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The alignment development process is currently underway as the alignments continue to be refined in order to provide the best alignment possible for the community.

Preliminary Engineering began with original Scoping Study Alignments. These alignments have been altered based on a variety of environmental information collected while completing the environmental baseline studies. Detailed mapping has been developed for this phase of the project making the design more accurate in terms of earthwork and geometric details. In order to fully involve the public in the alignment development process, a Citizens Advisory Group (CAG) was formed to serve as a community based sounding board for the project team. The CAG is a group of 60 individuals from various demographics representing the community at large. The CAG has met 4 times (February 10, March 10, and April 8 & 21 of 2003) on a variety of issues ranging from determining criteria to evaluate alternates to commenting on a set of new alternative alignments developed from improved environmental information and public comment. Through each step of this process, mail-outs were sent to over 750 households within the corridor to solicit information on which issues should be considered as well as to identify the most important of the final set of issues developed by the CAG. Alternates were developed based on the issues and relative importance placed on each. A raw score was then calculated to see how each alternative addressed the issues identified by the community.

Engineers have developed each alignment option to exhibit good horizontal and vertical curvatures, safe intersections, and safe access for motorists. Rough costs and impacts have been developed as well. A public hearing will be held at the end of this process to review alternatives, look at impacts/costs, and arrive at the preferred alternative, which will then be taken into final design.