Environmental Reviews and Case Studies: Environmental Reevaluations for Design-Build Highway Projects: Implementing the SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program

Abstract

Design-build projects present unique challenges with respect to environmental documentation and regulatory compliance. This article highlights the use of reevaluations of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents to address these challenges, drawing on examples from the State Route (SR) 520 Bridge Replacement and High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Program (SR 520 Program), in Seattle, Washington. Reevaluations provide a tool with which project proponents can confirm the validity of existing NEPA documentation relatively quickly and efficiently. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) worked together to develop a reevaluation process that ensures the environmental documentation for the SR 520 Program keeps pace with the design. WSDOT learned valuable lessons through this process, including coordinating early, developing a transition plan, assigning an environmental coordinator, clarifying expectations, and tracking design developments. These recommendations could be useful in future design-build highway projects.