RELEASE: CONTACT:

IMMEDIATE Tiffany Elliott 757-925-1660 tiffany.elliott@VDOT.virginia.gov Sandy Shortridge

HRO-30 June 10, 2005

VDOT Seeks Citizen Input on the Southeastern Parkway and Greenbelt Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement Now Available; Public Hearings Scheduled

HAMPTON ROADS - The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will host two public hearings on July 11 and July 13 to seek citizen comments on a possible new east-west limited access roadway in the cities of Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. This roadway is being referred to as the Southeastern Parkway and Greenbelt (SEPG). The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) prepared as part of the three-year SEPG study is also now available for review.

VDOT and the Federal Highway Administration developed the DEIS to address transportation problems and needs in the Chesapeake and Virginia Beach region. Both cities have exhibited tremendous growth over the past 30 years, leading to decreased capacity on their roadways. The Southeastern Parkway and Greenbelt could benefit the area transportation system by providing a new east-west link between Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, improving access to NAS Oceana, enhancing hurricane evacuation routes, and improving the transportation network to support economic development priorities.

The release of the DEIS is the result of more than two years of environmental analysis and public participation. Five Candidate Build Alternatives (CBA) and a No-Build option are being considered.

Public hearings on the study will be held between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday, July 11 at Virginia Beach Convention Center, 1000 19th Street in Virginia Beach and on Wednesday, July 13 at Chesapeake Conference Center, 900 Greenbrier Circle in Chesapeake. The purposes of the public hearings are to present findings of the SEPG Location Study and obtain input from the community. Study team members will be present with exhibits and available to answer questions.


(MORE)



(2)

The DEIS is available for review at area libraries and VDOT offices and can be viewed from the study’s Web site: http://www.virginiadot.org/sepg.

Citizens may comment on the study at the public hearing. In addition, comments can be made online at the study Web site or mailed to: Mr. Ken Wilkinson, VDOT Environmental Division, 1401 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Comments must be received by July 23 to be included as part of the public hearing transcript.

Following the hearings, input from the public and local government will be submitted along with the DEIS to the Commonwealth Transportation Board for their consideration when endorsing a preferred alternative. A Final Environmental Impact Statement will then be prepared and presented to the Federal Highway Administration for consideration and approval.

(END)


Note to Editors: The complete DEIS is available at the following locations:

VDOT Offices: Hampton Roads District Office, Norfolk Residency Office

Public Libraries: All Chesapeake and Virginia Beach libraries

City Offices: Chesapeake City Manager’s Office, Virginia Beach City Manager’s Office, Hampton Roads Planning District Commission