The Metro South Study will take approximately two years to complete. Because this is a federal study, specific guidelines outlined by the Federal Transit Administration must be followed. Every step of the way, your input will be an important factor. When viewing the timeline, click on each milestone for an explanation of what will happen during that stage of the study.

The final public step of the Metro South Study is the selection of a preferred alternative. Based on the technical information and public input, the Board of Directors of East-West Gateway Coordinating Council will select a preferred design alternative. Once this alternative is chosen, the study team will then prepare a New Rail Starts report and submit it to the Federal Transit Administration requesting entrance into its federal funding program.

Timeline Components:

• Study Begins – Winter 2002
• Document Existing Conditions –
  Winter 2003
• Purpose and Need – Summer 2003
  
• Preliminary Definition of Alternatives –
  Fall 2003
• Detailed Definition of Alternatives –
  Winter 2003/2004
• Alternatives Evaluation –
  Spring 2004
• Selection of Preferred Alternative –
  Fall 2004
• Submit Federal New Starts Criteria Analysis – Fall 2004
• Draft Environmental Impact Statement –
  Winter 2004/Spring 2005
• Submit Federal Funding Application to Enter Preliminary Engineering – 2005