Notice To Rescind a Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS): Route 475 (Knoxville Parkway), From Interstate 75 South of Knoxville to Interstate 75 North of Knoxville, Loudon, Knox, and Anderson Counties, TN

Charles J. O'Neill
Federal Highway Administration
September 21, 2010

[Federal Register: September 21, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 182)]
[Notices]               
[Page 57549]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21se10-143]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

 
Notice To Rescind a Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS): Route 475 (Knoxville Parkway), 
From Interstate 75 South of Knoxville to Interstate 75 North of 
Knoxville, Loudon, Knox, and Anderson Counties, TN

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is issuing this 
notice to advise the public that the Notice of Intent published on 
November 4, 2005 to prepare a SEIS for the proposed Route 475 
(Knoxville Parkway) from Interstate 75 south of Knoxville to Interstate 
75 north of Knoxville, Loudon, Knox, and Anderson Counties, Tennessee, 
is being rescinded.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Charles J. O'Neill, Planning and 
Program Management Team Leader, Federal Highway Administration--
Tennessee Division Office, 404 BNA Drive, Suite 508, Nashville, TN 
37217. 615-781-5770.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Tennessee 
Department of Transportation, is rescinding the notice of intent to 
prepare a SEIS for the proposed Route 475 (Knoxville Parkway) from 
Interstate 75 south of Knoxville to Interstate 75 north of Knoxville, 
Loudon, Knox, and Anderson Counties, Tennessee. The proposed project 
was approximately 36 miles in length.
    The project as described in the December 18, 2001 Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was proposed to improve the 
regional transportation system in the area.
    Since the original Draft Environmental Impact was approved, the 
alternative development and screening process for the project has 
continued through a Context Sensitive Solution Process (CSS). This CSS 
process identified new alternatives to follow the general alignment of 
the Orange alternative, but had been shifted at various locations based 
on input from the CSS process. In addition, the number and type of 
access points along the route have been modified. The purpose of the 
SDEIS was to study and develop the new alternatives. The No-Build and 
three Build Alternatives were proposed to be studied in the SDEIS.
    Revised traffic projections show a much lower level of traffic 
using the new proposed Route 475 (Knoxville Parkway) and a smaller 
diversion of traffic from Interstate 40 and Interstate 75 than was 
originally projected. In addition, the estimated cost of approximately 
one billion dollars was determined to be prohibitive.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
action are identified and taken into account, comments and suggestions 
are invited from all interested parties. Comments and questions 
concerning the proposed action should be directed to the FHWA contact 
person identified above at the address provided above.

(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 proposed program.)

Charles J. O'Neill,
Planning and Program Mgmt., Team Leader, Nashville, TN.
[FR Doc. 2010-23525 Filed 9-20-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P