Purpose:  To develop a plan that examines relatively low-cost/small-scale improvements that can be implemented to improve mobility, capacity, and safety along a corridor while balancing the needs of access to parcels along a facility. Typically, this element would be used, although not limited to, existing sections of a corridor with at least four travel lanes. Typical elements examined are:

• Level of access control
• Medians/median openings
• Driveways and access to property
• Traffic signals
• Interchanges (if applicable)
• Speed limits

• Increasing the level of access control
• Consolidating/sharing and/or relocating driveways
• Removing/modifying median openings (installation directional median openings)
• Constructing acceleration, deceleration, and/or turning lanes
• Constructing "super-street" style/ median u-turn intersections

Purpose:  To develop potential design(s) of proposed improvements to assist NCDOT and local officials in the decision-making process along a corridor, primarily in regards to future access and future right-of-way needs. Functional/Conceptual Design is the basic design of any proposed improvements, primarily along existing sections of corridor. Typically these designs will require horizontal data. However, in some cases, vertical elevations may be required. Designs may include:

• Short term improvements (such as recommended access management tools)
• Long-term improvements (including interchanges)
• Additional right-of-way requirements

Outcome:  Functional designs of proposed improvements.

Purpose:  To examine existing and future land use along the corridor, specifically the relationship between transportation goals and development objectives for the area. Specific recommendations or guidelines may be developed to ensure compatibility between the intended function of the transportation facility and the existing and future land use of adjacent parcels. This includes the relationship of land uses around interchanges.

Outcome:  Documentation on the existing and future land uses and/or guidelines for future development.

Purpose:  To identify major natural and human environmental features in a corridor, along with the potential impacts of any proposed improvements. The primary tool is the use of a Geographic Information System (GIS) and available data which is obtained from the NCDOT GIS Unit and/or North Carolina Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NC CGIA) . This type of analysis can be performed on a broad scale (primarily identification of major features) or can be location specific.

Outcome:  Documentation and/or mapping of major environmental features and potential impacts.

Purpose:  To examine the effects which are caused by a proposed improvement or action that are later in time or farther removed in distance from the project, but are still reasonably foreseeable. These effects can also be impacts on the environment, which results from the incremental impact of the improvement or action when added to other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions, regardless of the agency.

Outcome:  Documentation of potential indirect and cumulative impacts (ICI).

Purpose:  To achieve a federally approved Record of Decision (ROD) for projects along a corridor, which can help streamline future environmental planning studies. This element is a specific type of corridor study, which incorporates the majority of the previous elements discussed, and is referred to as a Tiered Environmental Impact Statement (Tiered EIS). In a Tiered EIS, examination of a full range of alternatives along the entire corridor occurs, ranging up to several hundred miles in length. The Tiered EIS process is specifically authorized under the federal regulations governing environmental impact statements. This process involves two stages: (1) Tier 1 (systems-level), which analyzes the need for the project and a broad range of potential corridors; and (2) Tier 2 (project-level), which involves more detailed studies that will determine specific alignments and mitigation measures for the project. This tiered study process is appropriate for certain corridor studies due to the sheer size of the study area and the range of alternatives. For lengthy corridors, traditional (non-tiered) EIS easily could become so large and complex that it would not provide a useful decision-making tool for government officials or for the public at large. By contrast, the tiered approach is intended to promote informed decision-making and effective public involvement by making it easier for all participants in the process to focus on the critical issues at each stage and to under-stand the facts that are relevant to those issues.

Note:   This type of study is relatively new to North Carolina, having only been performed on the Southeast High-Speed Rail Project.

Outcome:  Tier 1 Draft EIS, Tier 1 Final EIS, and Tier 1 ROD.

Purpose:  To examine the potential benefits and impacts proposed improvements may have on the local and regional economies that are influenced by the corridor. This type of analysis provides federal, state, and local officials necessary information to make decisions on the viability and implementation of such improvements. Areas investigated in this type of analysis include:

• Construction spending
• Travel cost savings
• Market attractiveness
• Quality of life

Outcome:  Documentation of the Economic Impact Analysis.