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This section describes recent developments related to project delivery/streamlining from the last six months. If you would like to suggest a recent development on this topic, please submit a short description to AASHTO (including any pertinent links) on the Share Info with AASHTO form.
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«View Recent Developments Archive
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| DOT Announces Approval of Utah's I-15 Corridor |
| The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced the completion of the environmental review for the I-15 Corridor in Utah County. In a release, DOT said the project – part of an 840-mile route connecting San Diego, Calif., to Salt Lake City that was chosen last year as one of six “Corridors of the Future” – has long been a priority of the Federal Highway Administration and the Utah DOT. While the environmental review process for a project this size typically takes seven to eight years, DOT Secretary Mary Peters noted that the review for this project was completed in less than four years. For more information on the announcement, link to the press release. (8-26-08)
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| Columbia River Crossing Designated Priority Project for Expedited Review |
| The Columbia River Crossing, also known as the Interstate 5 Bridge between Portland, Ore., and Vancouver, Wash., has received national priority status from the White House, according to an announcement from U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters. The priority designation under Executive Order 13274 was requested jointly by the Oregon and Washington Departments of Transportation. It will help speed decision-making by officials while maintaining all federal and state environmental review requirements, according to a U.S. DOT release. The project, which has already received $15 million in federal funding, will reduce gridlock and improve safety problems on a five-mile stretch of I-5 through a combination of bridge, transit and highway improvements, DOT said. The project area stretches from State Route 500 in Vancouver, Wash., to approximately Columbia Boulevard in Portland, Ore., including the I-5 Bridge across the Columbia River. For more information on the priority project, link to the E.O. 13274 website project list. (8-5-08)
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| FHWA Says Teambuilding Initiative Improves Environmental Review of D.C. Highway Project |
| A Federal Highway Administration program to help state DOTs meet project streamlining and stewardship objectives has led to a substantially expedited environmental review process for a highway project in the nation’s capital. The August 2008 issue of FHWA’s Successes in Stewardship newsletter describes how assistance provided through FHWA’s Teambuilding Initiative helped improve preparation of the environmental impact statement for the 11th Street Bridges project, which will complete highway connections over the Anacostia River in southeastern Washington, D.C. According to the article, the project team reached a record of decision in 34 months, compared with the FHWA median time of 68 months for completing the National Environmental Policy Act process. The project team also exceeded the agency’s National Performance Objective to complete the process in 36 months. For more information, link to The 11th Street Bridges: Building Teams to Improve Outcomes and Expedite Environmental Review. (8-1-08)
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| FHWA Publishes Highlights of 2008 Environmental Conference |
| The June 2008 issue of the Federal Highway Administration’s Successes in Stewardship newsletter features highlights of the agency’s third biennial Environmental Conference held on June 17-19, 2008, in Washington, D.C. The conference brought together close to 250 transportation and environmental professionals who discussed current environmental practice and activities and emerging trends. Major themes of the conference discussions included climate change, improving NEPA documentation, Section 4(f), fiscal constraint, and the upcoming SAFETEA-LU reauthorization in Sept. 2009. For more information, link to FHWA 2008 Environmental Conference: FHWA’s Role in a Changing Climate. (7-8-08)
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| FHWA Develops Environmental Competency Building Tool |
| The Federal Highway Administration has announced a new online resource tool as part of its Environmental Competency Building Program to support professional development opportunities in the transportation and environmental disciplines. The new Competency Navigator is designed to help professionals in different disciplines identify key environmental and technical topic areas associated with the delivery of sustainable transportation programs. The tool provides lists of environmental competencies recommended for each of nine disciplines such as senior-level manager, project manager, environmental specialist, planner, and others. For more information, link to Successes in Stewardship: New Professional Development Tool Introduced by the Environmental Competency Building Program. (June 2008)
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| GAO Report Sees Progress in Implementing SAFETEA-LU Planning, Environmental Provisions |
| A report issued by the U.S. Government Accountability Office shows some progress by state transportation agencies in implementing streamlined planning and environmental review processes enacted under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The report, which summarizes findings of a study conducted by GAO at the request of U.S. Senator James Inhofe, also concludes that it will be several years before the full impact of the changes can be determined. For more information, link to the cover letter and briefing report, Highways and Environment: Transportation Agencies are Acting to Involve Others in Planning and Environmental Decisions. (4-25-08)
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| Guidance Addresses Requirements for Early Property Acquisition |
| Guidance issued by the Federal Highway Administration affirms that early acquisitions of real property by transportation agencies without simultaneous Federal-aid participation and prior to completion of environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act still are subject to requirements of NEPA and the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act. The guidance, issued in a memorandum to FHWA division administrators, states that "when a State DOT proceeds with early acquisition using its own money and with no intention of seeking Federal-aid credit or reimbursement, the FHWA nonetheless must make certain that the State DOT’s acquisition actions do not affect the environmental analysis or review of the project, or bias the FHWA’s decisions on the project." For more information, link to the Guidance on Early Acquisitions and Compliance with NEPA and Uniform Act. (8-24-07) [back to top] | | |
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| NCHRP Report Addresses Environmental Permits on Design-Build Projects |
| FHWA Issues Final Report on Gallup Study of Streamlining Performance |
| A final report on the results of a second Gallup study of transportation agencies and environmental resource agencies to measure perceptions regarding environmental streamlining has been issued by the Federal Highway Administration. The study is a follow-up to a similar effort first conducted in 2003. The latest study provides comparative data for regions to gauge their own performance and provides separate data for five individual states: California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Florida, and Texas. For more information, link to the May 2007 Final Report or to FHWA's Gallup Study website. [back to top] | | |
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| FHWA Requests Applications for Surface Transportation Project Delivery Pilot Program |
| The Federal Highway Administration is requesting applications from state departments of transportation for participation in the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Pilot Program established under Section 6005 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The pilot program provides for up to five states to assume responsibility from the agency for environmental review, consultation, and other actions in connection with the review or approval of highway projects. The states of Alaska, California, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Texas were initially given priority for participation in the pilot program; of those states, Ohio and Texas have declined to participate. The agency currently requests applications from all other states for participation in the pilot program. The deadline for letters of interest is Sept. 7, 2007. For more information, link to the Federal Register notice. (7-9-07) [back to top] | | |
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| FHWA Develops Environmental Review Toolkit |
| A new Web page containing updated information on compliance with environmental review provisions and related sections of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act, A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) was posted by the Federal Highway Administration on March 1, 2007. The site provides an environmental review process checklist as well as examples of implementation including: project initiation letters, participating and/or cooperating agency letters, coordination plans, public involvement plans, and statute of limitations notices. For more information, link to Environmental Review Toolkit Web Page. [back to top] | | |
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| Programmatic Agreement Library Launched by AASHTO |
| A library of programmatic agreements developed by transportation agencies to streamline compliance with federal environmental laws was launched Dec. 14 by Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO. The Programmatic Agreement Library (PAL) database summarizes information from executed agreements, contains links to the full agreement, and provides ongoing access for practitioners to research agreements that meet specific requirements. The database currently includes agreements in five topical areas: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) categorical exclusions; Endangered Species Act Section 7; Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act; Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act; and land management. In addition, agreements will be added on Transportation Enhancements. For more information, link to PAL. [back to top] | | |
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| FHWA's Successes in Stewardship Newsletter |
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