PD&E Study Process and Schedule

What is a PD&E Study? The PD&E process was developed to ensure that the design of transportation projects appropriately reflects and incorporates the unique engineering and community characteristics of the area. The Department created the process to ensure that projects receiving Federal aid follow the policies and procedures outlined in the National Environmental Policy Act.

The first major work effort in the PD&E process is the collection of available data pertaining to the study corridor. Once the data collection is complete and the needs of the corridor determined, the Department will develop and evaluate the benefits and impacts of a number of alternative improvement (widening) concepts for SR 528. We will first confirm the need for the widening through a series of technical traffic analyses. Next, alternative widening concepts will be developed. The Department will estimate the potential benefits of the alternatives. Likewise, the potential social, environmental and physical impacts associated with each alternative will also be assessed. Based on this analysis and public input, the Department will eliminate the least desirable alternatives. The remaining alternatives, now referred to as the Viable Alternatives, will be subjected to a higher level of evaluations. The Department will repeat the process by eliminating the less desirable Viable Alternatives until a single Preferred Alternative is selected.

The community will be involved throughout the PD&E process. Residents, business owners, travelers and other interest groups will have several opportunities to review project information and participate in the decision making process. The public will be invited to attend public meetings to review and comment on the Initial, Viable, and Preferred Alternatives. Study Team members will also be available to attend small group or community meetings to review project specific information as needed throughout the study. Ultimately, the Department will seek Location Design Concept Acceptance (LDA) of the recommended project from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The FWHA will consider all information provided by the Department, both technical and community related, while considering the LDA designation.

Study Schedule - Updated 9/2005