Elected Official Meeting / Public Meetings
| An elected official meeting was held in September 2001, where preliminary engineering studies were used to develop project alternatives. The first public meeting was held in May 2002 to discuss numerous issues, including the project's scope, existing conditions, design criteria, construction alternatives, historical and ecological considerations, and other relevant project information. At this initial meeting, nine alternatives (labeled A-I) were proposed (developed from the elected official meeting mentioned above). This meeting used an "open format" style, where the public could acquaint themselves with the various exhibits, preliminary design plans, and other pertinent information. Citizens were encouraged to provide feedback on the alternatives via a questionnaire. Questionnaire submissions were accepted until 15 days after the meeting date. A second public meeting was held in November 2003. After receiving public input at the initial public meeting, the number of alternates under consideration was reduced from nine to three: Alternate A, H, and I. Based on the public input, Alternate "I" was moved forward as the recommended alternative, and the construction and right-of-way acquisition plans were developed. |
