Project Overview

A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for US highway 98 in Franklin County, Florida is being prepared by the Northwest Florida Transportation Corridor Authority (NFTCA), in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). The US 98 project involves an approximate 40 mile segment of US 98, extending east from the Town of Eastpoint in western Franklin County to the Wakulla County line. US 98 in this location is a designated hurricane evacuation route and is the only paved east/west roadway that residents and visitors can use to gain access to the north/south evacuation routes, including SR 65, CR 67, and US 319. This segment of US 98 and portions of the north/south connecting routes are subject to flooding by the surge associated with storm events, which often results in failure of the roadway. The purpose of the project is to provide a reliable roadway that will facilitate the safe evacuation of residents and promote the entry of emergency vehicles in the event of a hurricane or other hazard.

HDR previously completed a Corridor Feasibility Report which developed and compared several highway corridors that met the Purpose and Need of the Project.  Through careful analysis and communication with federal and state agencies and the general public, potential corridors have been identified for further study. These corridors are shown on the image below. The next step will be to compare these corridors and determine which ones will best match the Purpose and Need criteria established for the project.. Once this has been done, roadway alignments will be developed within those final corridors. These alignments will be presented to the public at an Alternatives Public Meeting to be held at a later date.  The final alternative could be within any of the established corridors or consist of a combination of a number of corridors.

The EIS will compare these alternative routes for the proposed roadway and with involvement from the public help to identify the preferred route. The EIS will document the development and evaluation of alternatives and the selection of a preferred alternative for the roadway.

What is an EIS?

An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is a detailed report that describes the potential effects or impacts of a project on the environment. The purpose of the EIS is to ensure federal agencies integrate environmental values into the design making process.

Why is an EIS needed?

An EIS is part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and is to serve as an action-forcing device to insure that the policies and goals defined in the Act are incorporated into the programs and actions of the Federal Government. An EIS is to provide full and fair discussion of significant environmental impacts and inform decision makers and the public of reasonable alternatives that will avoid or minimize adverse impacts or ensure the quality of the human environment.

How is an EIS done?

An EIS Report is performed through a study process that includes scoping, data collection, analysis of alternatives and extensive coordination with public officials and citizens regarding potential environmental impacts. The steps associated with developing an EIS and the anticipated schedule are shown below.