RIGBY- The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) announced Alternative H2 will be analyzed as ITD’s Recommended Preferred Alternative as it completes the EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) for the I-15/US-20 Connector project.  

ITD is working to complete the EIS in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Based on the technical findings to date, Alternative H2 appears to achieve the project needs best. ITD is suggesting to FHWA and the other partner agencies that it move forward as their recommended preferred alternative. Preliminary analysis indicates that both alternatives have a similar scale of environmental impacts, but Alternative H2 is expected to have fewer impacts to Environmental Justice communities. Alternative H2 is also more consistent with long- range planning for the region and provides substantial constructability benefits.

The Draft EIS will analyze Alternative E3, Alternative H2 and the No-Build (do nothing) Alternative from the Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) study completed in December 2020. ITD’s recommended Preferred Alternative could change as the EIS analyses progress with more detailed information.  

FHWA issued a formal Notice of Intent in the Federal Register on August 15, 2022, to prepare the EIS. ITD will release the Draft EIS for public review and comment in Fall 2023 for a minimum of 45 days and will conduct a public hearing as part of the process. Substantive public comment will be considered and, if necessary, further analyses will be conducted. FHWA will issue a combined Final EIS/Record of Decision (ROD) by Fall 2024. The ROD will explain the agency’s decision regarding a build alternative for the project and will identify plans for mitigation or monitoring.  

For questions or to learn more about the EIS, please call 208.334.8119 or visit http://i15us20connector.com/