Notice2023-26024
Notice To Rescind Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Capital Metro Orange Line Project in Austin, Texas
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
November 27, 2023
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Transit Administration
Abstract
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), in cooperation with the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Capital Metro), Austin Transit Partnership (ATP), and the City of Austin (the City), is issuing this notice to advise the public that the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Orange Line light rail transit (LRT) project as part of Project Connect in Austin, Texas is rescinded.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 226 (Monday, November 27, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 226 (Monday, November 27, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 82944]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26024]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Notice To Rescind Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement for the Proposed Capital Metro Orange Line Project in
Austin, Texas
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Rescind notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact
statement.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), in cooperation with
the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Capital Metro),
Austin Transit Partnership (ATP), and the City of Austin (the City), is
issuing this notice to advise the public that the Notice of Intent
(NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the
proposed Orange Line light rail transit (LRT) project as part of
Project Connect in Austin, Texas is rescinded.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For FTA: Mr. Terence Plaskon, Federal
Transit Administration, Region VI, 819 Taylor Street, Fort Worth, TX
76102, at (817) 978-0573 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#03776671666d60662d736f6270686c6d43676c772d646c75"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c4b0a1b6a1aaa7a1eab4a8a5b7afabaa84a0abb0eaa3abb2">[email protected]</span></a>. For Capital Metro:
Mr. Jacob Calhoun, Capital Metro, 2910 E. Fifth Street, Austin, TX
78702, at (512) 369-6501 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#94fef5f7fbf6baf7f5f8fcfbe1fad4f7f5e4f9f1e0e6fbbafbe6f3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="dbb1bab8b4b9f5b8bab7b3b4aeb59bb8baabb6beafa9b4f5b4a9bc">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 24, 2021 (86 FR 27941), FTA and
Capital Metro issued a NOI to prepare an EIS for the Orange Line LRT
project. The project is part of Capital Metro's 2018 Project Connect
Long-Term Vision Plan (Project Connect), as amended in 2020. Project
Connect presents a regional vision for high-capacity transit
investments that would add mobility options for the Central Texas
region. The project would have constructed an approximately 20-mile LRT
line from the Tech Ridge Park & Ride on the northern end of the
corridor, through downtown Austin, to just north of Slaughter Lane on
the southern end of the corridor.
As planning and preliminary engineering progressed, it became
evident that due to higher than projected cost estimates from
inflationary pressure, escalating real estate costs, and scope
advancement, the approach and phasing for implementation of the LRT
system would need to be refined to make the project economically
feasible. Therefore, ATP, an independent local government corporation
formed by the City and Capital Metro to design, construct, and
implement Project Connect, undertook a public planning process to
define an economically feasible and expandable LRT system that would
meet regional transportation goals and objectives of Project Connect.
After a robust community engagement process, on June 6, 2023, a
proposed Austin Light Rail Phase 1 project was unanimously approved by
Capital Metro, ATP, and the City to advance into the next phase of
implementation. This proposed project includes combining segments of
the Orange and Blue LRT projects into one LRT project. Based on the
foregoing, FTA is rescinding the May 24, 2021, NOI for the Orange Line
LRT project.
Comments and questions concerning this notice should be directed to
FTA at the address provided above.
Gail Lyssy,
Regional Administrator, FTA Region VI.
[FR Doc. 2023-26024 Filed 11-24-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on November 27, 2023.
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