A PD&E Study determines if there is an engineering and environmentally feasible alternative to meet the future needs determined in the planning phase. This involves the preparation of preliminary engineering and environmental documentation.
Key components of the PD&E process include an evaluation of existing conditions, identification of future traffic needs, development of alternatives, evaluation of the alternatives based on environmental and engineering factors, and coordination with local public agencies and collection of input from local citizens. All findings and recommendations are documented at the end of the study. If a Preferred Alternative is selected, the project then moves into the design phase. For more information on the PD&E Study process, visit the project website, scroll down to the Documents section, and under the Videos drop-down menu you will find a video which details the PD&E process.