Date and Time: Tuesday, September 1, 2009 at 9 am
Location: McHenry County Government Center Administration Building
667 Ware Road, Woodstock, IL 60098
(this is the newer building on the north side of Ware Road, across from the main Government Center complex)
The McHenry County Board have Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) on their agenda for their September 1, 2009 meeting. A PDF of the resolution can be found here. It is entitled, “RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A CONTEXT SENSITIVE SOLUTION APPROACH FOR THE DIVISION OF TRANSPORTATION.” The body of it reads as follows:
WHEREAS, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has adopted Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) and is committed to the advancement of CSS nationwide as part of its Vital Few Environmental Streamlining and Stewardship goal; and
WHEREAS, the Vital Few Environmental Streamlining and Stewardship goal sets expectations, measures, and methods for advancing an improved and efficient environmental review process and for demonstrating environmental stewardship. The success of the goal is focused on improving processes that influence outcomes; and
WHEREAS, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) included language in the 2005 Federal Highway Bill (SAFETEA-LU) promoting the consideration of the CSS core principles in projects; and
WHEREAS, CSS principles include the employment of early, continuous and meaningful involvement of the public and all stakeholders throughout the project development process; and
WHEREAS, the Illinois Department of Transportation adopted its CSS policy on August 1, 2005 wherein it encourages local agencies to use CSS as a best practice in the development of local projects; and
WHEREAS, the McHenry County Division of Transportation is subject to the policies, practices or mandatory design standards of the Illinois Department of Transportation; and
WHEREAS, the policies, practices or mandatory design standards used for any project should meet the minimum guidance to the maximum extent feasible, but the CSS process provides for the use of nonstandard design when such use best satisfies the concerns of a given situation. Deviations from the Illinois Department of Transportation policies, practices and mandatory design standards require review and approval for nonstandard design through the exception process and should be discussed early in the planning and design process; and
WHEREAS, the Transportation Committee of the McHenry County Board and the McHenry County Division of Transportation are ultimately responsible for the safety and integrity of the county transportation system and therefore must make the final decisions regarding any and all aspects of the projects.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the McHenry County Board affirming its support for the consideration of a Context Sensitive Solution (CSS) approach on projects undertaken by the McHenry County Division of Transportation; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Clerk is hereby directed to transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the County Administrator and the Director of Transportation/County Engineer.
DATED at Woodstock, Illinois, this 1st day of September, A.D., 2009.
Further reading on CSS:
Wikipedia
Context Sensitive Solutions.org
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Context Sensitive Solutions
