Maintaining Flexibility and Options in Alternatives Development: A Case Study of the Successful Use of Modeling, Agency Coordination and Public Involvement to Determine the Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative for a 17-Mile Transportation Project

This paper explores the alternatives development process for a North Carolina Department of Transportation new location roadway project. The case study will identify how potential project conflicts were avoided or resolved through a commitment to a comprehensive evaluation of a full range of alternatives, frequent agency and public coordination and maintaining flexibility. This approach reduced the length of time typically needed for a project of this size to reach the selection of the Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative by approximately 40 percent and will help to streamline the permitting process.