What specific federal actions does FHWA anticipate for the Star proposal as currently presented?
FHWA Response: There are four actions that FHWA would have to take on the Star proposal in order for it to be constructed: 1) approval of funding the proposal; 2) approval of a toll pilot project for I-81 in Virginia; 3) approval of I-81 interchange modifications; and 4) approval of design exceptions on I-81. These approvals would require NEPA compliance; in addition, it is our expectation that all applicable federal regulations, including design standards, will be met. S5. Is there an opportunity to split the Star proposal into separate projects with independent utility and logical termini to satisfy NEPA? FHWA Response: While the opportunity exists to develop separate projects within the overall corridor upgrade plan for NEPA review purposes, no justification for individual projects sections with independent utility and logical termini has been presented to date. Therefore, at this time we cannot agree with the proposer’s assumptions as specified in the conceptual proposal regarding