The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has granted METRO permission to seek federal funding for construction of the North Corridor light-rail line - a critical milestone in METRO's build out of the METRO Solutions Phase 2 plan.  

Last week, METRO received a Record of Decision (ROD) for the North Corridor Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement (SFEIS).  This ROD represents final approval for the federal environmental process, including supplemental work requested in November 2007.

With the ROD, METRO can resume the purchase of right -of-way, continue work on the project's design and complete construction planning for work to start in the fall of 2008.

The FTA requested the supplemental environmental work after an October 2007 METRO Board decision to upgrade to light rail (rather than bus rapid transit) for the METRO Solutions transit corridors.  METRO opted to build light rail on the North, Southeast, East End and Uptown lines after completing further analysis of forecasted ridership and costs.  

As stated in the ROD, dated July 1, 2008, "FTA's decision to prepare a SFEIS in this case was based on a consideration of form rather than substance because no new or changed significant impacts that were not previously evaluated in the FEIS were found."

This ROD further establishes that the Locally Preferred Alternative (the selection of route and technology) "meets the purpose and need of the North Corridor project [...] is most compatible with local plans; has the lowest operating cost; has the least impact to historic properties, mature trees, and sensitive noise receivers (e.g., residences); and has the general support of the community."

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