Action
Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
Summary
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the San Francisco Municipal Railway (MUNI) hereby give notice that they intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), on the proposed construction of a light rail transit service along the Third Street corridor in San Francisco. The Third Street Light Rail Project would extend from a southern terminus connecting with the Bayshore CalTrain Station, travel along Bayshore Boulevard, cross Highway 101 to operate in a dedicated median right-of-way on Third Street through the Bayview commercial core, then past the Central Waterfront and Potrero Hill to King Street. North of Third and King Streets, surface and subway options would extend the light rail line through South of Market, the downtown area, crossing Market Street to the downtown area, with a northern terminus in Chinatown near Sacramento or Washington Street. Other options would operate directly into the Market Street MUNI Metro subway. As part of the project, a new light rail maintenance and storage facility is proposed for a site just east of I-280, between 16th and Mariposa Streets. The local lead agency--the City and County of San Francisco, Planning Department, Office of Environmental Review (OER)--will ensure that the environmental document also satisfies the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). In addition to the Third Street Light Rail Project, the EIS/EIR will evaluate a No Build Alternative, as well as any feasible alternatives generated through the scoping process. Scoping will be accomplished through correspondence with interested persons, organizations and federal, state and local agencies, and through two public scoping meetings. In addition, a Technical Advisory Committee and a Community Advisory Group will be established to provide input to the project. Numerous local community workshops and public informational forums are also planned to take place throughout the project corridor.