Action
Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
Summary
The FTA, in cooperation with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a proposal to create a new Permanent Port Authority Trans Hudson (PATH) Terminal at the World Trade Center (WTC) site. The proposed project would consist of a track and platform level, an associated mezzanine/fare equipment level, and a terminal building incorporating sub-grade pedestrian connections in all directions to adjacent streets, New York City Transit (NYCT) subways, and on and off- site developments. The PATH tubes, tracks, platforms, and mezzanine would be located on the west portion of the WTC site between Greenwich and West Streets as they were prior to the September 11, 2001, attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center and the previous World Trade Center PATH Terminal. The platform level would contain four platforms and five tracks, and fare equipment would be located on the mezzanine level. A new terminal building would be constructed with a connection to the PATH mezzanine below it. The terminal building would provide pedestrian access to PATH from three levels. The lower concourse would have connections to the future buildings on the WTC site and off-site development across West, Vesey, and Church Streets. The upper concourse level would reestablish access to the NYCT stations on the 1/9, N, R, and E routes and would provide a possible connection to NYCT's proposed Fulton Street Transit Center for access to NYCT stations on the 2, 3, 4, 5, J, M, Z, A, and C routes. (The Fulton Street Transit Center is the subject of a separate environmental review by FTA.) At street- level, patrons could access via Church Street. The EIS is being prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and the applicable regulations implementing NEPA, as set forth in 23 CFR part 771 and 40 CFR parts 1500-1508. The EIS will evaluate a No Action Alternative, a Build Alternative and any reasonable alternative generated by the scoping process. Scoping will be accomplished through meetings and correspondence with interested persons, organizations, and Federal, state, regional and local agencies.