For the past eight months, the U.S. 219 Project Team has been developing Phase 2 alignments for analysis in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). In Phase 1, 1,000-foot wide corridors were developed to assess a variety of alternatives for transportation improvements between the north end of the Meyersdale Bypass and the existing four-lane section of U.S. 219 near the Borough of Somerset. The Phase 1 corridors were displayed at the last public meeting on December 13, 2001 and approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in February of 2002.
In March 2002, engineers from Greenhorne & O'Mara, Inc. (G&O) developed Phase 2 alignments within the four corridors carried forward from Phase 1 (Alignments B, C, C-1 and D). Table 1 on page 2 provides an overview of the Phase 2 alignments.
Alignments were refined using detailed engineering and environmental studies. The Project Team applied PENNDOT and FHWA design criteria to establish a "footprint" of each proposed alignment. The Team also considered access to and from the proposed highway, local access within the study area that might be affected by the proposed highway, height of bridges, amount of excavation and fill required, interchange designs, drainage considerations, utilities, and required right-of-way.
In late March, crews surveyed and staked each alignment in the field. In April, engineers and environmental scientists walked the alignments to gather detailed data and identify potential engineering flaws. The project team also held meetings with Federal and State resource agencies, the public and the involved municipalities to Continued on page 2

PENNDOT Meets With Local Farmers

remaining 13 were full-time farmers. Types of operations included dairy, beef cattle, replacement heifers, produce, and hay production.
Information about each farming operation that was obtained through these interviews included:

• Amount of land in agricultural use;


• Description of access to fields and other properties;