Notice of Final Federal Agency Actions on Proposed Highway Projects in Texas
| Published date | 28 September 2021 |
| Citation | 86 FR 53725 |
| Record Number | 2021-20916 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | Federal Highway Administration |
Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 185 (Tuesday, September 28, 2021)
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 185 (Tuesday, September 28, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53725-53727]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-20916]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Notice of Final Federal Agency Actions on Proposed Highway
Projects in Texas
AGENCY: Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA), Department of Transportation.
ACTION: Notice of limitation on claims for judicial review of actions
by TxDOT and federal agencies.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces actions taken by TxDOT and Federal
agencies that are final. The environmental review, consultation, and
other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for
these projects are being, or have been, carried-out by TxDOT pursuant
to an assignment agreement executed by FHWA and TxDOT. The actions
relate to various proposed highway projects in the State of Texas.
These actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the projects.
DATES: By this notice, TxDOT is advising the public of final agency
actions subject to 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). A claim seeking judicial review
of TxDOT and Federal agency actions on the highway projects will be
barred unless the claim is filed on or before the deadline. For the
projects listed below, the deadline is 150 days from the date of
publication. If the Federal law that authorizes judicial review of a
claim provides a time period of less than 150 days for filing such a
claim, then that shorter time period still applies.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick Lee, Environmental Affairs
Division, Texas Department of Transportation, 125 East 11th Street,
Austin, Texas 78701; telephone: (512) 416-2358; email:
[email protected]. TxDOT's normal business hours are 8:00 a.m.-5:00
p.m. (central time), Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The environmental review, consultation, and
other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for
these projects are being, or have been, carried-out by TxDOT pursuant
to 23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated December 9,
2019, and executed by FHWA and TxDOT.
Notice is hereby given that TxDOT and Federal agencies have taken
final agency actions by issuing licenses, permits, and approvals for
the highway projects in the State of Texas that are listed below.
The actions by TxDOT and Federal agencies and the laws under which
such actions were taken are described in the Categorical Exclusion
(CE), Environmental Assessment (EA), or Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) issued in connection with the projects and in other key project
documents. The CE, EA, or EIS and other key documents for the listed
projects are available by contacting the local TxDOT office at the
address or telephone number provided for each project below.
This notice applies to all TxDOT and Federal agency decisions as of
the issuance date of this notice and all laws under which such actions
were taken, including but not limited to:
1. General: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) [42 U.S.C.
4321-4351]; Federal-Aid Highway Act [23 U.S.C. 109].
2. Air: Clean Air Act [42 U.S.C. 7401-7671(q)].
3. Land: Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of
1966 [49 U.S.C. 303]; Landscaping and Scenic Enhancement
(Wildflowers) [23 U.S.C. 319].
4. Wildlife: Endangered Species Act [16 U.S.C. 1531-1544 and
Section 1536], Marine Mammal Protection Act [16 U.S.C. 1361], Fish
and Wildlife Coordination Act [16 U.S.C. 661-667(d)], Migratory Bird
Treaty Act [16 U.S.C. 703-712].
5. Historic and Cultural Resources: Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended [54 U.S.C. 300101 et
seq.]; Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1977 [16 U.S.C.
470(aa)-11]; Archeological and Historic Preservation Act [54 U.S.C.
312501 et seq.]; Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation
Act (NAGPRA) [25 U.S.C. 3001-3013].
6. Social and Economic: Civil Rights Act of 1964 [42 U.S.C.
2000(d)-2000(d)(1)]; American Indian Religious Freedom Act [42
U.S.C. 1996]; Farmland Protection Policy Act (FPPA) [7 U.S.C. 4201-
4209].
7. Wetlands and Water Resources: Clean Water Act [33 U.S.C.
1251-1377] (Section 404, Section 401, Section 319); Land and Water
Conservation Fund (LWCF) [16 U.S.C. 4601-4604]; Safe Drinking Water
Act (SDWA) [42 U.S.C. 300(f)-300(j)(6)]; Rivers and Harbors Act of
1899 [33 U.S.C. 401-406]; Wild and Scenic Rivers Act [16 U.S.C.
1271-1287]; Emergency Wetlands Resources Act [16 U.S.C. 3921, 3931];
TEA-21 Wetlands Mitigation [23 U.S.C. 103(b)(6)(m), 133(b)(11)];
Flood Disaster Protection Act [42 U.S.C. 4001-4128].
8. Executive Orders: E.O. 11990 Protection of Wetlands; E.O.
11988 Floodplain Management; E.O. 12898 Federal Actions to Address
Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income
Populations; E.O. 11593 Protection and Enhancement of Cultural
Resources; E.O. 13007 Indian Sacred Sites; E.O. 13287 Preserve
America; E.O. 13175 Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal
Governments; E.O. 11514 Protection and Enhancement of Environmental
Quality; E.O. 13112 Invasive Species. (Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Program Number 20.205, Highway Planning and
Construction.)
