US 51 Environmental Impact Statement

Pana to Centralia, IL

The US 51 Environmental Impact Statement involves the study of the expansion of US Route 51 from two lanes to four lanes for approximately 70 miles from Pana, Illinois south to Centralia. The study investigates potential alignments and their impacts with a goal of identifying an alignment and receiving a Record of Decision from the Federal Highway Administration. US 51 Partners, a joint venture of Clark Dietz, Inc. and HDR, Inc., and the project team will develop geometrics for a highway alignment for the purposes of quantifying potential impacts as part of the detailed environmental assessment. Based on preliminary engineering, community input during CSS, and environmental analysis, a preferred alternative will be recommended and carried through to the final EIS document and project design report. The Phase I study involves:

  • An alignment consensus utilizing SAFETEA-LU and Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) public involvement processes
  • A Record of Decision from the Federal Highway Administration
  • An environmental impact statement
  • An agency and public involvement process consistent with CSS, NEPA, and SAFETEA-LU Section 6002
  • A design report identifying a preferred alternative

For a complete project description, visit the project website at us51eis-idot.com.