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What is a Project Development & Environment (PD&E)
Study?

A PD&E study is a planning and engineering process that was
developed by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) in
order to determine social, economic and environmental impacts
associated with a proposed transportation improvement project.
This process, mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), requires the combined efforts of professional engineers,
planners and scientists who collect and analyze project-related
information to develop the best solution for a community’s
transportation needs. The process used in the development of the
project is made up of several components.
These include:
Data collection
Development of alternatives
Analysis of viable alternatives
(including the no-project alternative)
Selection of recommended
alternatives
Public and agency involvement
Data Collection
Data collection involves gathering the information that is needed
to develop and evaluate the various improvement alternatives,
including:
Traffic counts
Crash records
Existing roadway conditions
Identification of wetlands
Threatened/Endangered species
habitat
Existing land use and property
information
Planned developments
Existing drainage systems and drainage
patterns
Contamination sites
Archeological/Historical sites
Development of Alternatives
Several improvement alternatives will be developed that will meet
future travel demand and attempt to minimize impacts to the
community and the natural environment. These alternatives will be
developed with input from the public, local government and
environmental agencies obtained throughout the study process. The
no-project alternative, or the alternative to make no improvements,
will remain a viable alternative throughout the study.
Analysis of Alternatives
The alternatives developed will be compared based on community and
environmental impacts, costs for design and construction,
engineering inspection, right-of-way acquisition, construction and
environmental mitigation. Public comment and sentiment are also
considered during this analysis. Several environmental studies are
conducted and used in this analysis. These include:
Air Quality –
assesses existing conditions and determines ways to conform with
the Clean Air Act
Noise –
determines if the project will increase noise levels in noise
sensitive areas
Wetlands –
finds the best way to avoid or mitigate long-term and short-term
impacts to wetlands
Water Quality –
implements measures to prevent, reduce or eliminate pollution of
ground and surface waters
Wildlife and Habitat Impacts –
efforts are made to protect and ensure the continued existence of
threatened and/or endangered species and their habitat
Contamination –
identify, evaluate and recommend actions concerning potential
contamination problems within and/or adjacent to the project
Floodplains –
documents efforts to minimize or avoid encroachment within the
100-year floodplain through drainage system design
Archeological and Historic Sites –
documentation is required to identify and minimize impacts to
historic and archaeologically significant sites
Selection of Recommended Alternatives
Once the analysis of all the viable alternatives, including the
no-project alternative, is complete and the public has had the
opportunity to comment on these alternatives, a recommendation will
be made. This recommended alternative, along with the supporting
project documentation and summary of public input, will be
presented to the FHWA for Location and Design Concept
Acceptance.
Public Involvement Program
A complete Public Involvement Program is conducted throughout the
study. This program is designed to make the public aware of the
project and to solicit comments and input from the public during
the development and evaluation of the alternatives and the
selection of the recommended alternative.
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