Printable VersionProject Schedule
The ultimate goal of the Gold Line Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is to select a recommended transit alternative, identify the impacts that may be caused by its implementation and recommend ways of mitigating these impacts.Timing of the EIS decision-making process is as follows:
Summer/Fall 2006 - Scoping phase to identify the scope of the study and alternatives to be evaluated.
Late 2006/Early 2007 - Conduct increasingly detailed evaluation of alternatives to eliminate flawed alternatives and identify those that best meet the needs of the corridor with the least environmental impact.
Summer 2007 - Select a recommended alternative, the Preferred Alternative, to undergo a very detailed level of analysis called preliminary engineering.
Late2007/Early 2008 - Conduct basic engineering on the Preferred Alternative to identify the impacts that may be caused by its implementation and recommend ways to mitigate those impacts. Potential refinements to the Preferred Alternative may also be identified.
Summer/Fall 2008 - Publish the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), a very detailed report that will summarize the impacts of both the Preferred Alternative and potential refinements, as well as the proposed methods to mitigate impacts. There will be a 45-day public comment period (includes two public hearings) on the DEIS.
Early 2009 - The Final EIS (FEIS) is published and submitted to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The final document will include responses to all Draft EIS comments.
Spring 2009 - FTA issues a Record of Decision on the Gold Line EIS, allowing RTD to complete the design of the Gold Line and begin construction.
2009-2012 - Project team completes final design of the Gold Line
2012-2016 -Construction takes place on the Gold Line, and the line opens to the public by 2016.
RTD will conduct extensive community outreach throughout the project to ensure that the recommendations in the EIS are reflective of what is best for the Gold Line community.
