Interstate 11 Corridor Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement, Nogales to Wickenburg

This three-year environmental study, initiated in 2016, will be completed in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other regulatory requirements, to consider possible I-11 corridor alternatives for the approximately 280-mile area between Nogales and Wickenburg. The first step is to assess a wide range of corridor alternatives and options, along with opportunities and constraints, which is now documented in the Alternatives Selection Report (hyperlink). Subsequently, a Draft Tier 1 EIS will evaluate in greater detail a smaller number of corridor alternatives, including segments that may advance as independent projects. These corridor alternatives will be evaluated against a No-Build Alternative, also known as a “do-nothing” alternative.

The National Environmental Policy Act was enacted by Congress in December 1969 and signed into law in January 1970, establishing the broad national framework for protecting our environment. NEPA's basic policy is to assure that all branches of government give proper consideration to the environment prior to undertaking any major federal action that significantly affects the environment. Under NEPA, federal lead agencies, such as FHWA, are required to consider impacts of a proposed action on social, cultural, natural and economic resources.

The environmental review process under NEPA also provides an opportunity for you, the public, to be involved in the decision-making. It helps you understand what is being proposed; allows you to offer your thoughts and ideas on alternative ways to accomplish what is being proposed; and seeks your comments on the potential environmental effects and possible mitigation required for the proposed action.

For more information on the environmental assessment to be completed for an EIS, visit the Environmental Process page.

An Environmental Impact Statement is a document prepared to describe the effects of proposed activities on the environment (defined as the natural and physical environment), and the relationship of people with that environment. An "impact" is a change in consequence that results from an activity. Impacts can be positive or negative, or both. An EIS describes impacts, as well as ways to "mitigate" impacts, or lessen or remove negative impacts.

In a Tier 1 EIS process, an agency prepares a document that analyzes a program, large project, or undefined corridor on a broad scale. The current Interstate 11 study is undertaking a Tier 1 EIS due to the large study area (approximately 280 miles in length) and undefined nature of the corridor.

A Tier 2 environmental document involves a specific project and applicable NEPA class of action that could include an EIS, Environmental Assessment (EA), or Categorical Exclusion (CE).

A Draft EIS will include the Purpose and Need for the I-11 Corridor, evaluate potential impacts of each corridor alternative, and identify a Preferred Corridor Alternative. The Draft EIS will be made available for public review and comment in early 2019 through a series of public hearings and a minimum 45-day comment period.

Upon completion of the public hearings, the study team will incorporate comments and responses into a Final Tier 1 EIS, conducting any further analysis, as necessary. This document will include a phased implementation plan to guide implementation of the Selected Corridor Alternative through future environmental reviews. FHWA will issue a Record of Decision (ROD) upon acceptance of the Final Tier 1 EIS. The ROD formalizes the official decision on the Selected Corridor Alternative or the No-Build Alternative. A ROD is anticipated to be issued in 2020.

The vision for I-11 is a multimodal facility that would consider other modes of travel within the corridor.

Currently, a north-south freight rail corridor parallels Interstate 19 between Nogales and Tucson (Union Pacific Railroad [UPRR] Nogales Subdivision), which connects to UPRR’s southernmost mainline corridor in the U.S. This mainline, generally running east-west between Los Angeles, California and El Paso, Texas partially runs north-south through the I-11 study area where it parallels Interstate 10 between Tucson and Casa Grande. Burlington Northern Santa Fe maintains freight rail service along US 60 (the northern portion of study area), connecting Interstate 40 to the Phoenix metropolitan area via Wickenburg.

ADOT received a Record of Decision from the Federal Railroad Administration in 2016 after completing a Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement that considers passenger rail between Tucson and Phoenix. A potential passenger rail route falls within the broad I-11 study corridor, connecting travelers in these two major metropolitan areas. For more information on the Passenger Rail Corridor Study: Tucson to Phoenix, see: https://www.azdot.gov/PassengerRail.

The Tier 1 EIS is designed to provide a roadmap for advancing smaller, individual projects through Tier 2 environmental reviews. During the Tier 2 environmental process, ADOT and FHWA will conduct additional environmental and engineering studies examining individual projects within the Selected Corridor Alternative in greater detail.

Mail:
Interstate 11 Tier 1 EIS Study Team
c/o ADOT Communications
1655 West Jackson Street, MD 126F
Phoenix, AZ 85007

Email: [email protected]
Toll-free Bilingual Telephone Hotline: 1.844.544.8049

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