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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Study Area

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

Areas of Focus

• Safety and Mobility

– Access to jobs, schools, shopping and other services

• Social Impacts

– Relocations, neighborhood changes, economic impacts

• Public Involvement

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

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

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

Schedule

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

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

Contact Us

www.southerngatewayproject.com

QUESTIONS?