NEPA Nuts and Bolts

1. NEPANuts and Bolts Purpose and Need Michael Vanderhoof, Alaska Division

2. NEPA Nuts and Bolts The purpose of the project is to construct a controlled access freewayconnection between the Big Highway at 1st Street and the Bigger Highway at Cross Street with a financially feasible and efficienthighway facility that provides connectivity of the NHS…

3. NEPA Nuts and Bolts Purpose statement: • Be Clear – Keep it simple • Judge value and risk of adding specificity • Introduce the Needs

4. NEPA Nuts and Bolts Purpose – The purpose is to improve a transportation facility to address safetyproblems, roadway deficienciesand system continuity in the project area Needs • Safety • Roadway Deficiencies • System Continuity

5. NEPA Nuts and Bolts Always have a clear link between: • Purpose • Needs • Primary Goals and Objectives • Evaluation Criteria

6. NEPA Nuts and Bolts Goals and Objectives (Primary) – Satisfy Needs • Improve Safety • Correct Roadway Deficiencies • Improve System Continuity Evaluation Criteria Safety - Does this alternative: • Correct Location A ? • Reduce crashes per MVMT (to “x”) ?

7. NEPA Nuts and Bolts Evaluation Criteria Roadway Deficiencies – Does this alternative • Replace aging infrastructure ? • Improve pavement condition (to “x”) ? System Continuity – Does this alternative • Establish consistent # lanes ? • Establish consistent functional classification ?

8. NEPA Nuts and Bolts Goals vs. Objectives: Explain usage According to American Heritage – • A goal is the purpose toward which an endeavor is directed; objective • An objective is something worked toward or striven for; goal

9. NEPA Nuts and Bolts Primary Goals/Objectives: • Meet the purpose and need Secondary Goals and Objectives: • Desirable and supportive, not required to justify the expenditure of funds • Useful for comparative screening - not for meeting purpose and need

10. NEPA Nuts and Bolts Efficient = A measure of traffic operating conditions that occurs when such factors as travel demand, effects on connecting transportation networks, facility length, travel time, and operating speed are collectively considered.

11. NEPA Nuts and Bolts Project Area and LRTP Alignment