East Side Highway

Environmental Assessment (EA) Study

Public Information Meetings

Public Information Meeting #5
The fifth Public Information Meeting (PIM) was held on Wednesday, June 19, 2013 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Normal community High School. Two identical presentations were given at 6:10 p.m. and again at 7:10 p.m. The presentation included an overview of the Environmental Assessment analysis and the selection process of the two remaining alternatives. The remainder of the meeting was open-house format with opportunity to browse exhibits. Project staff was available to provide information and answer questions.

Presentation slides given at the meeting are available for download below:

PIM #5 Presentation

During the portion of the presentation regarding unemployment forecast, the source referenced is available for download from the Illinois Department of Employment Security IDES. Unemployment Rate by Metropolitan Statistical Areas can be found at:

http://www.ides.illinois.gov/custom/library/statistic/LAUS/msamap.pdf

Of note, this is an active link that is updated monthly. The Bloomington-Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area unemployment rate for April of 2013 was referenced at the presentation as being 5.8%.

The informational handout distributed at the meeting is available for download here.

The exhibits on display during the meeting are available for download below:

Welcome Board
Environmental Assessment Analysis Criteria
Differentiating Criteria Table
Environmental Resources
2035 Land Use Plan
ESH Typical Section
Alternative 126
Alternative 127
Alternative 126 Overpass/UnderPass
Alternative 127 Overpass/Underpass
Multi-Use Trail Alternative 126
Multi-Use Trail Alternative 127
Future Rural Road Network Alternative 126
Future Rural Road Network Alternative 127
Project Timeline

Project stakeholders are invited to review the remaining alternatives and provide comments. Please submit comments by July 3, 2013. Comments may be mailed, emailed or faxed to the contact information provided on the comment form located at the back of the handout. When commenting on the alternatives, please be specific as to which alternative you think should be selected as the Preferred Alternative and indicate why.

A summary of the public comments and the recommended Preferred Alternative will be presented to the FHWA and the Federal and State resource agencies in November 2013.  At the meeting, the project team will seek concurrence on the Preferred Alternative. Concurrence means that the agencies agree the information is adequate and that the project can be advanced to the next stage of development. The agencies agree not to revisit the previous steps unless conditions change. The resource agencies can choose to select the No Build Alternative as the Preferred Alternative if they find that Alternative 126 and Alternative 127 have significant environmental impacts that outweigh the No Build Alternative’s inability to meet the Purpose and Need. The project team will notify the public on this website after the November meeting to provide an update on the status of the Preferred Alternative.  The Preferred Alternative will be presented to the public at a Public Hearing to be tentatively held in early 2014.

 

Public Information Meeting #4

The fourth Public Information Meeting (PIM) was held on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Normal Community High School at 3900 East Raab Road.  A presentation was given at approximately 6:10 p.m. and again at 7:10 p.m. The content at each presentation was identical.  The presentation included an overview of the alternative evaluation process, identification of the remaining alignments, and a discussion of roadway facility type.  The remainder of the meeting was open-house format with opportunity to browse exhibits.  Staff was available for discussion and questions.
The presentation slides given at the meeting are available for download below:

Presentation

The handouts and exhibits on display are available for download below:

Welcome board
Project timeline
Population forecast graph
Employment forecast graph
Year 2035 No-Build AADT
Year 2035 No-Build v/c
Year 2035 Build Option Model AADT
Year 2035 Build Option Model v/c
Population Change 2000-2010
Population Change 2010-2035
Five step alternative evaluation process
Map of 129 Build Alternatives
Initial Screening summary tables
Purpose & Need Evaluation summary tables
List of Macro Analysis resources evaluated
Macro Analysis summary tables
List of Alignment Analysis resources evaluated
Alignment Analysis summary tables
Alignment Analysis Resource Exhibit
Remaining Alignment 124
Remaining Alignment 125
Remaining Alignment 126
Remaining Alignment 127
Facility Type Board

At the meeting, the Focus Working Groups (FWGs) were introduced.  The FWGs are advisory groups with specific interests and knowledge. They are assembled to review planning and design materials relating to their interest area and advise the Project Study Group (PSG) at key milestones, before the information is finalized.

The three FWGs are:

1.    Land Use and Access Management
2.    Sustainability
3.    Alternative Modes

The flyers and exhibits explaining more about the FWGs are below.

FWG – Land Use and Access Management Flyer
FWG – Land Use and Access Management Exhibit
FWG – Sustainability Flyer
FWG – Sustainability Exhibit
FWG – Alternative Modes Flyer
FWG – Alternative Modes Exhibit

 

Public Information Meeting #3

A Public Information Meeting was held on Thursday, August 18, 2011, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.  at Normal Community High School located. The purpose of the meeting was to present the alternative development and evaluation process to date.  Two identical presentations were given at 6:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.  The remainder of the meeting was conducted in an open-house format with project staff available to provide information and answer questions.