The projects subject to this notice are:
[[Page 53726]]
1. Hi-Line Road, from Cage Boulevard (US 281) to Veterans Road
(I Road), Hidalgo County, Texas. The purpose of the project is to
improve safety and connectivity by reconstructing and widening Hi-
Line Road from Cage Boulevard to Veterans Road from a two-lane rural
roadway with 12-foot wide travel lanes and roadside ditches to a
three-lane urban roadway with 14-foot wide travel lanes and a 16-
foot wide center left-turn lane, with curb and gutter drainage
system, for approximately 1.03 miles. The actions by TxDOT and
Federal agencies and the laws under which such actions were taken
are described in the Categorical Exclusion Determination issued on
June 23, 2021, and other documents in the TxDOT project file. The
Categorical Exclusion Determination and other documents in the TxDOT
project file are available by contacting the TxDOT Pharr District
Office at 600 W Interstate 2, Pharr, TX 78577; telephone (956) 702-
6100.
2. The US 287 project from the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) to
south of Lone Star Rd, Tarrant and Johnson Counties, Texas. The
project includes the construction of frontage roads (northbound and
southbound) within the existing US 287 right of way. U-Turn lanes
would be provided at the north and south ends of the project. Bike
lanes would be included along the frontage roads to accommodate
cyclists. Continuous sidewalks and shoulders would be constructed
along the frontage roads to accommodate pedestrians as well as curb-
and-gutter and drainage structures. A short segment of Lone Star
Road would be reconstructed and widened from two lanes to six lanes
from BUS 287 (South Main Street) to the main driveway leading to
Texas Health Mansfield. The actions by TxDOT and Federal agencies
and the laws under which such actions were taken are described in
the Categorical Exclusion Determination issued on July 10, 2021, and
other documents in the TxDOT project file. The Categorical Exclusion
Determination and other documents in the TxDOT project file are
available by contacting the TxDOT Fort Worth District Office at 2501
SW Loop 820, Fort Worth, Texas 76133; telephone: (817) 370-6744.
3. FM Spur 121, from CR 60 to FM 121, Grayson County, Texas. The
purpose of the project is to improve connectivity by constructing a
new-location two-lane rural roadway with 12-foot wide travel lanes,
10-foot wide shoulders, and roadside ditches, for approximately 4.2
miles. The actions by TxDOT and Federal agencies and the laws under
which such actions were taken are described in the Categorical
Exclusion Determination issued on July 16, 2021, and other documents
in the TxDOT project file. The Categorical Exclusion Determination
and other documents in the TxDOT project file are available by
contacting the TxDOT Paris District Office at 1365 N Main St.,
Paris, Texas 75460; telephone (903) 737-9300.
4. The SH 183 at Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) widening and
bridge replacement project, Tarrant County, Texas. The project
includes replacement of the existing UPRR underpass on SH 183 and
the widening of the existing SH 183 roadway to accommodate left- and
right-turn lanes at the intersections. Improvements will also
include retaining walls, shared use paths, grading, illumination,
and storm system improvements. The project limits are SH 183 from
approximately 850 feet west of North Nichols Street to approximately
630 feet east of Decatur Avenue, including both rail and roadway
sections. Overall, the proposed improvements would extend
approximately 0.475 mile along SH 183. The actions by TxDOT and
Federal agencies and the laws under which such actions were taken
are described in the Categorical Exclusion Determination issued on
July 28, 2021, and other documents in the TxDOT project file. The
Categorical Exclusion Determination and other documents in the TxDOT
project file are available by contacting the TxDOT Fort Worth
District Office at 2501 SW Loop 820, Fort Worth, Texas 76133;
telephone: (817) 370-6744.
5. SH 5 from south of CR 275 to south of Melissa Road in Collin
County, Texas. The proposed improvements would include the
reconstruction and widening of SH 5 within the project limits. SH 5
from CR 275 to south of Melissa Road would be reconstructed from a
2-lane rural roadway to a 4-lane (6-lane ultimate) divided urban
roadway with raised curb and a variable-width median. SH 121, from
south of the intersection of SH 121 and CR 338 to the Union Pacific
Railroad (UPRR), would be reconstructed from a 4-lane divided rural
roadway with depressed median to a 4-lane (6-lane ultimate) divided
urban roadway with a variable-width median. The total project length
is approximately 2.5 miles. The purpose of the proposed project
along SH 5 is to improve safety and mobility, and update the roadway
to current design and safety standards. The actions by TxDOT and
Federal agencies and the laws under which such actions were taken
are described in the Categorical Exclusion Determination issued on
August 3, 2021, and other documents in the TxDOT project file. The
Categorical Exclusion Determination and other documents in the TxDOT
project file are available by contacting the TxDOT Dallas District
Office at 4777 E Highway 80, Mesquite, TX 75150; telephone: (214)
320-6200.
