The Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA) and the District Department of Transportation
(DDOT) released a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) today for the
proposed reconstruction of the Virginia Avenue Tunnel. The FEIS incorporates
feedback from the community and identifies “Alternative 3 - Two New Tunnels” as
the Preferred Alternative for construction. The FEIS and a fact sheet are
available at www.virginiaavenuetunnel.com.
Under the
process prescribed by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the
agencies considered the alternatives outlined in the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS), released in July 2013, and determined that Alternative 3 best
meets the project’s purpose and need while addressing community concerns and
minimizing impacts to the tunnel’s neighbors.
Alternative
3 has the shortest construction timeframe of the build alternatives considered (approximately
30 to 42 months). It addresses community concerns about moving trains through an
open trench during construction by operating trains in an enclosed tunnel at
all times in front of residences. It also maintains access for residents and
emergency responders to all homes and cross-streets during the entire
construction process.
Copies
of the FEIS are available for review at the following locations:
- Southeast Neighborhood Library, 403 7th Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
- Southwest Neighborhood Library, 900 Wesley Place SW, Washington, DC 20024
A public
meeting will also be held on July 1, 2014 at the Capitol Skyline Hotel, 10 I (Eye)
Street SW, Washington, DC 20024 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The meeting will
include a presentation on the details about construction and will include a
brief time to ask questions of the project team. If you need special
accommodations or language assistance services please email contact@virginiaavenuetunnel.com or leave a message at (202)
681-0646.
The FEIS
will be available for review for 30 days before an official decision is
released, called the Record of Decision (ROD). After the conclusion of the
review period, FHWA will issue a Record of Decision, which provides the basis
for the decision, summarizes mitigation measures incorporated into the project
and documents any required Section 4(f) approval. Dependent upon the decision
in the ROD, CSX will share additional information about timing and other
specifics.
The Virginia Avenue Tunnel Project Team
