agencies and the public.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, 
Highway Planning and Construction. The regulations implementing 
Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental consultation on 
Federal programs and activities apply to this program.)

    Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315; 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on: October 29, 2019.
Moises Marrero,
Georgia Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 2019-24032 Filed 11-1-19; 8:45 am]
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