The PEL Process

I-25 traffic downtown Denver

"PEL is a study process which identifies transportation needs, priorities, and environmental concerns." 


This PEL study process was the first step in understanding critical transportation problems and needs for I-25 Central.

A PEL study facilitates the decision-making process by:

  • Identifying efficient and cost-effective solutions
  • 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 NEPA process, providing alternative recommendations, and providing context for how the project could be advanced. PEL studies make the NEPA process more efficient since many of the alternatives and impacts are identified and evaluated prior to the in-depth NEPA study.