The federal approval of the 18-mile, six-lane, $2.4 billion highway followed "extensive review of the project's environmental impact study and public comments" and "the project could be completed as early as 2010." According to the state transportation officials, a reforestation project is "part of the project's nearly $300 million environmental mitigation program." The route will cut through some neighborhoods but "avoid parklands". Project opponents could still go to court to challenge the process by which the ICC project was approved.
Thanks to Kui Zhao, AICP
