Slide One

Environmental

I-495 & I-270 Managed Lanes Study

About

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the I-495 & I-270 Managed Lanes Study on March 16, 2018. For purposes of initiating the scoping process, the NOI identified the study limits as I-495 from south of the American Legion Bridge in Fairfax County, Virginia, to east of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Prince George’s County, Maryland; and I-270 from I-495 to I-370 in Montgomery County, Maryland, including the east and west I-270 spurs north of I-495. These study limits remain valid and provide a broad description of the study’s extent.

However, since issuance of the NOI, the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) gathered additional traffic data during project scoping and alternatives development. This data has led to a refinement of the study limits identified in the NOI to specific crossroads where major traffic generation occurs.

Additionally, the rational endpoints for the environmental review have been extended beyond these crossroads to account for the distance needed to tie the mainline improvements into the existing roadway lanes. The three logical termini for the I-495 & I-270 Managed Lanes Study are:

  • Western Limit on I-495: south of George Washington Memorial Parkway;
  • Southern Limit on I-495: west of MD 5; and
  • Northern Limit on I-270: north of I-370.

The I-495 & I-270 Managed Lanes Study evaluated alternatives that address the needs to accommodate existing and long-term traffic growth, enhance trip reliability, expand travel options, accommodate homeland security, and improve the movement of goods and services.

Additionally, the rational endpoints for the environmental review have been extended beyond these crossroads to account for the distance needed to tie the mainline improvements into the existing roadway lanes. The three logical termini for the I-495 & I-270 Managed Lanes Study are:

  • Western Limit on I-495: south of George Washington Memorial Parkway;
  • Southern Limit on I-495: west of MD 5; and
  • Northern Limit on I-270: north of I-370.

The I-495 & I-270 Managed Lanes Study evaluated alternatives that address the needs to accommodate existing and long-term traffic growth, enhance trip reliability, expand travel options, accommodate homeland security, and improve the movement of goods and services.

The Study is following the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process and will result in an EIS. The Draft EIS documented the project scoping process; purpose and need development; alternatives development and screening; traffic and environmental analyses; and public and agency involvement. The FHWA is the lead federal agency for the EIS with MDOT SHA serving as the local project sponsor and joint lead agency.

OverviewMap_update09.13.2021_

Study Timeline

  • Notice of Intent to
    Initiate NEPA Study

    Scoping Open Houses

    45-day Comment Period

  • Range of Alternatives

    Define Purpose and Need

    Develop Preliminary Range of Alternatives

    Screening Criteria

    Public Workshop

  • Alternatives Analysis & Environmental Technical Analysis

    Select Alternatives Retained for Detailed Study (ARDS)

    Complete Technical Analysis of ARDS

    Public Workshop

  • Development of Draft Environmental Impact Statement

    Issue Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)

    Begin Comment Period

    Hold DEIS Public Hearings

  • DEIS Comment Period and Consideration of Comments Received

    End DEIS Comment Period

    Review and Consider DEIS Comments

    Identify Recommended Preferred
    Alternative (RPA)

  • Development of Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement

    Publish Supplemental Draft
    Environmental Impact Statement

    Begin SDEIS Comment Period

    Hold Virtual Public Hearing

  • Development of Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision

    End SDEIS Comment Period

    Review and Consider SDEIS Comments

    Issue Final Environmental
    Impact Statement (FEIS) and
    Record of Decision (ROD)

What is NEPA?

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is a federal environmental law that established processes to evaluate the needs and benefits of a federal action and the potential environmental impacts arising from the action. The law requires development of a reasonable range of project alternatives that can accomplish the purpose and need, and consideration of potential impacts to socioeconomic, cultural, and natural resources from the alternatives being considered. Key to this process is coordination among federal, state, and local agencies, and communication with the public, and other project stakeholders.

Due to the potential for significant environmental impacts, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be developed for the I-495 & I-270 Managed Lanes Study. An EIS is the most detailed and rigorous level of NEPA study and concludes with a Record of Decision (ROD) for the project.