PUBLIC NOTICE
Amtrak Station ADA Improvements – Thurmond Station
Thurmond, Fayette County, West Virginia
FR 19-770-FA
Notice of Intent to Adopt a U.S. Department of Transportation Act Section 4(f) De Minimis Finding for Impacts to the New River Gorge National River
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) invite the public to comment on FRA’s Section 4(f) de minimis impact finding on the New River Gorge National River for the proposed project.
The proposed project would bring portions of the Thurmond, West Virginia rail station into compliance with the 2006 U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) Standards for Transportation Facilities. Improvements include removal of the existing platform and the construction of a new 50-foot-long concrete platform with a new wheelchair lift enclosure, and detectable warning surface along its trackside edge; new platform lighting, providing two new ADA-compliant parking stalls with aisle and regrading/ repaving of the parking lot; construction of new ADA-accessible routes from the parking, public right-of-way, and station; provision of a platform underdrain system, and the installation of informational and wayfinding signage. No alterations of the existing station’s exterior or interior will occur during the project.
This project is an action subject to the USDOTAct of 1966 and implementing regulations under 23 CFR 774. Section (4) of the USDOT Act seeks to protect the use of publicly owned public parklands, recreation areas, waterfowl and wildlife refuges, and significant historic sites from impacts by USDOT actions. After an evaluation of the impacts of an action upon Section 4(f) resources, a finding must be made. Regulations allow a determination that certain uses of 4(f) land would have a de minimis impact on the protected resource. In the case of public parks, recreation areas, and wildlife and waterfowl refuges, this means that the project will not adversely affect the features, attributes, or activities that qualify the property for protection under Section 4(f).Regulations require that a public notice and opportunity for review and comment be provided for projects determined to have a de minimis impact.
FRA and Amtrak request public comment on FRA’s proposed Section 4(f) de minimis impact finding for the use of the New River Gorge National River, which is a publicly owned and managedsignificantpark and recreational resource under Section 4(f). Project information can be viewed,and comments may submitted,on the National Park Service Park Planning website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/. Comments are due on October 1, 2020.
ID: 423521