Location / Study Area

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is an EA?
What area is being studied?
Why study the 24th Street area?
How long is the environmental process going to take?
Will my property be affected?
Who are the study participants?
What is the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)?
Will you study environmental impacts?
When will the project be built?
Where can I get information about the study?
How can I be involved in the study?

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What is an EA?

EA stands for Environmental Assessment. The EA process studies the impacts of proposed alternatives on the natural and built environments in a defined study area. The study must comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which requires evaluation of environmental effects and soliciting of public input. The EA document must be completed before anything can be designed or built. At the end of the EA process, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will determine either that the project will not result in significant impacts or will require additional study as part of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

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What area is being studied?

The study area extends from the 21st Street interchange on the north to the 31st Street interchange on the south, and from Lincoln Street on the east to 1900 West. (study map)

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Why study the 24th Street area?

In the late 1960s, when I-15 was being constructed west of Ogden City, full interchanges were included at 31st and 12th Street, but the 24th Street interchange was constructed as a half interchange in order to reduce conflicts with the railroad and other land uses. Although I-15 has been widened and many bridges and ramps have been reconstructed, 24th Street has remained a half interchange.

The 24th Street corridor is important to the City of Ogden, as it is one of the few east/west roads that cross the Weber River, Union Pacific Railroad tracks, and I-15, and connect west Ogden with downtown Ogden. Continued growth in the area is causing increasing roadway / railroad conflicts, and traffic flow, efficiency, and safety is being compromised.

The City of Ogden has secured funding to complete an environmental study of this area to determine what, if any improvements may be made to remediate these concerns.

Since then, the 21st Street Interchange has been added, and selected I-15 bridges and ramps have been reconstructed and widened selected bridges and interchanges as part of the I-15 NOW project, and replacing and reconstructing the I-15 / 24th Street bridge and ramps.

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How long is the environmental process going to take?

The environmental process is expected to be completed by September 3, 2012. Listed below are the basic steps involved in the study:

Scoping and Project Purpose and Need | June - July 2011

The first step in the EA process is to identify the transportation needs. This process involves traffic modeling, evaluating city and county land-use plans, evaluating socio-economic data, identifying and coordinating with participating agencies (state and federal), and gathering public input.

Alternatives Development | July - October 2011

The study team will use the information gathered during the scoping phase to develop various possible solutions or alternatives. The alternatives may include a no-build option as well as a variety of new roadway and/or transit alignments. The alternatives will be evaluated (or screened) based on their ability to meet transportation needs while minimizing community and environmental impacts. The public is also involved in reviewing, discussing, and providing feedback regarding the proposed alternatives at public meetings and other venues.

Draft EA | February 2012 - May 2012

After a small number of possible alternatives have been identified, the detail work begins to evaluate each alternative. Experts analyze the potential impact to both the community and environment while the study team gathers public comment and coordinates with the resource agencies. In the Draft Environmental Assessment, the team identifies the specific impacts of all of the alternatives and proposes measures to mitigate the impacts. The public will be given the opportunity to review and comment on the findings in the Draft EA. Each comment will be addressed, and both the comment and the response are recorded as part of the Final EA.

Final EA | May 2012 - July 2012

The Final Environmental document takes all of the research gathered through analysis and public and agency input on the Draft EA and makes a recommendation of a “preferred alternative,” or the study team’s final assessment of the best transportation solution for the 24th Street / I-15 interchange area. The public is again invited to comment on the selection of the preferred alternative before Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) completes a Record of Decision (ROD) identifying the final alternative to be implemented.

FHWA Final Decision

FHWA will review the EA and will either require additional study as part of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or will issue a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and the project will move forward. If a FONSI is issued, the City of Ogden and UDOT can begin to implement the preferred alternative.

A note on construction – A Final EA and Record of Decision (ROD) may result in a no-build option, in which case no construction takes place. However, if an alternative that requires construction is identified, the state will need to identify funds to design and build the project after the ROD is issued. Design and construction could take years, and an exact schedule for this is unknown.

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Will my property be affected?

Until a preferred alternative is selected and FHWA makes a final decision, impacts to individual properties are unknown.

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Who are the study participants?

The EA is being prepared by the City of Ogden and UDOT. UDOT is the lead state agency and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is the lead federal agency. Participation by businesses, civic groups, and private individuals is also valuable to this study, and various means for participation are provided, including public open houses, this website, and a project-dedicated phone line and email.

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What is the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)?

The FHWA is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and is responsible for keeping America's roads and highways safe and technologically up-to-date. It supports state and local governments in constructing, improving and preserving the nation's highway system. Since UDOT's I-15 and 24th Street study involves a section of I-15, FHWA is a joint partner in this study.

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Will you study environmental impacts?

Yes. The purpose of the EA is to study the environmental impacts of alternatives on the community and enviroment. Impacts to be studied include economic and community impacts as well as impacts on air quality, water quality, historic resources and structures, wetlands, etc. The study team includes conscientious experts to ensure that every natural asset and potential impact is considered.
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When will the project be built?

This has not yet been determined. The EA is expected to be completed by September 2012. If the EA process identifies an alternative to be built, funding would need to be in place before design and construction could proceed. This process can take several years.

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Where can I get information about the study?

The best way to get information is to visit the study website at http://www.udot.utah.gov/24thstreetea or contact Cindy Felt at Project Engineering Consultants at (801) 858-3248 or via e-mail at 24thstreetea@utah.gov

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How can I be involved in the study?

The best way to be involved in the study is to visit this website regularly (http://www.udot.utah.gov/24thstreetea). The website has current information on upcoming public meetings and opportunities to participate.You can make comments about the study anytime via the comment form, and we encourage you to join the e-mail list so that you can receive updates on what is happening. You can also contact the study team directly at (801) 858-3248 or via e-mail at 24thstreetea@utah.gov

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Source: "A Citizen's Guide to the NEPA: Having Your Voice Heard," Council on Environmental Quality, Executive Office of the President, December 2007, was used in the preparation of this website.
(Available online at http://ceq.hss.doe.gov/publications/citizens_guide_to_nepa.html.)

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