Study Process - Part C Process

{ View Part A Process }
{ View Part B Process }

Part C has two major components, the EIS and Design Report. These components are developed at the same time. As the preliminary design is developed for the Design Report, there is always an awareness of the potential affect on the environment that is documented in the EIS.

Depending on the results of the Part B screening, there may be a recommendation of "no action", or an alternative(s) may be carried forward for detailed study in Part C. As each alternative is developed, environmental evaluations are performed to identify, measure the possible impact, and develop possible measures to mitigate the impact on many sensitive factors. Among these many factors are context sensitivity, socio-economic, cultural, ecologic, agricultural, air and water quality, noise, natural resources, special waste, special lands, indirect and cumulative impacts.

As each alternative is developed engineering evaluations are performed to identify and measure the effect on many technical factors. Among these many factors are safety, mobility, logical beginning and end of project, access, intersection and interchange operations, river and railroad crossings, aesthetics, earthwork, cost, utilities, geotechnical, bridges, drainage, floodplains, right of way, and geometry.

A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and a Draft Design Report will be prepared. Following an extensive public comment period, a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), and a Final Design Report will be issued. The final documents will define the alternative that can be developed further in final design and constructed.

return to top