Narrator: Hello. Thank you for watching this video to learn more about the Environmental
Assessment and Design study that the Michigan Department
of Transportation is conducting on US-23 from I-94 to M-14 in Washtenaw County.
The project team is comprised of MDOT and consultant partners, including Bergmann, AECOM,
Sincar Consulting Group, MKSK, among many other technical experts.
The study area includes the US-23 corridor from the I-94/US-23 interchange area to
the M-14/US-23 interchange area in the city of Ann Arbor, Pittsfield Township,
and Ann Arbor Township in Washtenaw County.
This project involves a preparation of an Environmental Assessment, development studies, and road and bridge design along US-23.
The outcome of the project will be shaped by public and stakeholder input.
MDOT is also building on other area studies, including the M-17 Washtenaw Avenue Planning
and Environmental Linkage study, also known as a PEL, and the M-14/Barton Drive interchange PEL study,
to understand the unique transportation challenges of the area and spark ideas and consideration.
The Environmental Assessment should be completed in summer 2024 and
construction is slated to begin in 2026.
Engagement with stakeholders in the community will continue throughout the entire project process.
The National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, applies to federal actions. Environmental, social, and economic impacts
are studied for each project as part of the NEPA process.
Under NEPA, projects are categorized into three groups. The type of NEPA study varies depending on
the potential for significant impacts of the proposed action.
Many elements of this corridor will be considered and studied throughout
the Environmental Assessment process, including pavement conditions, bridge conditions, safety,
storm water quality, corridor congestion, and operations, and nonmotorized and transit connections,
aesthetics along the corridor, and noise and other impacts on land uses.
MDOT is reviewing local plans and policies to ensure that the study incorporates their goals and recommendations.
The purpose and need statement serves as the foundation of the study by helping to define problems, identify action and why it's needed, and finally, decide on solutions.
MDOT will evaluate the potential
options and alternatives to ensure that they meet the purpose and need of the study.
Needs along the corridor include addressing aging infrastructure, modernizing the
geometric elements of the corridor, and analyzing the increased traffic congestion.
The project goals are based on the purpose and need statement and focus on safety for multimodal users,
providing an adaptive series of solutions, embracing the MDOT Moving Michigan Towards Zero Deaths,
and Ann Arbor Moving Together Toward Vision Zero comprehensive transportation plan.
Addressing safety and peak-hour congestion, creating an aesthetic guide to address landscape elements along the corridor.
Evaluation criteria, including safety, environmental, social, and economic impacts, will be developed and used to compare alternatives.
Engaging the community is one of the cornerstones of the study.
One of the keys to the project's success is to ensure there are opportunities for
people to be involved and provide input that helps shape the outcomes of this project.
MDOT is meeting with our Local Advisory Group, Agency and Governmental Group,
the community, and other stakeholders throughout the duration of the study.
Through three live workshops and online opportunities, MDOT will engage the community to get feedback.
MDOT will also lead the social media strategy to maximize the project's community outreach.
A summary of feedback will be completed after each workshop, highlighting input that was collected at the workshops and online.
When you visit the project website, you will find an interactive map where you can provide feedback
related to the challenges and opportunities for improvements along the US-23 corridor.
Thank you for learning more about the US-23 project in Washtenaw County.
Please visit the project website, where you can find out about the upcoming events,
project updates, and use different online tools to give input on this project.