Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Record of Decision (ROD)

Overview

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), announced the publication of the combined Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Record of Decision (ROD) and Final Section 4(f) Evaluation for the RLE Project on August 12, 2022.

The Final EIS includes the project’s purpose and need, a description of the alternatives considered, and evaluates the potential impacts and benefits of the project’s Preferred Alignment in comparison with the No Build Alternative.

The Final EIS has been combined with the ROD into a single document. The ROD is the conclusion of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) EIS process and is the official FTA decision document regarding the project’s environmental impacts and mitigation. The combined Final EIS/ROD commits to specific mitigation measures to eliminate or reduce adverse impacts.

Public and agency comments received on the Draft EIS in 2016, the Preferred Alignment announcement in 2018, and the Supplemental Environmental Assessment (EA) in 2022, and responses to those comments, are included in the Final EIS/ROD. Comments received during the NEPA process have informed the Final EIS.

Notice of Availability Combined Final EIS, ROD, and Section 4(f) Evaluation (English) (Spanish)
RLE Combined Final EIS/ROD and Section 4(f) Evaluation
RLE Final EIS Appendix Documents
- Appendix A: Alternatives Analysis - Locally Preferred Alternative Report
- Appendix B: Scoping Report (Part 1 and 2)
- Appendix C: Agency Coordination and Public Involvement (Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7)
- Appendix D: Purpose and Need Report
- Appendix E: Description of Alternatives (Part 1 and 2)
- Appendix F: Plans and Profiles (Part 1 and 2)
- Appendix G: Description of Construction and Phasing for Build Alternatives (Part 1 and 2)
- Appendix H: Transportation Technical Memorandum (Part 1 and 2)
- Appendix I: Construction Impacts Technical Memorandum (Part 1 and 2)
- Appendix J: Land Use and Economic Development Technical Memorandum (Part 1 and 2)
- Appendix K: Displacements and Relocation of Existing Uses Technical Memorandum (Part 1 and 2)
- Appendix L: Neighborhoods and Community Impacts Technical Memorandum (Part 1 and 2)
- Appendix M: Parklands and Community Facilities Technical Memorandum (Part 1 and 2)
- Appendix N: Visual and Aesthetic Conditions Technical Memorandum (Part 1 and 2)
- Appendix O: Noise and Vibration Technical Memorandum (Part 1 and 2)
- Appendix P: Safety and Security Technical Memorandum (Part 1 and 2)
- Appendix Q: Historic and Cultural Resources Technical Memorandum (Part 1, 2, and 3)
- Appendix R: Hazardous Materials Technical Memorandum (Part 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5)
- Appendix S: Water Resources Technical Memorandum (Part 1 and 2)
- Appendix T: Cumulative Impacts Technical Memorandum (Part 1 and 2)
- Appendix U: Air Quality Technical Memorandum (Part 1 and 2)
- Appendix V: Biological Resources Technical Memorandum (Part 1 and 2)
- Appendix W: Energy Technical Memorandum (Part 1 and 2)
- Appendix X: Environmental Justice Technical Memorandum (Part 1 and 2)
- Appendix Y: Section 4(f) Replacement Park Analysis Technical Memorandum (Part 1 and 2)
RLE Community Guide to the Final EIS (English) (Spanish)

A hard copy of the combined Final EIS/ROD and Section 4(f) Evaluation was available for 30 days, August 12, 2022 through September 12, 2022, at the following locations: