The Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study is an extensive process that was developed by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) in order to determine social, economic and environmental impacts associated with a proposed transportation improvement project. This process, mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), is a combined effort of professionals who analyze the project-related information to develop the best alternative for a community's transportation needs.

The process used in the development of the project is made up of several components. These include:

  • Data Collection
  • Development of Alternatives
  • Analysis of Viable Alternatives (including the No Project Alternative)
  • Selection of Recommended Alternatives
  • Public Involvement

Data collection involves gathering the information that is needed to develop and evaluate the various improvement alternatives, including:

  • Traffic counts
  • Crash records
  • Existing roadway geometry
  • Existing land use and property information
  • Planned development
  • Existing drainage systems and drainage patterns
  • Identification of wetlands
  • Threatened/Endangered species habitat
  • Contamination sites
  • Archaeological/Historic sites

Several improvement alternatives will be developed that will meet future travel demand and attempt to minimize impacts to the community and the natural environment. These alternatives will be developed with input from the public and local government and environmental agencies collected throughout the study process. The "No Project" alternative, or the alternative to make no improvements, will remain a viable alternative throughout the study.

The alternatives developed will be compared based on community and environmental impacts, costs for design and construction engineering inspection, right-of-way acquisition, and construction and wetland mitigation. Public comment and sentiment is also considered during this analysis. Several environmental studies are conducted and used in this analysis. These include:

  1. Air Quality - Assessing existing conditions and determining ways to conform with the Clean Air Act.
  2. Noise - Determining if the project will increase noise levels.
  3. Wetlands - Finding the best way to avoid or mitigate long-term and short-term impacts to wetlands.
  4. Water Quality - Implementing measures to prevent, reduce or eliminate pollution of ground and surface waters.
  5. Wildlife and Habitat Impacts - Efforts are made to protect and ensure the continued existence of threatened and/or endangered species and their habitat.
  6. Contamination - Identifying, evaluating and recommending actions concerning contamination problems within and/or adjacent to the project.
  7. Floodplains - The Location Hydraulics Report documents the efforts to minimize or avoid encroaching within the floodplains through drainage system design.
  8. Archaeological and Historic Sites - Documentation is also required to protect historic and archaeologically significant sites.

Once the analysis of all the viable alternatives, including the No Project alternative, is complete and the public has had the opportunity to comment on these alternatives, a recommendation will be made. This recommended alternative, along with the supporting project documentation and summary of public input, will be presented to the Federal Highway Administration for Location and Design Concept Acceptance.

A complete Public Involvement program is conducted throughout the study. This program is designed to make the public aware of the project and to solicit comments and input from the public during the development and evaluation of the alternatives and the selection of the preferred alternative. Please click on Public Involvement for a description of the program and to see how you can be involved.