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Answer: Yes. As of the day of this posting there was a website constructed by persons opposed to a freeway in the 3rd Infantry Division Corridor at: http://www.stopi-3.org.
There was also a site that provides information without clearly favoring or opposing a freeway. One portion of this site is about the 3rd Infantry Division Highway Corridor. It is at: http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-003.html.
Another portion of this site was about the 14th Amendment Highway Corridor. It is at: http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-014.html.
An Extension to I-85 from Montgomery, Alabama westward toward Mississippi is in the process of project development. Eventually, this project may be congruent with a portion of one or more study alignments of the 14th Amendment corridor. A website which provides information on this project is: http://www.i85extension.com/
Wikipedia had entries on both corridors at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proposed_Interstate_Highways.
Fort Stewart is the home of the 3rd Infantry Division. Their web site is at:http://www.stewart.army.mil/
A government website containing the text of the 14th amendment and it's ratification history is at: http://www.usconstitution.net/xconst_Am14.html
A Wikipedia article explaining the context of the 14th amendment is at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution
FHWA is not responsible for information on websites not under the control of FHWA.
What will FHWA study?
Answer: FHWA will study at minimum the items noted in Section 1927, i.e., the cost of construction and the steps needed to construct highways in both corridors. Determining a cost estimate will require some identification of such factors as alternative locations, the geographic and environmental impacts that will have to be addressed as well as, for example, land costs. Section 1927 did not require the FHWA to make a recommendation on whether to build either corridor, and the FHWA does not intend to do so. FHWA generally considers such decisions to be the province of State, regional and local officials.
Will FHWA be recommending an alignment?
Answer: FHWA has no plans to do this. FHWA does plan to respond to the requirements of Section 1927 of SAFETEA-LU. These requirements are to report to Congress on the cost and steps needed to construct routes in these two corridors. The statutory language is at: sec1927stat.htm
Must States affected by the two corridors update their long-range transportation plans (such plans are required pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 5304(f)) to support freeways in these two corridors?
Answer: No. Similarly metropolitan planning organizations affected by the two corridors do not have to update their long-range transportation plans (such are required pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 5303(i)). In fact, the adoption of new long-range transportation plans, which support or allow corridor improvement would be one of the steps required prior to construction of new freeways or improved non-freeway highways.
Must States affected by the two corridors update their State Transportation Improvement Program (required pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 5304(g)) to support further work on these two corridors?
Answer: No. Similarly metropolitan planning organizations affected by the two corridors do not have to update their Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Programs (required pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 5303(j)). As in the case of plans, the adoption of improvement programs which support construction of new freeways or improved non-freeway highways would be one of the steps required prior to construction or improvement.
When will construction on freeways in the two corridors begin?
Answer: FHWA will not predict when or whether this construction will begin. If construction begins, it will be because of decisions by State and local officials, not FHWA. Prior to construction, an environmental review process would be required (as would public involvement). This process alone could be a lengthy one requiring several years, see: http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/strmlng/baseline/section2.asp.
This process would take place for each useable segment (a segment that could be put into use even if no other segments were built, a.k.a., segments of independent utility).
Subsequent to the environmental process the following pre construction activities would be needed: detailed design, acquisition of right-of-way and authorization to advertise for construction bids.
How long would construction take?
Answer: FHWA can't reliably predict this. However, based on existing funding levels and the existing demands on such funding for maintenance of the current system and completion of on going projects, it is hard to conceive of completing several hundred center lane miles of two freeways on new alignment in under two or three decades. Of course, it may be that only sections of these proposed freeways will ever be completed or it may be that no new freeways may be constructed in these corridors.
Does FHWA consider letters written to the FHWA Administrator in its administration of section 1927?
Answer: Yes. Prior to this website's placement on the Internet, the FHWA Administrator had received several dozen letters on this subject. Since that time, FHWA has continued to receive such letters. These letters will be considered in the development of the study required by section 1927 of SAFETEA-LU.
What kind of letters would be useful to FHWA?
Answer: It depends. Initially, the FHWA is particularly looking for information and substantive comments that will help us identify issues to be considered in determining the estimates of cost and steps to complete (as noted in the second question noted above). We have received a number of letters that identify such issues. However, many letters and cards we have received simply contain a statement such as, "I oppose I-3" or similar language (and many letters and cards are nearly identical). This correspondence, although well meant, does not help us identify issues to be addressed in the studies.
Why is FHWA planning to conduct the studies instead of the State transportation agencies?
Answer: The State of Georgia was authorized to receive funds for conducting the studies (see section 1702 of SAFETEA-LU at sec1927stat.htm.)
However, FHWA received a letter from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) indicting that GDOT wished FHWA to conduct the study and indicating the intent of GDOT to return the funds noted above to FHWA.
Is FHWA aware of the extensive opposition to a freeway in the 3rd infantry division corridor, and, if so, why doesn't FHWA just refuse to conduct the study for this corridor, or at least for the portion of the corridor for which highway improvement is most fiercely opposed?
Answer: Yes, FHWA is aware of the extensive opposition based on letters it has received. Notwithstanding this, the law requires studies.
Is FHWA planning to involve local and State officials and the public in the study?
Answer: Yes. However, the means of doing so have not yet been determined.
What will happen to the studies after they are completed?
Answer: After the studies on cost and steps to complete are finished, they will be sent to Congress pursuant to the legislative language. Subsequently any of the State transportation agencies or any regional or local agencies may use the studies or any additional information that was developed in the course of the work on Section 1927. Whether or to what extent to use information will be the decision of State, regional or local agencies.
To provide Feedback, Suggestions or Comments for this page contact Martin Weiss at martin.weiss@dot.gov or 202-366-5010.
