Record of Decision Available for Public Review
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Notice Record of Decision Available for Public Review North Houston Highway Improvement Project From US 59/I-69 at Spur 527 to I-45 at Beltway 8 North CSJ: 0912-00-146 Harris County, Texas This notice advises the public that the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has issued a Record of Decision (ROD) for the proposed North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP) in Harris County, Texas, and that the ROD is available for review. The ROD identifies the selected alternative and signifies the completion of the environmental review process. The Selected Alternative includes construction of roadway improvements to add four managed express (MaX) lanes on I‐45 from Downtown Houston to Beltway 8 North, reroute I‐45 to be parallel with I‐10 on the north side of Downtown Houston and parallel to US 59/I‐69 on the east side of Downtown Houston, realign sections of I‐10 and US 59/I‐69 in the Downtown area to eliminate the current roadway reverse curves that limit capacity, and depress US 59/I‐69 between I-10 and Spur 527 south of Downtown to remove the problematic weaving sections. The proposed project also includes reconstruction of mainlanes and frontage roads; addition of bicycle/pedestrian realms along the streets that cross the freeways, including a 15- to 17-foot-wide pedestrian realm that will create a buffer between the bicycle/pedestrian traffic and the vehicular traffic; addition of sidewalks along frontage roads; and addition of pass‐through lanes on I‐10 that will separate traffic desiring to go to Downtown from traffic destined to go through Downtown. The ROD documents selection of the Preferred Alternative described in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) as the alternative selected for implementation. It presents the basis for the decision, summarizes the mitigation measures that will be incorporated into the project, and provides responses to issues raised in comments received on the Final EIS. Although the ROD is the final step in the EIS process and results in a Selected Alternative, future changes and refinements to the project can still occur. The Final EIS and ROD are available on the project website at www.IH45NorthandMore.com. Paper copies of the ROD can be made available by submitting a request in writing by mail to: TxDOT Houston District Office, Advanced Project Development Director, P.O. Box 1386, Houston, TX 77251. Requests may also be submitted by email to [email protected], or by phone by calling 713-802-5070. The ROD is written in English. If you need an interpreter or document translator because English is not your primary language or you have difficulty communicating effectively in English, one will be provided to you. If you have a disability and need assistance, special arrangements can be made to accommodate most needs. If you need interpretation or translation services or you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation to review the ROD, please contact the TxDOT Director of Advanced Project Development at (713) 802-5070 no later than 4 p.m. CT, at least three business days before the date on which you would like to review the ROD. Please be aware that advance notice is required as some services and accommodations may require time for TxDOT to arrange. Si usted necesita un intérprete o traductor de documento porque inglés no es su idioma primario o usted tiene dificultad comunicando eficazmente en inglés, sírvase comunicarse con Sue Theiss Distrito de Houston, al número de teléfono (713) 802-5070. Nếu bạn cần một phiên dịch hoặc biên dịch do tiếng Anh không phải ngôn ngữ chính của bạn hoặc bạn gặp khó khăn khi giao tiếng hiệu quả bằng tiếng Anh, vui lòng liên hệ với Sue Theiss, Quận Houston theo số (713) 802- 5070. 由於英文並非您的主要語言或者您的英文不流利難以有效溝通,如果您需要口譯員或文件譯員,請撥打休士頓區 Sue Theiss 聯絡 (713) 802-5070. 1 Ikiwa unahitaji mkalimani au mtafsiri wa hati kwa sababu Kiingereza sio lugha yako ya msingi au una ugumu wa kuwasiliana vizuri kwa Kiingereza, tafadhali wasiliana na Sue Theiss, Wilaya ya Houston, (713) 802-5070. Si w bezwen yon entèprèt oubyen yon tradiktè pou tradwi dokiman pou w poutèt angle pa lang ou itilize pi souvan an oswa ou gen difikilte pou kominike byen ann angle, souple kontakte Sue Theiss, distri Houston, nan (713) 802- 5070. The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project 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. 2 RECORD OF DECISION North Houston Highway Improvement Project From US 59/I-69 at Spur 527 to I-45 at Beltway 8 North Harris County, Texas CSJ: 0912-00-146 TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION February 2021 The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project 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. North Houston Highway Improvement Project Record of Decision _____________________________________________________________________________________ Contents 1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 3 2.0 Decision ................................................................................................................................................... 3 3.0 Purpose and Need ................................................................................................................................... 7 4.0 Alternatives Considered .......................................................................................................................... 7 5.0 Measures to Minimize Harm................................................................................................................. 15 6.0 Section 4(f) ............................................................................................................................................ 24 7.0 Summary of Comments on the Final EIS ............................................................................................... 25 8.0 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 26 Appendix A – Summary of Means to Avoid, Minimize, and Mitigate Effects Appendix B – Responses to Issues Commonly Raised in Comments Received on the Final EIS 2 North Houston Highway Improvement Project Record of Decision _____________________________________________________________________________________ 1.0 Introduction This document is the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) Record of Decision (ROD) for the North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP) in Harris County, Texas. This ROD constitutes TxDOT’s approval of the Preferred Alternative described in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) dated August 2020 as the alternative selected for implementation. The EIS process for the NHHIP began nearly ten years ago and was preceded by initial corridor planning studies. In 2017, TxDOT issued the Draft EIS and held two public hearings and a public meeting in conjunction with its release. After release of the Draft EIS in 2017, TxDOT continued public engagement through community meetings and by posting updated technical reports for public comments. Feedback received during that public engagement period resulted in project design changes as well as new information on the project’s environmental concerns, impacts, and mitigation measures. In total, TxDOT has attended more than 300 stakeholder meetings with individuals, groups, or organizations over the course of the project’s development. In August of 2020, TxDOT issued the Final EIS for the NHHIP. The Final EIS was posted on the NHHIP website (http://www.ih45northandmore.com) on September 25, 2020, and was available for review at the TxDOT Houston District Office beginning September 28, 2020. The Notice of Availability was published in the Federal Register on October 9, 2020. An amended notice extending the comment period from November 9, 2020 to December 9, 2020 was published in the Federal Register on October 30, 2020. TxDOT has included in the official documentation any communication postmarked by or received on December 18, 2020, which represents a 9‐day grace period. This ROD identifies the Selected Alternative for the NHHIP, presents the basis for the decision, identifies the alternatives considered, specifies the environmentally preferable alternative and provides information on adopted means to avoid, minimize, and compensate for environmental impacts. It does not repeat all the information in the Final EIS, but instead incorporates it by reference. Although the ROD marks the end of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, TxDOT is committed to continuing to meet with stakeholders and accepting public input as we proceed through future project development phases. 2.0 Decision TxDOT has considered the alternatives, information, analyses, and input provided by federal, state, tribal, and local governments and public commenters for consideration by the lead and cooperating agencies in developing the EIS for this project. This ROD documents selection of the Preferred Alternative described in the Final EIS as the Selected Alternative for this project. In making this decision TxDOT is acting as the lead federal