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For Immediate Release: January 26, 2006 |
Cheryl Donahue |
Meeting with Victor Valley elected officials will kick-off US-395 Environmental Impact Report
San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) will host a joint meeting among elected representatives from Adelanto, Apple Valley, Hesperia, Victorville and San Bernardino County on January 29 in Victorville to provide background information about the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report to preserve right-of-way for the future realignment of US Highway 395.
The meeting will be held at the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District Board Chambers, 14306 Park Avenue in Victorville, at 6 p.m.
The meeting is designed to provide an overview of the process that will be used to study three realignment options for US-395 between Hesperia and Adelanto, a 22-mile section. The goals of the Environmental Impact Report are to carefully study each alignment option, obtain public comments, reach consensus on a preferred alternative and ask each affected jurisdiction to include the alignment in their General Plans so that right-of-way can be preserved for the future realignment of the highway. Maps of the alignment options will be presented at the meeting.
Although the meeting is open to the public and some time will be provided for public comments, there will be ample opportunities for the public to ask questions and comment on the project in the future. These comments will become part of the formal record for the EIR. An Open House will be held February 26 at Quail Valley Middle School, 10058 Arrowhead Road in Phelan, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. At the Open House, visitors may view maps, discuss each alignment one-on-one with project representatives and submit written comments.
Other opportunities for public participation in the project include calling the toll-free information line, 1-877-HWY-395R (1-877-499-3957), visiting the soon to-be-completed SANBAG website at www.sanbag.ca.gov/us395 or writing SANBAG at 1170 W. 3rd Street, 2nd Floor, San Bernardino, CA 92410-1715. Additional meetings will be held often during the next 12 months while the EIR is underway.
The actual construction of a realigned US-395 is many years away. Caltrans is conducting a full Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement for a 44-mile segment of US-395 from Hesperia to just north of Kramer Junction. That full EIR/EIS will involve more detailed study of at least five proposed alignments and will take an additional three years to complete than the EIR that SANBAG is preparing for right-of-way preservation. A very rough estimate of the start of construction for the highway realignment is 2015-2020 if funding were to become available.