I-495 & I-270 Managed Lanes Study

Blackwater was responsible for oversight and management of the I-495 & I-270 Managed Lanes NEPA Study for the Office of Public-Private Partnership (OP3) on behalf of the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA). In this leadership role, Blackwater had the responsibility of overseeing the largest NEPA study in Maryland’s history, on an accelerated schedule, which included development of Draft, Supplemental, and Final Environmental Impact Statements and Draft/Final Section 4(f) Evaluations covering 48 miles of Maryland’s interstate system.

Specifically, Blackwater was involved in development of the Study’s Purpose and Need Statement, development of logical termini and independent utility, development of over 15 multimodal alternatives, screening of alternatives, identification of the Preferred Alternative, conducting environmental resource inventories, analysis of impacts to cultural, natural, parkland and socio-economic resources, development of avoidance and minimization measures and identification and finalization of mitigation for unavoidable impacts. Several of Blackwater’s staff served as technical leads for the study including air, noise, Section 4(f), and mitigation.

Blackwater was the primary lead for local, state, and federal agency coordination which was an extensive effort over four years involving eight cooperating agencies and 30 participating agencies. Blackwater developed conflict resolution procedures for the Study and participated/facilitated formal issue resolution meetings on behalf of SHA.

Blackwater was directly involved in planning, implementing, and facilitating public outreach and engagement including 16 large public workshops, seven in-person and virtual public hearings and presenting at over 100 elected official briefings, stakeholder, and community meetings. Blackwater was responsible for planning and assisting in the execution of an innovative approach to engagement with Environmental Justice (EJ) communities during the pandemic.

In addition to the environmental program management, Blackwater was directly involved in the solicitation and procurement of the P3 Developer and continues to serve as a Lead Advisor for the P3 Program Office for this alternative delivery project.