The presentation slides given at the meeting are available for download below:

Presentation

The informational handouts and exhibits on display are available for download below:

Meeting handout
Welcome board
Timeline
Evaluation Process Board
Employment Forecast Graph
Population Forecast Graph
Year 2035 No-Build AADT
Year 2035 No-Build Volume to Capacity Ratio
Population Change 2000-2010
Population Change 2010-2035
Travel Demand Models
 Year 2035 Build Option Model AADT
Year 2035 Build Option Model Volume to Capacity Ratio
Environmental and Cultural Resources Map
List of Environmental and Cultural Resources Evaluated
Initial Screening and Purpose & Need Evaluation Summary Tables
Macro Analysis Summary Tables

To review the alternatives remaining as presented at the meeting click here. The alternatives remaining under consideration are also shown on the Environmental and Cultural Resources Map above.

During the portion of the presentation regarding population and employment forecasts, two of the sources referenced are available for download on the internet. One is IHS Global Insight’s “U.S. Metro Economies: GMP and Employment Forecasts” prepared for the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the Council for the New American City, June 2011 found at:

http://www.usmayors.org/metroeconomies/2011/

The second reference available for download from the Illinois Department of Employment Security depicted unemployment rates for metropolitan areas and can be found at:

http://www.ides.illinois.gov/LMI/Pages/Downloadable_LAUS_Files.aspx

The project stakeholders are invited to review the meeting documents and alternatives remaining under consideration and provide comments.  Public comments must be received by September 1, 2011 to become part of the official meeting record.   Comments may be mailed, emailed, or faxed to the contact information provided on the form.

Comment Form

Public Information Meeting #2

The second public information meeting was held on January 13, 2011, at Normal Community High School from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The purpose of the meeting was to seek public input on the Purpose & Need Statement (P&N). The P&N defines transportation issues or problems in the project study area and the needs for the improvements that will be evaluated in the EA. The meeting was conducted in an open-house format with project staff available to provide information and answer questions.
The P&N is available for download below.

The informational handouts and exhibits on display at the meeting are available for download below.

The project stakeholders are invited to review the Purpose & Need Statement and provide comments.  Public comments received by January 27, 2011, will be considered for incorporation into the final document to reflect concerns of the stakeholders.

The revised Purpose and Need Statement will be presented at the February 15, 2011 NEPA/404 merger meeting to seek resource agency concurrence.  This concurrence gives the approval to begin the development of alternatives for the East Side Highway.

 

Public Information Meeting #1

The first public information meeting was held August 25th, 2010 at the Normal Community High School Auditorium, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The purpose of the meeting was to:

  • Review the project history and project study area,
  • Discuss the Environmental Assessment (EA) process, including objectives and schedule,
  • Outline the project’s preliminary purpose and need,
  • Kickoff the Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) public involvement process,
  • Identify potential Community Working Group (CWG) members, and
  • Provide stakeholders an opportunity to provide comments on the project study area, project scope, preliminary purpose and need, and to identify social, cultural, and/or environmental issues.

The meeting consisted of a PowerPoint presentation narrated by Jerry Payonk of Clark Dietz, Inc. followed by an open house where attendees browsed project-related maps and exhibit boards.  A general meeting information handout was also distributed. The presentation (with narration coming soon), maps, exhibits, and the handout are available for download below.

During the presentation, the East Side Highway logo contest was announced.  Any Bloomington-Normal Metropolitan Area high school or junior high school student currently in grades 6 through 12 can enter.    Read the logo contest rules below for more details.

All interested attendees could sign up to volunteer to become a member of the Community Working Group (CWG).  Several boards were on display and a handout was available so attendees could learn more about the CWG.  The CWG sign-up form and information materials are below.  If you are interested in becoming a member of the CWG, please fill out the CWG sign-up sheet. All forms must be received by September 8, 2010, to be considered for CWG membership.  All volunteers will be notified by the Project Study Group regarding the CWG selection process.

In addition to the CWG, there will be numerous opportunities to participate in the project development process.  A Stakeholder Involvement Plan (SIP) detailing the process and opportunities for agency and public involvement will be posted on the project website in September 2010.

All attendees were invited to fill out a post-meeting comment form to provide input on the project, such as the study area limits, scope, preliminary purpose and need, environmental, cultural and/or social resources associated with the project, and any other project-related information. Please feel free to fill out the comment sheet below.  Please note that comments must be received by September 8, 2010, to become part of the official meeting record.