SCHEDULE
Anticipated Project Schedule
The Latest…
An in-person public hearing was held on May 2, 2023 from 4-7 pm at the Mount Pleasant Town Hall. All materials are available online. The official comment period ran through May 17, 2023.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Process
The lifecycle of a transportation project begins with the planning process and is followed by environmental studies, development of alternatives and design, right-of-way acquisition, construction, ending with maintenance and operations.
The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) conducted a Planning & Environmental Linkages (PEL) study for I-526 LCC EAST (Virginia Avenue in North Charleston to approximately US 17 in Mount Pleasant) which was completed in mid 2022. The PEL study identified existing and projected transportation issues within the corridor through public and stakeholder engagement and analysis, including a need at the I-526/Long Point Road interchange. This project will move this identified concern into the next step of the project development process - NEPA. NEPA requires agencies to consider impacts their projects may have on the environment, both human and natural, for federal projects and to integrate the NEPA process with other environmental law compliance. Learn more about the PEL process from FHWA.
In association with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), SCDOT is developing an environmental document for the I-526/Long Point Road Interchange and will leverage the PEL study for accelerated project delivery.
The project will evaluate potential impacts to the natural and human environment, carrying forward the extensive stakeholder and public engagement and analysis during the PEL to accelerate the delivery of this project. The FHWA NEPA process allows transportation officials to make project decisions that balance engineering and transportation needs with social, economic, and natural environmental factors. Learn more
SCDOT will complete the required environmental documentation and reviews prior to acquiring any right-of-way or beginning construction for the proposed project. Efforts will be focused on community involvement and communication to ensure the successful development of the environmental documentation process. This decision-making framework encourages input from a wide range of partners including the public, businesses, interest groups, and agencies at all levels of government. Because of the major roles federal and state resource agencies play, the project team will work closely with them in completing the environmental review process.