Purpose of the Project
The purpose of the Lafayette Regional Xpressway (LRX) project is to effectively and expeditiously enhance the regional and national transportation system by improving system linkage, increasing capacity and accommodating transportation demand, and responding to economic development within the greater Acadiana region.
The LRX project is necessary because the existing transportation system has been determined to have inadequate capacity to accommodate existing heavy travel demand and anticipated travel demand caused by considerable on-going population growth and expanding economic development. The project is also needed because an integral part of the region’s long-range transportation plan is the improvement of north-south mobility.
Need for the Project
The LRX is being considered to address the following needs:
Roadway Capacity
Inadequate capacity exists to accommodate existing heavy travel demand and anticipated increasing travel demand caused by considerable on-going population growth and expanding economic development within the Lafayette Metropolitan Area.
North-South Mobility
An integral part of the region’s long-range transportation plan is improvement of north-south mobility.
Travel Demand
The greater Acadiana region continues to experience population growth, residential and commercial development, and increasing transportation demand, resulting in growing congestion on existing north-south corridors. Development in communities throughout the preferred corridor identified in the Tier I EIS document has strained roadway capacity on the north and south sides of the corridor, while the west side is positioned for future growth and economic investment. The Lafayette Regional Xpressway (LRX) would provide a new limited-access corridor that improves regional mobility, enhances connections to I-10, I-49, US 90, and Hwy 182, and serves as an alternative route to congested local roadways, helping support the region’s long-term transportation and economic development goals.
What is an Environmental Impact Statement?
An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is a detailed analysis prepared under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to evaluate the potential environmental, social, and economic effects of a proposed federal action and to inform decision-makers and the general public.
For large or complex projects, NEPA allows agencies to use a tiered approach, where environmental review is completed in stages. This helps focus analysis at the appropriate level of detail and avoids repeating information already evaluated in earlier studies.
Tier I EIS (Programmatic or Corridor-Level)
A Tier I EIS addresses broad, strategic decisions and evaluates a wide range of alternatives at a high level.
Typical Tier I decisions include:
- Whether a project should proceed
- General project purpose and need
- Selection of a transportation corridor or alignment
- Major design concepts
- Broad environmental constraints and opportunities
A Tier I EIS generally:
- Covers a large geographic area
- Evaluates multiple alternatives
- Identifies potential environmental issues and commitments
- Includes Public and Agency Involvement
- Does not contain detailed engineering design
- Does not typically include construction authorization
Tier II EIS (Project-Specific)
A Tier II EIS builds upon the decisions made in the Tier I EIS and focuses on detailed project implementation decisions.
Typical Tier II NEPA documents include:
- No-Build and Build Alternatives comparison to determine the potential preferred project footprint
- Resource-specific impact analyses
- Schematic-level engineering design
- Permitting and mitigation required
- Public and Agency Involvement
- Preliminary analysis of cost and funding
The LRX Tier II EIS will focus on alignments and facilities within the LRX corridor selected under the Tier I EIS to develop refined project details and potential impacts. The Tier II EIS will identify a preferred alternative alignment and facility design within the LRX corridor. The public will have the opportunity to formally comment on the proposed project during the NEPA process through a public meeting and a public hearing. The preferred alternative alignment, if selected at the conclusion of the Tier II EIS, will be documented in a ROD.
Documents & Resources
Relevant environmental documents for the Lafayette Regional Xpressway project are available for download below. You may review the archived files that were prepared for the Tier I decision in Project History.
- Tier 1 Combined FEIS/ROD (PDF)