What is a PEL Study?
Planning and Environment Linkages (PEL) is a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) initiative that focuses on shortening project delivery time by improving the efficiency of the process.
This is achieved by reducing duplication of effort, collaborative decision making, and maximizing the use of information developed in planning in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process that will follow the successful completion of the PEL Study.
What is NEPA?
NEPA stands for National Environmental Policy Act. This Federal act was signed into law on January 1, 1970. It describes a process Federal agencies are required to follow to evaluate the effects of road improvements, construction, and park and forest management projects, with the potential to profoundly impact the Nation's landscape and environment.
The NEPA environmental analysis for the Beltline will be a detailed investigation of selected strategies developed in the
PEL Study that have the potential to address Beltline objectives. Those potential strategies will be refined as needed to improve the extent to which they solve Beltline issues and to minimize and mitigate impacts and cost.
What are the benefits of a PEL study?
A
PEL Study sets up early collaboration between federal, state, and environmental agencies, local municipalities and interested or potentially affected stakeholders. This early and extensive coordination helps to ensure all issues are fully understood and possible solutions identified are evaluated. These actions combine to improve stakeholder buy-in of the recommendations. A PEL Study can also eliminate unreasonable alternatives, reduce duplication of environmental review, and inform any future NEPA processes.
In the end, a
PEL Study helps to improve the efficiency of the overall environmental study process, reducing the total study time, study delivery and the review costs.
Why is this Beltline study being conducted?
Given the existing conditions, anticipated county growth rate and other significant factors, in November 2011, Wisconsin’s Transportation Projects Commission authorized the study of long-term solutions for the Madison Beltline from US 14 in Middleton to County N in Cottage Grove.
The study is focusing on improving safety and mobility for all modes of travel while reducing congestion.
What are the Beltline issues?
From 2014 to 2018 many sections of the Beltline had crash rates higher than the state average when compared to similar types of highways. Most sections carry more traffic than can be efficiently accommodated.
Motorists that would prefer to use the Beltline are increasingly using alternate routes, such as the neighborhood street network, during morning and evening peak travel periods. According to the Greater Madison Metropolitan Planning Organization's Regional Transportation Plan 2050, Dane County is anticipated to add nearly 250,000 people and 140,000 jobs by 2050. There is no residual capacity on the Beltline to serve this growth.
The Beltline presents a barrier to bicycle and pedestrians that need to cross. Unreliable travel times reduce the value of the Beltline as a dependable route for transit.
The Beltline bridges and pavement are aging and deteriorating. Some features, such as ramps and shoulders, do not meet the current design standards. Replacement of the existing facility will be needed in the future just to address these issues.
Wasn't the Flex Lane built to address Beltline issues?
Now in service for over three years, the Beltline Flex Lane has made a positive impact on congestion and traffic mobility between Verona Road and I-39/90/94 by allowing traffic to use the inside shoulders during the busiest times.
Prior to the opening of the Flex Lane, the average travel time through this area of the Beltline was about 25 minutes during the busiest times of the day. The more recent data indicates these average peak travel times were reduced by up to 40% with the implementation of the Flex Lane.
Although the Flex Lane is a separate project from the current PEL study, the positive results from the addition of the Flex Lane allows WisDOT the opportunity to focus more immediate attention on potential improvements to the west side of the Beltline corridor.
Are there opportunities for public input? When and where?
Several Public Involvement Meetings (PIMs) were held during the Beltline PEL Study. More information on those meetings can be found on the public involvement page of this website. Since the Beltline PEL Study has now been completed, there are no further PIMs planned at this time. However, if the corridor is approved for a future NEPA study or studies, additional outreach, including PIMs, will occur during the NEPA process.
Did WisDOT working with local communities on the PEL Study?
Yes. Various workgroups were been formed to ensure local community representatives, as well as state and federal agency representatives, were a part of the study process.
Is there any construction associated with the PEL Study?
No, there is no construction associated with the
PEL study. There are, and have been, interim and spot improvements being constructed or considered outside of the PEL study. Please see
interim solutions question below for more information.
Will this study result in more lanes being added to the Beltline?
As part of the Beltline PEL Study, a variety of long-term solutions were evaluated to determine how they address Beltline issues, including the potential to add travel lanes. The potential to add travel lanes to the Beltline will be reviewed in more detail as part of future NEPA studies and no construction of additional travel lanes is planned at this time.
Will there be any interim solutions or spot improvements before the long-term improvements?
Potential interim and spot improvements were investigated and may be implemented as needed. One example was the US 14 and Deming Way intersection where roadway improvements were made including lengthening the left turn lanes on US 14 and Deming Way to better accommodate the signal phasing for protected-only left turns on US 14. The Beltline Flex Lane is also considered an interim improvement for the corridor from about Verona Road to I-39/90.
Did the study consider all modes of transportation?
Yes, the study did evaluate potential improvements to modes of ground transportation, including walking, biking, using public transit or motor vehicles, and carpooling.
How were bicycle and pedestrian needs taken into consideration?
Improvements to bicycle and pedestrian facilities such as improving or adding crossings and increasing route connectivity along and across the Beltline were analyzed as part of each potential solution.
What do you mean by PEL Components?
The PEL study considered different types of improvements at specific locations on, near, or across the Beltline that when combined may address the study goal. They were called "Components", and they included:
- New local road crossings and connections (e.g. constructing a new bridge over the Beltline)
- Improved transit
- Mainline, interchange and weaving improvements
- Pedestrians and Bicycle Connections (e.g. constructing a new path to connect areas near a Beltline interchange)
- Park and Ride facilities
What is the Preferred Strategy Package?
The Preferred Strategy Package includes the improvement components that are proposed to be carried forward for more detailed analysis in subsequent NEPA studies. It is not what is proposed for future construction. It is possible that some components could change or be eliminated from consideration during the future NEPA analysis.
When will the improvements be built?
There is no construction scheduled at this time. Upon completion of the PEL, more detailed analysis of the components included in the Preferred Strategy Package will occur during future NEPA studies. The exact timing of those studies is not known, but it is estimated that for some sections of the corridor NEPA could begin in the mid-to-late 2020's, while it may not begin until the 2030's for other sections. Once NEPA is completed for a section, it could then be recommended to the Transportation Projects Commission (TPC), for funding of final design and construction.