01339661

Monograph

http://onlinepubs.trb.org.../SHRP2_CS_C01_WA_I-405.pdf

The Interstate 405 (I-405) Corridor Program, named Reinventing NEPA, was a pilot study for an improved transportation decision-making process developed by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) that attempted to move the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) decision making into the early stages of long-range planning. WSDOT engaged the affected regulatory agencies and jurisdictions by introducing a series of coordination and consensus points at key milestones and decision points throughout the environmental analysis, documentation, and review process. WSDOT developed the I-405 Corridor Program as a programmatic environmental impact statement (EIS). A programmatic EIS, or Tier I EIS, reviews the broad environmental impacts of a long-term investment program such as multiple improvements along a major transportation corridor. Subsequent project-specific, or Tier II, EISs then review the impacts of individual projects. This approach allowed WSDOT to focus on broad corridorwide transportation issues and policy-level decisions, such as service characteristics of the corridor, corridor selection, general location of improvements, and combinations of improvements to solve corridorwide transportation problems. The I-405 Corridor Program successfully moved NEPA decisions into the planning phase. Stakeholders agree that the I-405 Corridor Program was successful because NEPA decisions were effectively made in the planning process. This achievement is helping to streamline project development and environmental review of the individual projects currently under way. The early involvement of state and federal regulatory resource agencies improved coordination between agencies, and a transparent decision-making process helped build the relationships and trust that continue today. This case study is discussed under the following headings: Executive Summary; Background; Institutional Framework for Decision Making; Transportation Decision-Making Process and Key Decisions; Lessons Learned; and Conclusions.

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English

26p

2011

Web

Figures (3) ; Maps (1) ; References (7) ; Tables (1)

Case studies; Decision making; Environmental impact statements; Highway corridors; Highway planning; Improvements; Interstate highways; Lessons learned; Long range planning

Interstate 405; National Environmental Policy Act of 1969

Washington (State)

Environment; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; I15: Environment; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure

TRIS, TRB

May 11 2011 11:31AM