6. FM 1173 from FM 156 to IH 35 in Denton County, Texas. The
proposed improvements would include constructing a new six-lane
urban highway with sidewalks on both sides. The reconstruction of FM
1173 would be approximately 5,400 feet in length; the new
construction portion of FM 1173 would be approximately 3,200 feet
and the reconstruction of the existing Barthold Road would be
approximately 10,400 feet in length. The total project length is
approximately 3.6 miles. The purpose of the proposed project is to
provide infrastructure options to reduce traffic congestion on the
existing roadways, to increase mobility (including pedestrian and
bicycle accommodations), and to address design deficiencies. The
actions by TxDOT and Federal agencies and the laws under which such
actions were taken are described in the Categorical Exclusion
Determination issued on August 25, 2021, and other documents in the
TxDOT project file. The Categorical Exclusion Determination and
other documents in the TxDOT project file are available by
contacting the TxDOT Dallas District Office at 4777 E Highway 80,
Mesquite, TX 75150; telephone (214) 320-6200.
7. SH 359 from approximately four miles east of SL 20 to
approximately ten miles east of SL 20 in Webb County, Texas. The
project will widen SH 359 from the existing two-lane roadway with a
continuous left turn lane to a four-lane roadway with a continuous
left turn lane for approximately three miles, and a four-lane
divided highway for approximately three miles. The total distance
for this project will be approximately six miles and will
accommodate the increase of traffic in the area with added safety
features added to this roadway. This will serve the adjacent
subdivisions and the commuters passing through from surrounding
areas as well as the transportation of goods. The actions by TxDOT
and Federal agencies and the laws under which such actions were
taken are described in the Categorical Exclusion Determination
issued on August 31, 2021, and other documents in the TxDOT project
file. The Categorical Exclusion Determination and other documents in
the TxDOT project file are available by contacting the TxDOT Laredo
District Office at 1817 Bob Bullock Loop, Laredo, Texas 78043;
telephone: 956-712-7400.
8. SL 195, from FM 755 to US 83, Starr County, Texas. The
purpose of the project is to increase mobility by providing an
additional route for traffic traveling through southern Starr County
between the cities of Rio Grande City and Roma. The proposed project
would involve the construction of a new-location 4-lane divided
highway connecting FM 755 to US 83 for approximately 17.24 miles.
The actions by TxDOT and Federal agencies and the laws under which
such actions were taken are described in the Environmental
Assessment (EA), the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) issued
on June 8, 2021, and other documents in the TxDOT project file. The
EA, FONSI, and other documents in the TxDOT project file are
available by contacting the TxDOT Pharr District Office at 600 W
Interstate 2, Pharr, Texas 78577; telephone: (956) 702-6100.
9. US 271/SL 485 from FM 16 to the Gregg/Upshur County line in
Smith and Gregg Counties, Texas. The purpose of the proposed project
is to improve safety and connectivity on US 271/SL 485 between the
cities of Gladewater and Tyler by widening the road to a four-lane
highway with two 12-foot travel lanes in each direction, a variable
center median, shoulders, with bicycle accommodations and curb and
gutter in portions of the project. The proposed project length is
approximately 10.4 miles in length. The actions by TxDOT and Federal
agencies and the laws under which such actions were taken are
described in the Final Environmental Assessment (EA), the Finding of
No Significant Impact (FONSI) issued on July 27, 2021, and other
documents in the TxDOT project file. The EA, FONSI, and other
documents in the TxDOT project file are available by contacting the
TxDOT Tyler District Office at 2709 W Front St., Tyler, Texas 75702;
telephone (903) 510-9100.
[[Page 53727]]
10. US 87 Expansion Project from east of the US 385 Interchange
near Hartley, to FM 2589 west of Dumas, in Moore and Hartley
Counties, Texas. The proposed project includes expanding the roadway
from the current two-lane with super-two passing lanes configuration
to a four-lane divided highway. This project is approximately 20
miles long. The actions by TxDOT and Federal agencies and the laws
under which such actions were taken are described in the Final
Environmental Assessment (EA), the Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) issued on July 29, 2021, and other documents in the TxDOT
project file. The EA, FONSI, and other documents in the TxDOT
project file are available by contacting the TxDOT Amarillo District
Office at 5715 Canyon Drive, Amarillo, Texas 79110; telephone: (806)
356-3256.
11. US 281 from SH 186/FM 1017 to FM 3066, in Hidalgo and Brooks
Counties, Texas. The purpose of the project is to upgrade US 281 to
interstate standards and improve mobility to meet projected traffic
demand. The proposed project would involve widening and
reconstruction of the main lanes, as well as addition of frontage
roads and overpasses throughout portions of the project area, for
approximately 41.9 miles. The actions by TxDOT and Federal agencies
and the laws under which such actions were taken are described in
the Environmental Assessment (EA), the Finding of No Significant
Impact (FONSI) issued on September 13, 2021 and other documents in
the TxDOT project file. The EA, FONSI, and other documents in the
TxDOT project file are available by contacting the TxDOT Pharr
District Office at 600 W Interstate 2, Pharr, Texas 78577;
telephone: (956) 702-6100.
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1).
Michael T. Leary,
Director, Planning and Program Development, Federal Highway
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2021-20916 Filed 9-27-21; 8:45 am]
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