Abstract
Streamlining the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and FHWA's transportation planning process is a goal of all state departments of transportation as well as a presidential goal and directive (Executive Order 13274, Environmental Stewardship and Transportation Infrastructure Project Reviews). One section of the nationally designated Interstate 69 (I-69) corridor, the proposed north–south interstate from Canada to Mexico, used a project study process that combined innovative geographic information system (GIS) technology with early, proactive coordination with state and federal resource agencies, Native American tribes, and the public to expedite the NEPA project development process. The Southeast Arkansas I-69 Connector Project (I-69 connector) successfully integrated the development and management of a project-specific GIS with early and continuous stakeholder outreach. This approach fostered a cooperative project atmosphere in which alternatives were developed that responded to the concerns of all stakeholders. This approach proved invaluable in consensus building and in achieving concurrence in a compressed time frame from the public and regulatory resource agencies on the ultimate location of the new facility.
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