FHWA proud of its streamlining efforts

The Federal Highway Administration is releasing a study of eight highway projects that were completed in reasonable time while successfully preserving the environment.

"Successful Efforts in Environmental Streamlining: Eight Case Studies in Project Development" examines the processes and lessons learned from developing environmental impact statements for a group of projects that all took less than 33 months to complete.

According to the FHWA, the mean length of time to complete EISs during the 1990s was five years, or 60 months. "Each of the projects used common-sense approaches that other states can replicate easily and affordably to streamline project development," FHWA stated. By using studies and analysis performed prior to the former federal National Environmental Policy Act evaluation, the streamlined EIS process engages community and political leaders to garner project support, fostering "interagency coordination through frequent meetings, concurrent reviews and formal and informal interagency agreements."

Projects described in the study include multi-modal work on Colorado's I-25 and I-225; congestion work on Florida Rte. 423; a planning study for U.S. 113 in Maryland; Mississippi's Airport Parkway and 25 Connectors; the Missouri Rte. 19 river bridge; Nevada's U.S. 95; New York's Judd Road Connector; and North Dakota's I-29 reconstruction project.