Major Investment Study / Draft Environmental Impact Statement
2. Development and Evaluation of Alternatives
2.1 Long List of Alternatives
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2.1 LONG LIST OF ALTERNATIVES
The first step in the three-stage alternative evaluation
process was to create a Long List of transportation alternatives that potentially
met the needs of the study corridor. These alternatives spanned a full
range of transportation solutions that included investments in highways/roadways,
commuter rail, light rail, heavy rail, busway and automated guideway systems.
Transit agency and project team staff developed the Long List of Alternatives
with input from agencies and the public. The following organizations contributed
to the development of the Long List of Alternatives:
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Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
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Berks Area Reading Transportation Authority
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Federal Transit Administration
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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Transportation
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Federal Highway Administration
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City of Philadelphia - Mayor's Office of Transportation
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City of Reading - Planning Office
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Philadelphia City Planning Commission
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Delaware County Planning Department
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Montgomery County Planning Commission
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Chester County Planning Commission
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Berks County Planning Commission
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Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission
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Norfolk Southern Corporation, Strategic Planning Department
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Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers
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Philadelphia Trolley Coalition
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Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association
The Long List of Alternatives included 25 build alternatives
(shown in Table 2.1-1) that were then moved
forward into the Stage I Evaluation process. The No-Build Alternative represents
existing transportation investments included in the most recently approved
Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The TSM represents a low cost
alternative that optimizes the existing transportation network. The Federal
Transit Administration (FTA) requires that both of these alternatives be
considered and evaluated against the build alternatives during the step
that involves identification of the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA).
Therefore, the No-Build and TSM Alternatives were carried forward through
the Stage I and Stage II evaluation process, and then to the Stage III
evaluation (Chapter 6) where the LPA is finally
identified.
All of the 25 build alternatives listed above were
brought forward into the Stage I Evaluation process, which is discussed
in the following section.
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