Action
Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
Summary
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), in consultation with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority (locally known as LYNX), is issuing this notice to advise the public that FDOT and LYNX intend to conduct a Scoping Meeting and an Alternatives/Technology Assessment, leading to the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that would comply with all FTA requirements and in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended and the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and all other relevant Federal, State and local regulations and requirements. This EIS will be prepared to evaluate a transit circulator described as the International Drive (I-Drive) Circulator system that would serve as a feeder/distributor system connected to the proposed regional rail transit system including the proposed North- South Light Rail Transit (LRT) system and the proposed Orlando International Airport (OIA) Connector system. This Notice of Intent is being published at this time to notify interested parties and to solicit participation in the study. The objective of the Alternatives/Technology Assessment is to identify a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) that can then be evaluated further as part of the EIS phase of project development. The proposed project is planned to connect major attractions in the I-Drive area including the Belz Factory Outlet Mall, the Orange County Convention Center, numerous hotels and restaurants in the area, Sea World and a connection to the Universal Studios area. The proposed connection to the regional rail transit system will occur in the area of the Orange County Convention Center or the Belz Factory Outlet and will make I-Drive accessible by transit from the OIA. The project study area will be the International Drive corridor between Belz Factory Outlet on the north through Universal/Major Blvd. and Canadian Court Intermodal Center areas to the Sea World area on the south, including a possible connection to Universal Studios to the west of Interstate 4. The following alternatives will be evaluated as part of this study: (1) A No Action (No Build) Alternative; (2) a Transportation Systems Management (TSM) Alternative/Baseline; and (3) two or more Fixed Guideway Alternatives; the assessment of alternative technologies is a part of this study effort.