I-70 West Environmental Study Out for Review

For the next 30 days, a copy of the Final I-70 Mountain Corridor Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) is available for review at 26 locations.* It also can be viewed on the project Web site: www.i70mtncorridor.com.  The review period continues through April 11, 2011.

The Final PEIS looks at a variety of potential transit and highway improvements between C-470 and Glenwood Springs.  It also assesses the environmental impacts from those improvements.  The document also contains responses to all comments received on the Revised Draft PEIS, which was released in September 2010.

Following the review period, the preferred alternative and the required mitigation strategies will be included in the Record of Decision (ROD), scheduled to be released in spring 2011.

After the ROD is released, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will initiate smaller, project-specific studies and projects within the corridor, consistent with the ROD.  These subsequent studies (referred to as Tier 2 processes) will develop and evaluate specific construction projects within the corridor, if and when funding is available.

In addition to CDOT and the FHWA, the document includes recommendations from the general public and the Collaborative Effort.  The CE, a 27-member group representing various corridor interests, was charged with reaching consensus on a recommended transportation solution and both agencies adopted the CE’s recommendation in the PEIS.

During the 30-day review period, CDOT and FHWA are available to present additional information on the Final PEIS to small groups and organizations.  Please contact CDOT’s I-70 Mountain Corridor Environmental Manager Wendy Wallach at (303) 757-9008 or e-mail wendy.wallach@dot.state.co.us.

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*Where to review the FINAL PEIS:

Metropolitan Denver
CDOT Region 1 Headquarters - 18500 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora 303-365-7041
CDOT Headquarters - Public Relations Office, 4201 East Arkansas Avenue, Denver 303-757-9228
Denver Public Library - 10 West 14th Avenue Parkway, Denver 720-865-1821
FHWA Offices - 12300 West Dakota Avenue, Suite 180, Lakewood 720-963-3000
Lakewood Public Library - 10200 W. 20th Avenue, Lakewood 303-235-5275
CDOT Region 1 - Golden Residency - 425C Corporate Circle, Golden, 303-512-5800
Evergreen Public Library - 5000 Highway 73, Evergreen, 303-235-5275

Clear Creek County
Idaho Springs Public Library - 219 14th Avenue, Idaho Springs, 303-567-2020
Silver Plume Small Town Hall - 710 Main Street, Silver Plume, 303-569-2363ww. i 7
Empire Town Hall - 30 East Park Avenue, Empire, 303-569-2978
John Tomay Memorial Public Library - 605 6th Street, Georgetown, 303-569-2620

Summit County
Summit County Public Library - North Branch - 651 Center Circle, Silverthorne, 970-468-5887
Summit County Public Library - Main Branch - 0037 CR 1005, Frisco, 970-668-5555
Summit County Public Library - South Branch - 504 Airport Road, Breckenridge

Eagle County
Town of Vail Public Library - 292 West Meadow Drive, Vail, 970-479-2185
Avon Branch Public Library - 200 Benchmark Road, Avon, 970-949-6797

Eagle County
Public Library - 600 Broadway, Eagle, 970-328-8800
CDOT Region 3 - Eagle Residency - 714 Grand Avenue, Eagle, 970-328-6385
Gypsum Public Library - 48 Lundgren Boulevard, Gypsum. 970-524-5080

Garfield County
CDOT Region 3 - Glenwood Residency - 202 Centennial Street, Glenwood Springs, 970-945-8187
Glenwood Springs Branch Public Library - 413 9th Street, Glenwood Springs, 970-945-5958

Gilpin County
Gilpin County Public Library - 15131 Highway 119, Black Hawk, 303-582-5777

Grand County
Fraser Valley Public Library - 421 Norgren Street, Fraser, 970-726-5689

Lake County
Lake County Public Library - 1115 Harrison Avenue, Leadville, 719-486-0569

Mesa County
CDOT Region 3 Headquarters - 222 South 6th Street, # 317, Grand Junction, 970-683-6250

Pitkin County
Pitkin County Public Library - 120 N. Mill Street, Aspen, (970) 429-1900