What is the Environmental Process?

Transportation projects must complete a number of steps before they can be delivered. For the first step, the California Department of Transportation prepared an initial planning document – called a Project Study Report – in December 2006. Work is underway on the preliminary engineering and environmental studies, which will be used to develop a Project Report and Environmental Document. These documents will summarize the results of the following studies:

• Current and future traffic conditions
• Preliminary engineering design
• Compliance with Riverside County’s Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan
• Water quality
• Air quality
• Impacts to area residents and businesses, parks and recreation areas, public services and cultural and historic resources
• Sensitive plants and wildlife
• Consistency with city and county general plans
• Noise impacts
• Utilities
• Cost estimates

These reports are necessary to meet requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act and to obtain state approvals. If state approvals are obtained, final engineering design, environmental permitting, and right-of-way acquisition will be conducted. Once these activities are completed, construction can begin.