NEPA Nuts and Bolts

1
NEPA Nuts 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 freeway connection between the
  Big Highway at 1st Street and the Bigger Highway
  at Cross Street with a financially feasible and
  efficient highway 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 safety
  problems, roadway deficiencies and 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