About the project
The study is a planning and engineering process to determine social, economic and environmental impacts associated with a proposed transportation improvement project. This process requires the combined efforts of professional engineers, planners and scientists who collect and analyze project-related information to develop the best solution for a communitys transportation needs. The process used in the development of the project is made up of several components. These include:
- Data collection
- Development of corridor alternatives
- Analysis of viable corridor alternatives
- Selection of recommended corridor alignments
- Public and agency involvement
Data Collection
Data collection involves gathering the information that is needed to develop and evaluate the various improvement alternatives, including:
- Traffic counts
- Existing roadway conditions
- Identification of wetlands
- Threatened/Endangered species habitat
- Existing land use and property information
- Planned developments
- Existing drainage systems and drainage patterns
- Contamination sites
- Archaeological/Historic sites
Development of Alternatives
Several improvement alternatives will be developed that will meet future travel demand and attempt to minimize impacts to the community and the natural environment. These alternatives will be developed with input from the public, local government and environmental agencies obtained throughout the study process.
Analysis of Alternatives
The alternatives developed will be compared based on community and environmental impacts, costs for design and construction engineering inspection, right-of-way acquisition, construction and environmental mitigation. Public comment and sentiment are also considered during this analysis. Several evaluations are conducted and used in this analysis. These include:
- Community impacts - Evaluate the number of properties, residences, businesses, public facilities affected by an alignment
- Wetlands - Find the best way to avoid or mitigate long-term and short-term impacts to wetlands
- Water Quality - Implement measures to prevent, reduce or eliminate pollution of ground and surface waters
- Wildlife and Habitat Impacts - Efforts are made to protect and ensure the continued existence of threatened and/or endangered species and their habitat
- Contamination - Identify, evaluate and recommend actions concerning potential contamination problems within and/or adjacent to the project
- Stormwater - Evaluate drainage patterns in the vicinity of the alternative and documents efforts to minimize impacts
- Floodplains - Document efforts to minimize or avoid encroachment within the 100-year floodplain through drainage system design
- Archaeological and Historic Sites - Documentation is required to identify andminimize impacts to historic and archaeologically significant sites
Selection of Recommended Alternatives
Once the analysis of all the viable alternatives are complete for the project and the public has had the opportunity to comment on these alternatives, a recommendation will be made to the Lee County Board of County Commissioners.