Chicago Transit Authority YELLOW LINE EXTENSION ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING PRESENTATION SLIDES September 23, 2009 SLIDE: MEETING AGENDA 6:00 – 6:45 pm Open House 6:45 – 6:55 pm Presentation 6:55 – 7:55 pm Public Comments on Scope of Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 7:55 – 8:00 pm Next Steps/Adjournment SLIDE: BACKGROUND -- Alternatives Analysis process began in 2006 -- Evaluated several alternative modes, alignments and profiles -- Extensive public outreach program -- Adopted Fixed Guideway Alternative as Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) -- Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) builds on Alternatives Analysis process SLIDE: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (EIS) -- Prepared to comply with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and to obtain federal funds -– Identify and evaluate potential impacts related to project construction and operation –- Inform public and decision makers of potential impacts and mitigation measures SLIDE: TARGETED PROJECT SCHEDULE -- Fall 2009 * Public scoping meeting, September 23, 2009 * Scoping: process of determining focus and content (scope) of EIS -- 2010 – 2011 * Preliminary Engineering and Draft EIS * Public review of Draft EIS * Relevant scoping items addressed in Draft EIS -- 2011 – 2013 * Final EIS, ROD, Final Design, Start of Construction -- 2016 * Open for Operation SLIDE: PROJECT ALTERNATIVES TO BE STUDIED IN EIS -– No Build Alternative –- Transportation System Management (TSM) Alternative –- Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA): Fixed Guideway SLIDE: LOCALLY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE Map of the locally preferred alternative. Elevated alignment begins at existing Skokie Swift terminal station at Dempster Avenue. Alignment follows existing railroad alignment northwesterly. At I-94, the alignment turns northeast to follow I-94 to a new terminal station at Old Orchard Road. The new station is in the parking lot area of Niles North High School and adjacent to Old Orchard Shopping Mall. SLIDE: PUBLIC COMMENTS ON SCOPE OF EIS SLIDE: SCOPING COMMENTS Focus comments on: -- Purpose and need -– Proposed alternatives –- Proposed environmental issues to be examined –- Potential environmental effects and mitigation measures to be considered SLIDE: SPEAKER GUIDELINES -- Submit a speaker card -- Moderator will call speakers by name -- Restate your name -- Speakers have 3 minutes to comment * Yellow light indicates 30 seconds remaining * Red light indicates speaking time is over -- Tonight we will not respond to your comments -- Comments will be documented in scoping report SLIDE: MEETING CLOSE SLIDE: SCOPING COMMENTS ARE DUE BY OCTOBER 27, 2009 -- Tonight verbal comments were recorded by court reporter -- Write comments and place in box provided -- Mail comments to: Jeffery Busby, General Manager, Strategic Planning Chicago Transit Authority, P.O. Box 7602, Chicago, IL 60680-7602 -- E-mail: YellowExtension@transitchicago.com -- Fax: (312) 681-4297 SLIDE: STAY INVOLVED -- Updates posted on: www.transitchicago.com/YellowEIS -- To join the mailing list, contact: Darud Akbar, Government & Community Relations Office, Chicago Transit Authority, P.O. Box 7567 Chicago, IL 60680-7567, or call (312) 681-2708, or e-mail dakbar@transitchicago.com