This project involves
upgrading existing IL Route 13/IL Route
127 from two lanes to four lanes
beginning at the Ava Road intersection
north of Murphysboro in Jackson County
and ending on IL 127 just north of
Pinckneyville in Perry County . The
purpose of the proposed action is to
upgrade a portion of Illinois Routes 13
and 127 in Jackson and Perry Counties in
order to close a significant part of the
gap in the system of four-lane highways
between the major population centers in
southern Illinois and the St. Louis
metropolitan area; to comply with the
legislative mandate set forth in the
Transportation Equity Act for the 21 st
Century; and to address the needs
associated with existing roadway
deficiencies, traffic safety, and the
region's economic development.
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A major component of the
project's coordination effort has been
its public involvement program. Public
input was integrated into the project
development process. To assure the
concerns of all citizens were heard,
IDOT developed and maintained a dialogue
with the public and solicited comments
using a variety of approaches including:
- news releases and notices
- public information meetings
and questionnaires
- small group meetings
- a regional opinion survey
- an information repository
- citizen correspondence
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This approach utilized a
customized mix of techniques and public
involvement practices to (a) disseminate
information, (b) assure that the public
would be involved in the environmental
assessment process, and (c) facilitate a
two-way dialogue about issues and
concerns. A range of techniques also was
applied to give individuals a means to
access information and participate in
the dialogue at his or her own level of
interest and availability.
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Four
open-house Public Information Meetings
have been held during the project study
to provide the public an opportunity to
review and comment on the preliminary
alignments for the project area. A
preferred alternate was selected by IDOT
based on the data gathered in the
environmental survey process and the
comments received in conjunction with
the public meetings. An Environmental
Assessment is currently being developed
by the Department. It is anticipated
that this document will be finalized and
presented for public review at a Public
Hearing to be scheduled in 2004 . |
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