The Southern Gateway The Southern Gateway Metropolitan Memphis A - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

the southern gateway the southern gateway metropolitan
SMART_READER_LITE
LIVE PREVIEW

The Southern Gateway The Southern Gateway Metropolitan Memphis A - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Southern Gateway The Southern Gateway Metropolitan Memphis A vital gateway for moving people and freight Home to critical transportation infrastructure Railroads, Airport, Inland Port, Interstates Four Mississippi River Bridge


slide-1
SLIDE 1

The Southern Gateway The Southern Gateway

slide-2
SLIDE 2

Metropolitan Memphis

  • A vital gateway for moving people and freight
  • Home to critical transportation infrastructure

– Railroads, Airport, Inland Port, Interstates

  • Four Mississippi River Bridge crossings

– Frisco (railroad): 1892 Frisco (railroad): 1892 – Harahan (railroad): 1916 – Memphis‐Arkansas (I‐55): 1949 Memphis Arkansas (I 55): 1949 – Hernando de Soto (I‐40): 1973

slide-3
SLIDE 3

Challenges Ahead

  • Growing population = more congestion
  • More demands on aging infrastructure
  • More demands on aging infrastructure
  • Seismic concerns
  • Increases in national freight

movement and commerce

  • Economic vitality of Metropolitan

Memphis and the region depends

  • n efficient infrastructure
  • Safety, security and

y, y emergency response

slide-4
SLIDE 4

Previous Studies

  • Broad studies to determine

f b l f d & feasibility of new corridors & bridge locations

  • Preliminary data and analyses
  • 13 corridors & several highway

g y crossing locations considered

  • Determined that a new

Determined that a new bridge is feasible

  • More detailed studies needed
  • More detailed studies needed

From: Mississippi River Crossing Feasibility and Location Study

slide-5
SLIDE 5

The Southern Gateway

Project Purpose:

– To identify deficiencies in the existing transportation system – To identify better connections for people and freight through th M hi t th t i t t i d th t the Memphis area to the tri‐state region and the country

slide-6
SLIDE 6

Partners

  • Tennessee Department of Transportation (lead agency)
  • Arkansas State Highway

and Transportation Department

  • Mississippi Department
  • f Transportation

p

  • Federal Highway Administration

(Divisions in each state) (Divisions in each state)

  • Memphis and West Memphis

Metropolitan Planning Organizations Metropolitan Planning Organizations

slide-7
SLIDE 7

More Than a Bridge

  • Consider multiple modes of

transportation

  • Highway
  • Freight & Passenger Rail
  • Bicycle/Pedestrian
  • Analyze funding options
  • Consider regional and national

Consider regional and national economic impacts

slide-8
SLIDE 8

Multi-Year Effort

  • Environmental and Planning Process
  • Required for projects that use Federal funding or

require Federal permits

  • Results in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

leading to a Record of Decision g

  • The EIS will

– serve as the basis for future

Mock-up

– serve as the basis for future design and construction efforts – demonstrate compliance with applicable

Mock up Cover of EIS

demonstrate compliance with applicable environmental laws

slide-9
SLIDE 9

Study Area

slide-10
SLIDE 10

Areas of Focus

  • Engineering

– Traffic, operations, cost to construct and maintain, funding

  • Impacts on the natural environment

– Wetlands, threatened /endangered species, air & water quality

  • Impacts on the man‐made

environment

– Historical and archaeological sites, public recreation lands

slide-11
SLIDE 11

Areas of Focus

  • Safety and Mobility

– Access to jobs, schools, shopping and other services

  • Social Impacts

– Relocations, neighborhood changes, economic impacts

  • Public Involvement
slide-12
SLIDE 12

The EIS Process

  • Purpose and Need Statement

– Identifies issues to be addressed and reason for project – Benchmark to evaluate competing alternatives

  • Alternatives Development

D l 2 il id id – Develop up to seven 2‐mile wide corridors – Collect data and conduct preliminary analysis – Reduce to four corridors and narrow to 2,000 feet wide – Additional data collection and analysis – Reduce to three corridors for detailed evaluation

slide-13
SLIDE 13

The EIS Process

  • Alternatives Evaluation

Alternatives Evaluation

– Develop improvement options within each corridor Conduct detailed technical evaluations – Conduct detailed technical evaluations – Identify potential “build alternatives”

  • Identify Preferred Alternative

– Evaluate the build alternatives in the Draft EIS Evaluate the build alternatives in the Draft EIS – Document impacts on the natural & man‐made environments – Select preferred alternative Select preferred alternative

slide-14
SLIDE 14

The EIS Process

  • Documentation & Decision

Documentation & Decision

– DEIS reviewed by the public and multiple agencies Final EIS identifies preferred alternative confirmed in a – Final EIS identifies preferred alternative, confirmed in a Record of Decision

slide-15
SLIDE 15

Schedule

slide-16
SLIDE 16

Public Involvement

  • Important part of the process
  • Conducted at all stages of

project development

  • Meetings, hearings,

workshops, presentations, p , p , small group sessions, etc.

  • Project website and email

Project website and email address = 24 hour access to information to information

slide-17
SLIDE 17

When Will Improvements Happen?

  • Environmental process

– May result in a preferred build alternative – Must be finalized & approved b f d i i b i before design or construction begin – Projected EIS completion is 2015

  • Future steps depend on funding

– Federal, state, local and/or private

  • EIS will include study of funding options such as

tolling and public‐private partnerships

slide-18
SLIDE 18

Contact Us

www.southerngatewayproject.com

slide-19
SLIDE 19

QUESTIONS?