AASHTO PH03-2

Conducting National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) studies for projects involving toll lanes and toll roads involves many sensitive issues and complex considerations. Key issues to consider when managing the NEPA process for toll lanes and toll roads include transportation plans and policies, proposed tolling concept, scope of NEPA analysis, relationship of NEPA process to project financing, and procurement and legal issues. Practical tips addressed include laying the policy foundation, building the project team, developing tolling alternatives, framing the issues for decision in the NEPA process, modeling the performance of tolled alternatives, evaluating impacts of tolled alternatives, synchronizing the NEPA review with procurement process, and considering tolling after NEPA is under way or completed.