Public information meetings set for US 278 and Argent Boulevard widening; consultants present alternatives

Jeff Buckley of Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering told the committee that preliminary concept designs for US 278 Phase 1/2B and Argent Boulevard are ready for public review and that both projects will undergo public information meetings to gather feedback.

"Argent Boulevard meeting will be on October 1. That is a Thursday evening from 5 to 7, and US 278 meeting will be on Monday, October 5," Buckley said. He described alternatives for US 278 widening from four to six lanes and said the design team has completed traffic modeling, crash-data analysis and intersection reviews that informed the concepts.

Buckley also told the group these projects involve federal funding and will follow the National Environmental Policy Act process, including indicated environmental reviews and a later public hearing once a preferred alternative is identified. He said the Argent Boulevard appropriation shown in materials is $12,000,000 and that the US 278 line in materials was $2,000,000.

Buckley said the public meetings will be drop-in format with display boards and staff available to answer technical questions; the design alternatives will be posted on the project website ahead of the meetings so residents can review materials and leave comments online. Staff asked the committee to encourage public attendance and to route comments to project leads ahead of the meetings.