Isn’t the statement of Purpose and Need too narrow?
Improvements in the Circ-Williston project area are an important part of the regional transportation system, but one project can’t solve all problems. Rather, the Circ-Williston improvements need to stand on their own in terms of both transportation benefit and environmental/community impacts. The EIS will consider the cumulative benefits and impacts of Circ-Williston improvements together with all other projects in the Metropolitan Transportation Plan, but the selected alternative will not depend on those other projects for its justification. Similarly, the EIS will give careful consideration to effects on regional development and regional and state land use policies, but its purpose is to improve transportation, not to make land use decisions that belong to local governments.
