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PROJECT: US 31 Plymouth to South Bend Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) in Marshall and St. Joseph Counties. Feb. 2004 LEGAL NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND AVAILABILITY OF DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (DEIS) The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is pleased to announce the development and availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed improvement(s) to US .31 from US 30 in Plymouth to US 20 on the south side of South Bend. The DEIS is a comprehensive study and is required by law under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA evaluates impacts associated with a range of alternatives, then considers those impacts, ultimately resulting in the identification of a preferred alternative. Alternatives Cs. Es and G -C have been identified in the DEIS as selected for further studv. Project needs identified as part of this study include: (1) Congestion — Reduce congestion on US 31 by providing the capacity to meet the forecasted travel demand for the year 2030 at an acceptable Level of Service (LOS) (2) Safety — Improve safety on US 31 between US 30 and US 20 (3) Consistencv with transportation plans - determine consistency with INDOT and regional transportation plans. INDOT will hold two (2) separate sessions as part of a public hearing to present the findings of the DEIS for the US 31 Plymouth to South Bend segment. Each session will feature an "Open House" area, a formal presentation, and a public comment session. The format, information presented, and display materials will be identical at each session. The US 31 Plymouth to South Bend (DEIS) Public Hearing will be held on Thursday, March 18, 2004. Session one (1) will be held at the Old Lakeville School Proiect Building. 601 N. Michigan Street (US 31) in Lakeville. Doors will open to the public at 1:00pm with the formal presentation beginning at 2:00pm and a public comment session which will extend to 4:30pm. Session two (2) will be held at the LaVille Jr. — Sr. High School, 69969 US 31 South, in Lakeville. Doors will open to the public at 6:00pm with the formal presentation beginning at 7:00pm and a public comment session which will extend to 9:30pm. Project officials from INDOT, the FHWA_ and Bernardin, Lochmueller and Associates, the consulting firm working with INDOT to develop this project, will be on hand to accept comments and discuss concerns. Project area maps, displays, and handouts will be available for public inspection during.both sessions. Individuals interested in participating during the public comment session will be asked to sign the "Speaker's Schedule" prior to the formal presentation. In an effort to best accommodate as many speakers as possible with the time allotted, a three (3) minute time limit per speaker will be used. In addition, an area will be provided where written comments may be submitted and additional verbal comments, not presented during the comment session, may be recorded in private for those who prefer. All comments submitted prior to, during, and following the DEIS public hearings will be reviewed, evaluated, and substantive comments addressed in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to be developed in the future.