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Project Status Update

Environmental Assessment

The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission (DRJTBC) has prepared a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the I-95/Scudder Falls Bridge Improvement Project, which is currently under review by state and federal agencies. This document will be used by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to determine whether any significant environmental impacts will result from this project. The document identifies and evaluates a variety of project alternatives and lists the agencies and persons consulted in connection with the proposed project. Developing an EA is a complex and lengthy process; however, it is intended to result in decisions about transportation improvements that are in the best interest of the public. The FHWA must first complete its review of the EA before it may be released to the public.

In addition to the FHWA, the draft EA is being reviewed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT). The draft document also is being reviewed by federal and state environmental resource and regulatory agencies with regard to project findings, assessments and mitigation for a number of environmental considerations within the project limits including historical and archeological resources, threatened and endangered species, and wetlands, among others.

Once the reviews are complete and the comments are resolved, the EA will be published for public examination.

Descriptions and illustrations of the DRJTBC's recommended options for the Preferred Alternative appear on this Web site under the Preferred Alternative.

Noise Abatement

The DRJTBC is planning to far exceed long-established highway-planning criteria for placement of noise-abatement structures with respect to this project. If the Commission had chosen to follow the conventional criteria for placement of "noise walls," the agency's costs would have been $3 million. But in an effort to address concerns raised by residents in the project's host communities, the Commission has publicly committed to spend far beyond what is required for noise reduction. Recognizing the needs of residents within the project limits, the Commission expects to spend $7.5 million -- $4.5 million or 150 percent more than required - for noise abatement on this project.

Comprehensive measurements, analysis, and reviews have been conducted with respect to noise. The project area was divided into 14 separate Noise Study Areas (NSAs) for analysis. Within these NSAs, the noise model was used to predict existing and future traffic noise at sensitive receptors.

A Draft Noise Report has been submitted to NJDOT, PennDOT, and FHWA for review. The report includes locations where noise walls are warranted, feasible and reasonable based on New Jersey and Pennsylvania State criteria, as well as additional walls that were recommended by the consultant design team based, in part, on input from residents who live along I-95.

During the Final Design of the project, a detailed study of the noise barriers will be conducted at which time barrier location, length and height may be modified. It is important to note that in Final Design residents will be asked whether or not they want the barrier to be built. Noise abatement will generally not be constructed if the majority of impacted residences do not want a barrier.

Maps of locations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania where noise walls are being proposed may be viewed below.

Click on the maps below to see an enlarged version.

Public Involvement

The public participation process for this project has been extensive, conforming to the standards outlined in the PennDOT Transportation Development Process and following the requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. This outreach process was initiated through meetings with environmental, transportation, business and industry, and smart-growth stakeholder groups in December 2003 and Jaunary 2004. To date, the project has been the subject of more than two dozen meetings with the public, local elected officials, community groups, and federal, state, regional and local agencies.

In addition, the DRJTBC has issued 9 newsletters in conjunction with this project. A final newsletter will be issued fall 2008. A hotline number also was established for the project and may be reached at 800-879-0849.

Further information about the Noise Report and the entire EA will be distributed to the public at several locations in Lower Makefield and Ewing townships upon completion of reviews by state and federal agencies. For the public's convenience, the EA will be posted on this Web site. An Open House/Public Hearing will take place after the EA's release. The Commission believes that it is important to provide residents with an opportunity to formally voice their opinions about the Preferred Alternative and noise abatement proposals. Information about the EA and the public meetings will be widely advertised in local newspapers, on the Web site and in the fall 2008 newsletter.

Residents and officials are invited to comment during the Open House/Public Hearing process.

Project Schedule

The Commission and its consulting team are diligently following the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements for the preparation of an Environmental Assessment. Because finalizing the EA involves consultations with a myriad of state and federal agencies, it is difficult to establish a firm project timeline. A new project schedule appears below which reflects the Commission's best estimate of how the project will progress over the next six months. It is anticipated that the agency consultations will conclude in summer 2008 and the EA will be published for public review in fall. An Open House/Public Hearing would also occur in fall 2008. The Commission's goal is to complete the EA by the end of 2008.

Click on the time frame below to see an enlarged version.