Recommendations to the MARC MIS Core Group

for Completing the I-70 MIS and Initiating NEPA Studies

for the I-70 Corridor in Jackson County, Missouri

MARC, MoDOT, FHWA, FTA, KCATA and the local governments in the Kansas City metropolitan area agree that the transportation needs of the I-70 corridor are a regional priority.   In order to identify and address these needs, these agencies have worked together to develop a transportation plan for the corridor through the I-70 Major Investment Study (MIS).   The initial planning phase for this corridor is completed, so more detailed environmental and other technical studies will be needed in a timely manner to solidify Federal, State and local commitments to transportation improvements within the corridor.   MARC staff recommends the following action plan to transition from the MIS to these more detailed project development activities.

1) Complete I-70 MIS Technical Memo #5 with additional discussion of the required planning, environmental and design studies necessary to transition from the current high-level planning process to more project-specific detail.   In particular, add language noting that the MIS recommendations

     are the best current long-range vision for the corridor and will be the foundation for subsequent project development activities,

     do not represent any final commitments in terms of funding or implementation details, and

     further planning may change the scope, cost, schedule or other details of improvements to the corridor.

2) At the conclusion of the MIS:

     MoDOT and MARC will initiate National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) studies in the I-70 corridor to develop the final preferred alternative for the corridor, using the MIS Statement of Purpose and Need and Strategy Packages as their foundation.   Studies will include an initiative lead by MoDOT focusing on the highway elements of the MIS recommendations and an initiative lead by MARC to conduct an Alternatives Analysis for fixed guideway transit strategies, including commuter rail, within the corridor.   MoDOT and MARC will collaborate on these two initiatives to engage Federal, State, Regional and Local stakeholders, as well as the general public, to arrive at a single comprehensive preferred alternative for this corridor, and

     MARC will work with MoDOT and other stakeholders to draw from the recommendations of the MIS in the next update of the Kansas City region's Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), recognizing that details about the scope, cost or schedule of improvements in the I-70 corridor may change pending the outcome of NEPA and other project development activities.   When any refinements to the MIS recommendations are available from the NEPA studies, they will be incorporated into the LRTP.   Until then, the MIS will serve as the foundation for the design concept and scope of I-70 improvements in the MARC LRTP for the purposes of Fiscal Constraint and Air Quality Conformity.

3) MARC and MoDOT will continue to work collaboratively with the MIS Core Group to tailor future corridor planning and project scoping activities to the particular needs and circumstances of each corridor or sub-area within the Kansas City region.