About the PEL Process

PEL is a study process which identifies transportation needs, priorities, and environmental concerns. Watch the video below to learn more about what is a Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL).

This PEL study process is the first step in understanding critical transportation problems and needs for the CO 52 corridor. A PEL study facilitates the decision-making process by:

• Identifying efficient and cost-effective solutions to improve transportation
• Promoting environmental stewardship
• Minimizing duplication of effort
• Reducing delays in project implementation

PEL studies link transportation planning to both human and natural environmental issues. For federally funded projects, the PEL study provides a foundation for NEPA scoping, informing the project purpose and need, defining the important issues to be addressed in the future NEPA process, providing alternative recommendations, and providing context for how the project can be advanced. PEL studies make the NEPA process more efficient since many of the alternatives and impacts are identified and evaluated prior to a NEPA review.

This PEL study will be utilized in the transportation planning process, it considers environmental concerns and opportunities in the corridor, and identifies a range of conceptual projects to establish the vision. The goal is to identify the safety and operational needs along SH-52 and determine the short-term and long-term transportation needs of the corridor. The study prioritizes short- and long-term improvements through a cooperative process with the affected local agencies and public.

In conjunction with the PEL Study, this effort will include development of an Access Control Plan (ACP) for the entire corridor (SH-119 to SH-79).