Citizens for Appropriate Transportation (CAT)
Eisenhower
Transportation Corridor
ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT STATEMENT (EIS)
Because
the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is proposing a major project
for the Eisenhower Expressway, they are required to prepare a detailed
Environmental Impact Statement. An EIS
has four requirements that help us.
1.
EXPLAIN THE PURPOSE AND NEED OF THE PROJECT
An
EIS must explain the underlying purpose and need IDOT
is meeting by improving the expressway. The
Purpose and Need Statement should clearly explain to decision-makers and the
public why a major expenditure of funds is necessary and worthwhile. The Purpose and Need statement should compare
present conditions with future build and no-build conditions. The Purpose and Need statement provides a
basis to evaluate alternative solutions.
2.
IDENTIFY ALL REASONABLE ALTERNATIVES
An
EIS requires IDOT to analyze all prudent and feasible alternatives. Federal regulations require that an EIS
"rigorously explore and objectively evaluate all reasonable
alternatives" including the No-Action (No-Build) Alternative. The intent is to avoid or minimize adverse
effects on the quality of the human environment. IDOT should consider the full spectrum of
alternatives. Possible alternatives that
should be analyzed include extending the CTA Blue Line
further west, improving service on Metra's Union Pacific West Line to Geneva
and the Burlington Northern Line to Aurora, and digging deeper in the ditch so
that the Ike is further down. If IDOT
must rebuild the Ike, then they should consider ways to better connect
neighborhoods on both sides of the expressway. Better designed and
wider bridges will be better for pedestrians and bicyclists.
3.
ANALYZE ALL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES
An
EIS requires a hard look at the environmental consequences. On
an average weekday, the Ike carries about 200,000 vehicles a day. Some environmental impacts are air and noise
pollution, traffic, impact on property values, property acquisition, vibration from the freight trains, community cohesion, and
environmental justice. Vibration is not normally analyzed in a highway project, but it should
be studied in this case because of the rail freight tracks in the Ike Corridor.
Environmental Justice is a public policy
goal intended to ensure that any adverse human health or environmental effects
of government projects do not fall on minority or low-income populations in a
disproportionate manner.
4.
ENCOURAGE AND FACILITATE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
An
Environmental Impact Statement requires IDOT to provide information to the
public, which may in turn assist IDOT in making better decisions through the
public comment process. IDOT must
prepare both a Draft and a Final EIS and make both available to the public. The public must have the opportunity to
comment on the Draft EIS, and IDOT must respond in writing in the Final EIS to
all comments. Then the Federal Highway
Administration has the ultimate responsibility to ensure compliance with all
requirements.
Rick Kuner – June 2002,
revised August 2011