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The multi-year highway programs are public statements of the specific
improvements IDOT intends to undertake on the state highway system over a period
of five or three years. The complexity of the individual improvements will
determine the amount of time a project remains "in the stream" from
conceptualization to the beginning of construction. The sequence of events to
bring a project to fruition can include:
- Feasibility studies - investigations of the engineering and economic
practicality of a proposed highway improvement
- Location studies - analyses of alternative corridors to determine
recommended alignment and major design features
- Environmental studies - inventory and analysis of the impacts of a
proposed highway on its environment - e.g., air, water, noise, ecology, visual
features, historical sites, economic resources, land use, wetlands, etc.
- Archaeological investigations - detailed investigations of locations
where important archaeological sites have been discovered within the boundaries
of a proposed highway
- Public input and/or hearings - free and open discussions early in the
location study to assure that any adverse effects relating to each of several
alternatives are fully considered as a project develops
- Construction plan preparation - detailed plans of a job site and
specifications for materials and construction requirements which are used as the
basis for competitive bidding by contractors
- Land acquisition - negotiations with property owners, surveys, and
preparation of legal documents involved in the purchase of land or access rights
to land needed for a highway project
- Utility adjustment - relocation of sewer, water, gas, electric,
telephone, cable and other utility lines because of the highway construction
- Advertising - making qualified contractors aware that bids are being
accepted to supply materials and perform the work shown on the construction
plans
- Contract award - the process of receiving bids, analyzing bid amounts
and awarding a contract to the lowest qualified bidder
Projects such as resurfacing or widening and resurfacing on the existing roadbed
can normally move forward to construction within one year. A project like this
usually requires a minimal amount of time for a location and environmental study
before construction can begin.
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Purchase of even a small amount of right of way may add several months to a
project. If the project involves environmentally sensitive areas such as
wetlands, historic sites, or archaeological sites, considerable additional time
is needed.
A major construction project on new location can take five to ten years to
complete the feasibility, location, and environmental studies, conduct public
hearings, and make soil and hazardous material surveys. Preparation of
construction plans, purchase of right of way, and moving utilities such as power
lines, water mains, etc., can take another one to two years before the project
can be advertised and awarded for construction. Where the proposed highway
location involves wetlands, public parks, or other unique environmentally
sensitive areas, several years can be added to the process. Public opposition
can defer construction for years or block the project altogether. IDOT will not
undertake highway improvements unless there is a strong level of public support.
Even replacement of an existing deteriorated bridge can take one to three years
to bring the project to a construction letting. Hydraulics of the stream or
river, soil conditions, and impact on navigable streams have to be investigated.
Where a proposed replacement bridge would disturb wildlife habitat or have an
adverse impact on endangered species, additional time is required to develop a
mitigation plan.
The published multi-year programs may be overprogrammed by about five percent to
allow for unforeseen delay in bringing a project to a construction letting. As
noted previously, a major project in the early feasibility or location study
phase will require, under ideal conditions, many years to prepare. If delays
occur, other projects that are ready to proceed to a letting can then be
advertised for construction.
The multi-year improvement programs must also provide some flexibility to
accommodate changes in program emphasis. If major construction projects are
deferred and resurfacing projects advanced, construction plans for resurfacing
could be prepared within a year. However, if resurfacing or bridge repair
projects are deferred and a major construction project advanced, the time
required from when the major construction project is added to the multi-year
program and to when actual construction can begin takes five to ten years.
Therefore, while there is some latitude to change the emphasis of the multi-year
programs, the lead time to develop a major construction project to the letting
stage is an important consideration.
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